Annette
KING
Health Spokesperson
28 August 2013 MEDIA STATEMENT
Minister ignoring ‘care rationing’ by nurses
Health Minister Tony Ryall has his head in the sand when it comes to the shortage of nurses who have been forced to
implement ‘care rationing’ because of budget cuts, Labour’s Health spokesperson Annette King says.
“This is disgraceful from a minister who claims he is in touch with what's going on in the health sector.
“In an effort to deflect bad news from himself in Parliament today, Tony Ryall scoffed and denigrated the New Zealand
Nurses Organisation. His pathological dislike of unions means he is unable to listen to what is being said by nurses who
actually know what is happening in our hospitals.
“In a parody of a poodle, the Minister could only repeat how much money he has put into health, over-looking the fact
the health budget has been cut in real terms.
“Daily there are reports of services being cut or stopped, and district health boards under the pump to slash their
expenditure.
“Weasel words about how 'good' everything is under his watch will not fix the problem,” Annette King says.
ENDS