David Clark.
MP for Dunedin North
Health
Assoc Finance

MEDIA STATEMENT

21 June 2017

Come on – come clean Minister

Jonathan Coleman has to come clean on why he is sitting on a report that looks at the Ministry of Health’s performance, says Labour’s Health spokesperson David Clark.

“The draft report by Paula Rebstock is less then glowing about the Ministry and its financial management. First the Minister claims the report has not been completed and yet then went on to admit he is sitting on a draft.

“The Minister wants changes to the report as he is clearly not happy with it.

“This comes a day after the Minister ‘couldn’t recall‘ whether the Director General of Health Chai Chuah had offered his resignation over the Budget fiasco when the wrong funding amounts were given to the country’s District Health Boards.

“Yesterday he conceded that the country’s DHB chief executives and chairs had met and had a ‘pretty vigorous discussion’ about the debacle.

“The Minister has admitted the budget blunder was ‘totally unacceptable’ and yet those at the coalface are wearing the costs of his mistakes.

“This whole mess reinforces the need for Labour’s fresh approach on health, starting with the gradual reinstatement of National’s $2.3 billion shortfall,” says David Clark.

© Scoop Media