Bleatings of a Johnny-come-lately

new-zealand-labour-party

Fri Nov 19 1999 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)

Bleatings of a Johnny-come-lately

Friday, 19 November 1999, 3:32 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party

Richard Prebble's sudden concern for the future of Wellington's child cancer facility is political expediency of the worst kind, said Labour candidate for Wellington Central Marion Hobbs.

"Mr Prebble is now demanding 'urgent answers' on why the child cancer department at Wellington Hospital faces closure. It's a pity that as the local member of parliament he didn't take an interest earlier.

"Labour's health spokesperson Annette King alerted the public back in February that Wellington was likely to lose its child cancer service under proposed changes by the Health Funding Authority.

"She warned that the lost of oncology services would threaten Wellington Hospital's status as a level one tertiary hospital.

"Mr Prebble, whose Act party wants to privatise health, remained silent.

"In August, a review recommended that Wellington's child cancer service should close if a second specialist could not be found. Last month that recommendation was adopted by the HFA. There was still no sign of Mr Prebble trying to intervene on behalf of his constituents.

"Capital Coast Health has been advertising overseas for a specialist but the resignation of Dr Wayne Nicholls makes the task twice as difficult.

"Every effort should be made to find the specialists that will allow a child cancer service to remain in Wellington. Mr Prebble's Johnny-come-lately bleatings are nothing more than an annoying distraction," Marion Hobbs said.

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