DHB bosses rack up big bills

Cathy Cooney. Photo / APN

Health Board bosses spent more than $300,000 of taxpayer money on travel in the past two calendar years.

During the same period, the chief executives racked up $52,400 on cellphone bills, with one spending almost $6500 in three months because she was on the wrong pricing plan.

The figures come from information released to the Herald on Sunday under the Official Information Act.

All but four of New Zealand's 20 boards supplied information on travel costs while 15 provided figures on cellphone bills.

The biggest travel bill belonged to Lakes board chief executive Cathy Cooney, who spent almost $52,000, including trips to conferences in London and Perth.

The trips were an opportunity to share information and helped to develop healthcare in the area, said spokeswoman Shan Tapsell.

Next came Bay of Plenty chief executive Phil Camish, who spent more than $46,000, and Auckland boss Garry Smith, whose bill was more than $34,000.

A Bay of Plenty spokeswoman said Camish's bill was money well spent.

He played a key role at national meetings which required regular travel between Tauranga and Wellington.

Auckland board spokesman Matt Rogers said a large part of chief executive Smith's bill was spent on flights to Wellington, where he chaired meetings of health board bosses.

It also included trips to Japan and the United States, in which he flew economy class.

Whanganui chief executive Julie Patterson spent the most on cellphones. Her bill of almost $10,200 included more than $6300 for the last three months of 2009.

That period was expensive because of roaming charges incurred while she was in the UK - on the wrong price plan.

"We were unaware what these charges were," said spokeswoman Tricia Wells. "Once the cost of this arrangement was discovered, a much more cost-effective system was put in place and this is evident by the successive 10 months."

Patterson's bill included calls and internet access from her Blenheim home. Taxpayers had funded the system so she had "access to everything".

But Wells said Patterson was "probably the only chief executive who commutes at her own expense".

The second biggest cellphone bill belonged to Capital and Coast boss Ken Whelan, who spent $7334 over the two years, followed by Nelson Marlborough chief executive John Peters with a bill of $6526.

Northland and Waitemata boards refused to provide information free of charges. Counties Manukau did not respond to the request.

Three boards supplied information about travel costs or cellphone bills but said they would have to charge for a response on both.