Roger Sowry National Health Spokesperson

3 December 2001

National supports inquiry into cancer treatment

National today supported a call by the Cancer Society that a public inquiry is needed into the salaries of radiation therapists.

National Health spokesperson Roger Sowry said he supported the suggestion by the director of the Cancer Society Peter Dady that an inquiry was needed.

"We will be raising the issue at the Health Select Committee and we would support the health select committee having a look at it.

"There are decisions that have to be made about the provision of cancer treatment. New Zealanders need to know whether we are going to be able to provide quality cancer treatment, or whether we will be reliant on Australia to continue to assist with services.

"Decisions have to be made to ensure that we can recruit and retain radiotherapists so that we can provide adequate services," Mr Sowry said.

Ends

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>