Cunliffe Shouldn't Be Running The Show

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Health

Cunliffe Shouldn't Be Running The Show

Libertarianz Health Spokesman Richard McGrath says the Health and Disability Commissioner's damning indictment of New Zealand's public hospitals is the first nail in the coffin for David Cunliffe.

"After all, as David said in Parliament last November, he's running the show. He should therefore be accountable to the families of those people who have died waiting for treatment in our ramshackle run-down state-run hospitals," said Dr McGrath. "He should also be accountable for the system that has driven one district health board boss to take indefinite sick leave."

"Ron Paterson said yesterday that government hospitals are not just unsafe, they are unacceptably unsafe, there is a lack of national leadership and that the Minister should do more."

"To his credit, Ron advocates competition between hospitals as a way of improving services, and my party backs him on that. But David, who runs the show, thinks central planning is the answer."

"David, we have had seventy years of central planning in health care, reinventing itself every time there is a change of government. National are no better, also arrogantly believing that Nanny knows best when it comes to arranging health cover for everyone."

Libertarianz, in its soon-to-be-released transitional health policy, advocates giving patients a choice between attending public hospitals or using DHB funds to seek help in the private sector.

"I dare say I know which way most New Zealanders would go," said Dr McGrath.

"Under a Libertarianz government," he added, "the customer would be king and health industry consumers would be running the show, not socialists who think they can count."

ENDS

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