Acting PM hints at imminent change to Health NZ board after just two of seven members remain

Acting Prime Minister David Seymour is hitting out at the performance of Health NZ's board. Photo / Michael Craig

Acting Prime Minister David Seymour is signalling change is imminent for Health NZ’s board, which has reduced to just two members after two resigned and others chose not to serve another term.

The Herald this week confirmed Dr Jeff Lowe, a respected Wellington GP, and Naomi Ferguson, a former Inland Revenue chief executive, have resigned from the board more than a year before their terms were set to conclude.

Ferguson told the Herald she had resigned as of last week but she wouldn’t elaborate on why. Lowe also confirmed his resignation but didn’t make any further comment.

Terms for three board members - Amy Adams, Vanessa Stoddart and Dr Curtis Walker - concluded on July 1. Adams and Stoddart had decided not to apply for another term. Walker had applied but wouldn’t say he intended to stay on the board when asked by the Herald.

Former National minister Amy Adams left the board, noting how she was unable to achieve the change she wanted. Photo / Mark Mitchell.

That left Roger Jarrold and chairman Dr Lester Levy as the two remaining board members.

Health Minister Dr Shane Reti was on leave and couldn’t be interviewed on Monday, but a spokesperson for his office cited how Reti had referenced the “urgent need for transformation” within Health NZ when Levy was appointed chairman in May.

“Dr Reti is currently considering a range of further options to refresh the board, the priority being to ensure Health NZ delivers for the people of New Zealand.”

The Ministry of Health was working to fill the vacant roles ahead of the next board meeting in August.

Seymour, also an Associate Health Minister, told journalists today he believed the board appeared “quite chaotic”.

“A lot of very well-meaning clinicians are very upset about the circumstances.

“I don’t think the board they have has been doing a good job of managing their costs or managing the sector.”

Asked whether he thought the change on the board was good, Seymour indicated Reti would be making relevant announcements in the coming days.

“I think you’ll see, possibly in the next few days, more from Shane Reti.”

Reti was on holiday for the rest of this week. The Herald was expecting a response from his office about his upcoming announcement.

Adam Pearse is a political reporter in the NZ Herald Press Gallery team, based at Parliament. He has worked for NZME since 2018, covering sport and health for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei before moving to the NZ Herald in Auckland, covering Covid-19 and crime.