27 February 2014

Ryall still has questions to answer

Departing Health Minister Tony Ryall still has questions to answer about his role in the management of a potential fraud case involving public money, Green Party health spokesperson Kevin Hague said today.

“Today’s announcement of Tony Ryall’s retirement comes in the midst of speculations about what he knew in 2010 about potential fraud carried out against Southern District Health Board (DHB),” said Mr Hague.

“His decision to resign does not absolve him from his responsibility to explain his part in the disagreement between South Link Health and Southern DHB.

“As recently as last month, Tony Ryall was denying retirement so what has led to this turn around?

“Last week when I asked him a series of questions in Parliament about his role in this potential fraud case he contradicted himself and tied himself in knots, leaving us with more questions than when we started.

“The public and the health sector have legitimate questions about the Minister’s role in this case; he must answer them despite his announcement today that he is leaving politics.

“Regardless of his announcement today, I will be pursuing the answers to questions around what he knew of the allegations that South Link Health, with whom he has a close relationship, had misused public money and whether he improperly used his influence as Minister to protect them.

“Ryall has not been a Health Minister that has looked after the health of all New Zealanders. He has been focused on the short term while ignoring the big issues that will affect New Zealanders like rising rates of diabetes, health workforce planning, and child health.

“I am currently touring the country to talk to New Zealanders about the big issues in health and what the real solutions are, said Mr Hague.

ENDS

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