Auckland DHB workers should disregard a patronising memo from bosses warning them against speaking to media, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union.
Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “The suggestion that DHB staff speak to media to find ’15 minutes of fame’ is
patronising and insulting. New Zealand’s pandemic response has been immeasurably improved thanks to whistle blowers
within the health sector who have risked their jobs alerting media to pressures on staffing, PPE, and ventilators.”
“DHB spin doctors are not and should not be considered the ‘single source of truth’. In many cases, frontline workers
have will have more honest insights for media. One only has to look at Michael Morrah’s Newshub reporting to see how
anonymous whistle blowers make the health sector more accountable.”
The Taxpayers’ Union operates a confidential tip line for anonymous whistle blowers to report wasteful spending in the health sector and
beyond at www.taxpayers.org.nz/tip_line