Ryall displays arrogance - over Thomson

new-zealand-labour-party

Wed Feb 11 2009 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)

Ryall displays arrogance - over Thomson

Wednesday, 11 February 2009, 4:52 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party

Hon Pete Hodgson
MP for Dunedin North

11 February 2009 Media Statement

Ryall displays arrogance

Health Minister Tony Ryall has decided he knows better than the public of Otago, said Dunedin North MP Pete Hodgson.

Pete Hodgson questioned the Minister in Parliament today over his intention to sack Otago DHB chair Richard Thomson.

“What we saw was arrogance. Unfortunately Mr Ryall seems deaf to the fact that the fraud was established before Mr Thomson or anyone else on the Board had been appointed.

“He is also displaying arrogance towards the Otago public. In the October elections all six board members who were standing for another term were re-elected, including Mr Thomson.

Yet by then not only had the fraud been uncovered, the public were fully aware of its details. An election is a much more thorough exercise in accountability than is Mr Ryall’s partisan rush to judgement.

“The public clearly saw the Board as being part of the solution, not part of the problem. Mr Ryall seems to believe his judgement is superior to that of the Otago public.

“Mr Ryall continues to call for accountability for this huge fraud even after Mr Thomson, who helped catch Mr Swann, has won the re-election. One can only imagine that, should Mr Thomson be sacked for his efforts, Mr Swann will be sitting in his prison cell grinning from ear to ear.

ENDS

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