Roger Sowry National Health Spokesperson

10 August 2001

Congrats to health boards for rejecting Govt

District health boards making a stand against the Government for underfunding are to be congratulated, National's Health spokesperson Roger Sowry said today.

"Many boards are being set up to fail and given the pending district health board elections it would be irresponsible for boards to accept funding agreements which placed huge pressures on incoming boards.

"We know that the national deficit for boards is well over $200 million for the financial year to June 2002, and they are only starting the financial year.

Several boards have rejected the Crown Funding Agreement due to be signed today. "The health boards need to hold out on agreeing to the Crown Funding Agreement," Mr Sowry said.

"The Labour Government should be honouring its promise that higher taxes would mean better health and education services. The Government has well and truly broken this commitment to New Zealanders," he said. Ends

ENDS

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