Sandra Goudie MP
National Party Senior Citizens Spokeswoman

17 May 2006

Come on Minister - speak up for the elderly

National Party Senior Citizens spokeswoman Sandra Goudie can't believe anyone would try to defend demeaning photographs used in a nurses' union magazine.

"Putting the threat of legal action to one side, there is no reasonable excuse to be using humiliating photographs of this sort in support of a pay claim. It's exploitation, pure and simple."

Ms Goudie is commenting on the storm that has erupted after photographs of naked rest-home residents were published in the latest issue of Kaitiaki, the journal of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation. It includes pictures of elderly men and women being showered, toileted and dressed.

Now, one family is seeking to have unsold copies of the magazine withdrawn because they did not give consent for the publication of pictures which show their now-deceased father on the toilet.

"It's a completely hollow gesture for the nurses' union to launch an investigation only now. They should apologise and do all they can to make amends.

"Where's the Minister? Ruth Dyson is supposed to represent the best interests of our Senior Citizens, yet she has remained silent.

"Is she more interested in protecting Labour's relationship with the nurses union than doing what's right for the elderly?

"She should condemn, in the strongest possible terms, this elder abuse," says Ms Goudie.

Ends

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