Wakefield Hospital ads stir political row

By Phil Boeyen, ShareChat Business News Editor

Thursday 28th March 2002

Health Minister Annette King is in hot water with New Zealand First after her photo appeared in Wellington newspaper advertisements for Wakefield Hospital (NZSE: WFD).

Earlier this week Mrs King officially opened a fifth surgical theatre and a new endoscopy suite at the Wellington-based private hospital and the company has been promoting her comment that patients have access to "world class facilities".

"Patients using Wakefield Hospital get access to world-class facilities and surgeons capable of doing very complex surgery, including cardiac, gastro-intestinal, vascular and neurosurgery," Mrs King said in a speech at the opening.

NZ First leader Winston Peters says he questions how the Minister can justify appearing in four full page advertisements for a private health clinic in two Wellington newspapers when the Cabinet Manual prohibits such activities and Labour policy is against private providers.

"The Cabinet Manual prohibits Ministers from advertising products or using their influence or profile in advertisements or endorsements. Yet here we see three photos of the Minister smiling away for the cameras, and an article which the Minister must have sanctioned stating that the 'Health Minister says patients will have access to world class facilities'.

"It is interesting that the Minister only appears in these advertisements in Wellington-where her electorate is. It is also interesting that these ads coincided with the announcement yesterday that Wellington would not be seeing a new hospital as Minister King promised before the election."

Mr Peters says Mrs King must explain why she allowed a private company to pay for a party-political advertisement in her home electorate and what other benefits she hopes to gain from private health providers.

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