Media Release

14 August 2001

You Can't Make A Silk Purse Out Of A Sows Ear Mr Henare

“Claims by the Chairman of Capital and Coast Health that it is misleading and unfair to suggest that his organisation is intent on closing down Kenepuru hospital and seriously placing lives at risk, are neither of those. It is the truth” claims New Zealand First Leader and health spokesman, Rt Hon Winston Peters.

“What other possible construction can one put on the proposal of Mr Henare’s Board to remove the existing general services beds at Kenepuru and increase the number of maternity beds from four to six”, asks Mr Peters.

“One wonders if there is something placed into their drinking water that enables Mr Henare and his hand-picked by Government Board, to see the world so differently from everyone else”’ Mr Peters pondered.

“Continually prattling on about public consultation and community involvement has long since been seen for the sham that it is. The community in the Porirua area has told Mr Henare bluntly and plainly what it thinks of his cockamamie concept to destroy its hospital services in the area, along with his promises to engage in community dialogue, and add two maternity beds.

Confirmation of the proposals to diminish hospital services for the northern suburbs of Wellington, has already been given by the Minister of Health who has stated in reply to my Parliamentary questions, that the proposal for bed numbers for Kenepuru hospital is contained in the Boards consultation document and that document confirms that all the beds, other than six maternity beds, are to go to the Newtown hospital site”, said Mr Peters.

“It is time to stop the political spin and tell taxpayers living north of the Ngauranga Gorge, which happens to be the majority of Wellington’s population, that their hospital services are about to be collapsed. The present Minister of Health, appears to be intent on beating the record of her friend and colleague Helen Clark, who when she was Minister of Health in the last Labour Government, closed 29 hospitals”, concluded Mr Peters.

ENDS

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