King's nose growing faster than Pinocchio's

Heather Roy
Wednesday, 10 August 2005
Press Releases - Health

The Labour Government is deliberately suppressing public health figures that will show hospital waiting lists are climbing above 181,000, ACT Health spokesman Heather Roy said today.

"Annette King is required to answer questions within one week, but has suppressed her answers to simple questions for over nine weeks.

"Previous data showed that the number of people on the waiting list for a First Specialist Assessment had surged from 113,130 at the end of September 2004 to 119,935 at the end of April. There were also 60,757 people waiting for surgery.

"Annette King has decided to hide the latest figures, which will surely show waiting list numbers have soared to record levels.

"Not only is Annette King hiding this information, she is also hiding answers she is required to release that would disclose:

- Patients are automatically removed from Labour's hidden Active Review waiting list after 18 months on it.

- She is making up answers to hide further evidence that the number of surgical operations per head of population has been dropping, despite throwing an extra $3.5 billion at health.

- Has changed data collection procedures to hide the number of deaths on waiting lists.

- The deficits for District Health Boards this year have soared to $100 million.

"Annette King's strategy is clear. Hide the truth until after the election and during the campaign just make the numbers up.

"Her fictional statements denying the huge increase in health bureaucracy eclipse Pinocchio for nose growing.

"Voters deserve to know the real facts about Labour's waiting lists crisis and Annette King's manipulation of the numbers.

"Annette King should be made to release the answers she is hiding," Mrs Roy said.

ENDS

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