Labour's health appointees exit

Ken Douglas. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Some of Labour's appointees on district health boards are yielding to pressure to quit, to allow for new blood to implement National Health Minister Tony Ryall's policies.

Former trade union chief Ken Douglas has resigned, unwillingly, from Wellington's Capital & Coast board.

Mr Douglas, who retains his Government appointment on the Asia New Zealand Foundation board, said yesterday he had wanted to stay on for another year at the DHB, but he accepted that his membership was solely "at the minister's pleasure".

Two Labour Government appointees have resigned from Auckland's Waitemata board. Sources say the departure of Mary Lythe, a Labour Party member, and Robert Khan were part of a wider cleanout in the sector by Mr Ryall. They were both appointed by Labour in 2007.

Ms Lythe said yesterday, "Governments have the right to appoint and to withdraw appointments."

When asked if she had been asked to resign, she said, "That's how the system works. I don't really want to discuss it because it's a done deal."

Ms Lythe is a nurse and the clinical services manager of Alzheimers Auckland.

Mr Khan, the managing director of Radio Tarana, said he had not been asked to resign; he left for personal reasons.

Seven members of each of the 21 DHBs are publicly elected. The minister appoints four and also decides who will be the chairs and deputy chairs. Many appointments are usually made after the three-yearly elections; the next elections are in October.

Mr Ryall's spokesman said the minister denied he was forcing Labour appointees to resign.

The minister refused to comment on the resignations of Ms Lythe or any individuals.

Quoting Mr Ryall, the spokesman said, "The Government has announced we wanted greater co-operation among neighbouring district health boards. Auckland is one place we would like to see that. Cross-border appointments is one way we can achieve that. We are in the middle of that process now."

Co-operation was also vital for Capital & Coast and the neighbouring Hutt Valley DHB, the spokesman said.

Joint appointments are already in use - at the Otago and Southland DHBs - and were used by Labour in Auckland when Ross Keenan was deputy chairman of the region's three boards.