Hand HBDHB Review To Auditor-General

ACT New Zealand Health Spokesman Heather Roy today called on Health Minister David Cunliffe to have the review investigating Conflict of Interest allegations at Hawkes Bay District Health Board handed over to the Auditor-General immediately to ensure that the truth is exposed.

"Revelations that the 'Dominion Post' has a copy of - but has been prevented by the court from publishing - the draft report, along with many and varied accusations surrounding the review and those involved, mean the public can have no confidence in the current process," Mrs Roy said.

"No matter how well-intentioned, the three-man committee conducting the review is now operating well outside its brief - and Mr Cunliffe should immediately instruct the Director General of Health to hand the entire process over to the Auditor-General.

"Accusations held by the 'Dominion Post' regarding the review and the people involved include: political interference, cover-ups, questionable testimonies, and widely differing drafts of the review. The process is now so compromised that there can be no confidence that the real situation will ever truly be revealed.

"It is not the job of the Health Minister to influence, in any way, the outcome of such reviews. In order to salvage the process and ensure that the truth is exposed, Mr Cunliffe should immediately request that the Auditor-General investigate the conflict of interest situation at HBDHB - going back to early 2005 when then Health Minister Annette King approached Mr Hausmann about appointing him to the Board, right through to the sacking of the Board this week.

"Good people's reputations are at risk. This alone is reason enough for an independent review. Most importantly, however, the people of Hawkes Bay should be assured that their health priorities are paramount and past mistakes are not repeated," Mrs Roy said.