Maryan Street
Health Spokesperson
30 March 2012
Ryall Moves On Hip Replacement Safety Five Years Too Late
It is a bit rich that Tony Ryall is now moving to work with the Australians to regulate medical devices when he
personally railed against such moves five years ago when in Opposition, says Labour’s Health Spokesperson Maryan Street.
"We put up regulatory legislation when we were in government which Tony Ryall took great delight in opposing, even
though it was the right thing to do for New Zealanders. That legislation had to be withdrawn because we did not have
enough votes in the House for it to proceed.
"Tony Ryall whipped up community protest around natural therapeutic remedies and regulation of medical devices at the
time, saying we didn't need to join with Australia in a Trans-Tasman Regulatory Authority over these matters.
“Now in government, Tony Ryall has introduced two pieces of legislation to replace ours. In the meantime, faulty hip
replacement devices have been put into 507 New Zealanders.
"Tony Ryall has also blocked, through his National colleagues, a select committee inquiry into these faulty devices
which I called for over a week ago. This kind of interference with select committee processes is reprehensible.
"I welcome his new-found sense of responsibility over regulating medical devices. It is just a pity he wasn't so
responsible five years ago," said Maryan Street.
ENDS