Grant Robertson
State Services Spokesperson

28 October 2009 Media release

Health Restructuring Architect Gets Room at the Top

The appointment by Tony Ryall of Dr Murray Horn as the Chair of the new National Health Board reeks of cronyism, and reflects a return to the hard right policies of the 1990s, Grant Robertson, Labour State Services Spokesperson and Ruth Dyson Labour Health Spokesperson said.

"This is a classic case of jobs for the boys. Murray Horn was Tony Ryall's 'purchase advisor', who he then appointed to lead a Ministerial review of the health system," Grant Robertson said.

“That review recommended a National Health Board, and now Mr Ryall has appointed Murray Horn to head that board.

“This is an inside job and reflects badly on the transparency of the government.' Grant Robertson said.

'”What is more Mr Horn was the Secretary of Treasury in the 1990s when they oversaw massive cuts to public services including in the Health sector. This appointment confirms that the ideological agenda of cutting services and privatisation is alive and well in this National government," Grant Robertson said.

"It has been difficult to see how patients will actually benefit from the restructuring that Tony Ryall has proposed for the health sector. Now it is clear that the main beneficiary will be the architect of the changes himself," Labour Health spokesperson Ruth Dyson said.

“At present Mr Ryall has extended his response time for Official Information Act requests on the Ministerial Review Group to 10 working weeks," Grant Robertson said.

"Mr Ryall needs to come clean and tell the New Zealand public just how much taxpayer money Mr Horn has received from this government.

“Payments made to Mr Horn must be getting into the tens of thousands of dollars, at a time when workers finding it hard to meet the cost of living are being told by the government they are facing a pay freeze. Mr Ryall needs to take a serious look at his priorities,” Grant Robertson said.

ENDS

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