Date: 23/05/2006

Democrats Accuse National Party Of Using Placebo Politics

How typically hypocritical of politicians like National's Tony Ryall who, having stuffed up the public health system during the 1990s are now playing politics with its ongoing problems.

During the abortive experiment in market economics health was skeletonised almost to the point of death and the present situation that National M Ps are now cynically exploiting stems largely from their own actions. Unfortunately too many people are now being sucked in by the prevarication of people like Mr. Ryall.

The current waiting list debacle came out of the 1990s, as did the proposals for rationing services; skill and wage levels were compromised and front line staff headed for greener pastures in Australia or the UK, while overpaid and under performing bureaucrats waxed fat on rewards based salary packages.

The equation for providing a viable health system means that if the amount of funding required is not provided the service provision will inevitably be either of less quantity or less quality. Today, thanks to a few opportunistic politicians, both quality and quantity are compromised.

A new mechanism is needed to provide an interest free funding stream, which is outside political manipulation, for our essential infrastructure. That will ensure sectors such as health can deliver timely, quality care for all New Zealanders. Nationals' placebo solutions simply obscure the need for designing a real remedy.

ENDS

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