Media Release

24 March 2004

Minister Lets Health System Lapse Into Chaos

New Zealand first is again calling on the Government to fix the ailing health system following yet another damning report into the state of public hospitals.

The Health Ministry report for the quarter ending September 2003 shows that emergency patients are waiting too long for treatment in 17 out of 21 district health boards.

“We are talking about seriously ill patients who need immediate attention, yet they are waiting much longer than the recommended 10 minutes for treatment. This is an appalling situation that must be rectified,” said health spokesperson Barbara Stewart.

“We are fast approaching crisis point and lives are being endangered yet nobody wants to take responsibility.

“It is time for this Government to admit it is at fault and starting fixing the problem before it is too late.

“Our primary concern must be that patients needs are met and met in time. The Government must act now,” said Mrs Stewart.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

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>>