Roger Sowry National Health Spokesperson

21 December 2001

King ignores community wishes for health boards

Today's district health board appointees announced by Health Minister Annette King confirm she's stacking the boards with people who won't disagree with her, National's Health Spokesperson Roger Sowry said today.

"Of the 21 boards seven have had two candidates reappointed to them who failed in the October election, and eight have had one unsuccessful candidate appointed to them.

"Annette King has reappointed 10 former board members, that she had appointed in August 2000, but who were voted out in the recent elections. She has also reappointed six former board members, also appointed by her in 2000, but who did not stand in this year's elections.

"This shows that people who communities don't want on their boards are being put on them by the Government.

"Annette King has tried to gag district health boards. These announcements today show that there will be more of this sort of controlling to come as she has hand-picked many of these people rejected by their communities," Roger Sowry.

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