Hon Tony Ryall
National Party Health Spokesman

12 September 2006

Hodgson relies on luck to end strike

Health Minister Pete Hodgson's flippant remarks wishing the parties involved in the radiographers' industrial dispute 'every good luck' illustrate his total indifference to the thousands of patients affected, says National's Health spokesman, Tony Ryall.

"Taxpayers aren't paying Mr Hodgson $1,000 a day as Minister of Health to sit on his hands and rely on the Goddess of Chance to end this crisis. They expect him to get the parties talking and a resolution sorted."

Mr Hodgson today tried to minimise the radiographers' industrial action, saying it involved only 200 or 300 out of a workforce of 70,000.

"This strike involves not only a few hundred radiographers, but thousands of patients who are being totally ignored by this Government and this Minister," says Mr Ryall.

"He should measure the impact of the strike on the number of patients affected, not the number of people causing the chaos.

"Elective surgery has been cancelled. Patients with cancer face further delays in treatment. Many patients will fall off waiting lists as cancelled patients are booked back into hospitals over the next few months. "Fourteen hospitals have ground to a near halt, and all Mr Hodgson does is avoid any responsibility for getting patients back into care."

ENDS

© Scoop Media