Y2K: Hospitals at risk - Dunne

WELLINGTON - A State Services Commission report due tomorrow will show that at least three major hospitals are unlikely to be year-2000 compliant, says United leader Peter Dunne.

Mr Dunne, who has been issuing dire warnings for some time about the millennium bug, said he understood the report would be a damning indictment of the lack of public sector Y2K preparation.

It would also express severe doubts that many of the problems could be overcome before January 1, 2000.

"Of particular concern is the health sector. The report is expected to show at least three major hospitals are unlikely to be year-2000 compliant."

If a computer system is not compliant it is likely to crash on New Year's Day.
Mr Dunne said New Zealanders needed to know the extent to which Y2K failure was likely to threaten their health and public safety.

He said the report would prove a shocking indictment of the Minister for Information Technology, Maurice Williamson.

"All his techno-babble about how New Zealand would be ready and there was no real problem anyway will be revealed as a meaningless sham, and any last shred of credibility he has on the issue will be totally destroyed."

Mr Dunne said Prime Minister Jenny Shipley should remove Mr Williamson from the Y2K role and take charge of New Zealand's Y2K readiness efforts.

However, Mr Williamson said Mr Dunne was overstating Government agencies' lack of preparedness.

"He is wrong in his claims that New Zealand is not going to be ready.

"Friday's report will show the Government, and more importantly the public, where the areas of concern are, what measures have been taken and where efforts and resources need to be concentrated to ensure we are ready." - NZPA