RNZ Obtains Two OIA's - One Redacted, One Not
Analysis: The right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing can be a good thing.
My colleague Anusha Bradley and I did not know we had put in similar requests for information about the outsourcing of operations from public to private hospitals.
She got back a memo from Health Minister Simeon Brown with two of its four pages of details of risks and mitigations blanked out.
I got the same four pages back from Health New Zealand with nothing blanked out.
This itself was unusual from an agency the Ombudsman recently told off for too often taking too long to release too little.
If you compare the two memos, you get a rare glimpse inside the process of deciding what the public can know and what they can't.
Brown said this was "standard", to redact officials' free and frank views about risks and issues.
The minister has defended from the top, the withholding of information that his officials, on the other hand, released without his knowledge in full.
The outgoing Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier in March, reflecting on how the law called the OIA (Official Information Act) was going across the public sector, summed up:
"The real issues are not with the law. They centre on 'culture' and that involves trust, behaviour and leadership. Bad behaviour undermines the OIA. The Act's not the problem - it's the attitude that needs to change."
He had seen far too many "taking a defensive approach to OIA requests".
Ironically, given the case here of HNZ not redacting the memo about outsourcing surgeries, Boshier singled out Health NZ over delays and "its refusal to release parts or all of the requested information".
But its leadership - Brown - has demonstrated in his memo where he sets the threshold for sharing information, even about fundamental shifts in health delivery of utmost importance to patients and whānau, who often protest they want to know what is going on, not just for their own operation but around everyone's access to public health care.
Should they and the wider public be able to also access information about the risks and mitigations ahead, via reporters using the OIA?
The unredacted memo stresses outsourcing more surgeries could have benefits - and there is no reason to delay - but points out there are risks in hurrying, and there is every reason to get the right risk mitigations in place.
The unredacted memo was one of two documents released about the private hospitals outsourcing strategy.
Another six documents about it were not released, on the grounds that Health NZ would "soon" make them publicly available.
The same grounds for refusal were used last month when RNZ health reporter Ruth Hill asked Brown for the advice he got about putting $50 million into more operations.
The advice would be released "in due course", his office said.
That advice and those six documents have not been released yet.
Brown's office entirely refused to release the emails Hill also asked for, on the grounds - allowed under the OIA - that this would take too much work.
One way of learning more without relying on ministerial memos is to look at the experience of outsourcing elsewhere.
The UK's public health service, the NHS, has rapidly expanded outsourcing since 2008 to try to cut public waitlists. It now relies on the private hospitals for some types of elective care.
One peer-reviewed study last month of elective primary hip and knee replacement concluded: "The introduction of private providers into the NHS is associated with a contraction in in-house NHS provision, increasing waiting times for all patients and a two-tier system operating in favour of the rich."
Another last year that surveyed 40 studies, said waiting times had been reduced "in certain contexts" and that private hospitals could provide quality care in high-volume, low-complexity cases, but with "implications" for access.
Its main conclusion though was more research was urgently needed, because there had been no "comprehensive evaluation of the implications for healthcare professionals and the wider healthcare system over the longer-term", even after 20 years.
"It is crucial that the ongoing debate regarding the implications ... is evidence-based rather than driven by rhetoric or politics."
Will the implications in New Zealand, and the ministerial memos about those, be able to be part of the debate here?
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
1News
an hour ago
- 1News
Reserve Bank criticised by Willis over handling of Adrian Orr exit
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has criticised the Reserve Bank for its sharing of information surrounding former governor Adrian Orr's sudden resignation in March, saying the central bank could "have pulled their socks up." The rebuke comes after the bank yesterday released documents revealing Orr quit in March due to a funding dispute with the bank's board and the Government. It was a fact previously not disclosed publicly, with the media and financial observers having received few answers from the central bank's leadership. "I've expressed that I think they could have shared the information they shared yesterday earlier," Willis told reporters at Fieldays today. "I have spoken to their chairperson, Neil Quigley, and expressed my view that they did not manage that Official Information Act request well, and that I expect them to do better. He has acknowledged that they could have and should have done better." ADVERTISEMENT The morning's headlines in 90 seconds including passengers stuck on ferry overnight, new flights to Sydney coming, and the weirdest things we leave in Ubers. (Source: 1News) Multiple journalists and financial observers have had Official Information Act request deadlines about the former governor's departure extended over the past few months. The Finance Minister emphasised expectations around transparency from agencies. "It's my expectation that all government agencies comply with their statutory obligations, and wherever possible, are open and transparent with New Zealanders," she said. "Of course, they need to balance that against their legal obligations when it comes to employment discussions and agreements. "But on this one, I think they could have pulled their socks up." In response to the minister's criticism, Quigley acknowledged shortcomings in handling information requests and added he was limited in what he could've said about Orr's resignation when it was first announced in March. ADVERTISEMENT In what it described as a response to numerous Official Information Act (OIA) requests over the resignation, the Reserve Bank revealed yesterday that Orr resigned after disagreeing with the board and Willis over operational funding. Nicola Willis speaks to media at Parliament on May 6. (Source: 1News) Documents show Orr believed the bank needed $1.031 billion over a five-year period, but the board was willing to accept "considerably less." According to the Reserve Bank, this caused "distress" to Orr and led to his personal decision that he "had achieved all he could as governor" and could not continue with less funding than he thought viable for the bank to fulfil its obligations. The bank eventually secured $750 million in operating expenses and $25.6 million in capital expenditure. Bank chairperson 'regrets' information release delays Quigley said he "regrets" not releasing information on Orr's departure sooner. ADVERTISEMENT "The Reserve Bank was late in producing a response to some of the OIAs we received on Adrian Orr's resignation. I regret that this delay occurred," he said in a statement. "The circumstances and the volume of information associated with the OIAs on Adrian Orr's resignation were complex, and we needed to be sure that our consideration of relevant information was comprehensive. Reserve Bank Board Chair Neil Quigley. (Source: 1News) "As well as our obligations under the OIA, we needed to take into careful consideration the former Governor's exit agreement and privacy law. "For this reason, we extended consultation on the information and our response, including review by senior external counsel." He added that he was "limited" in disclosing why the former governor resigned in March. Reason behind resignation finally revealed officially ADVERTISEMENT Orr had served in the role of governor for seven years at the time of his resignation. He left his job three years before his second five-year term was due to end. Willis and bank officials were tight-lipped for months over the departure of one of the Government's most senior public sector bosses. When the former governor's departure was announced on March 5, little reason was provided beyond that it was his "personal decision". Speaking to reporters on the day, the Reserve Bank's board chairperson Neil Quigley was asked directly why Orr had resigned and whether funding issues were behind it. Quigley was also asked whether there were any "policy, conduct or performance issues which are at the centre of this resignation". He responded: "We have issues that we've been working through, but there are no issues of that type that are behind this resignation." But speaking today, the bank's chairperson said he was "limited" over what he could say at the time of the media conference. "On March 5, I was limited in what I could say about the former governor's resignation both by the terms of his exit agreement and the fact that we were still working through finalisation of the detail of the next five-year funding agreement. "We were conscious of the need to explain to staff of the Reserve Bank the potential implications for staffing levels of a lower level of funding and needed time to consider the details of that."
Scoop
2 hours ago
- Scoop
ACT Launches Petition To Dump Te Mana o te Wai
ACT is at Fieldays this week, garnering farmers' support for the campaign to scrap the vague, spiritual concept of Te Mana o te Wai and allow regional councils to set their own freshwater standards by scrapping national bottom lines. The party has launched a petition at and is collecting signatures on the ground. 'All Te Mana o te Wai achieves is to drive up costs on users and add uncertainty and ambiguity to consenting. ACT believes the Government should scrap Te Mana o te Wai and national bottom lines, allowing regional councils to set their own standards,' says ACT Agriculture spokesperson Mark Cameron. 'The vague concept of 'Te Mana o te Wai' replaces scientific benchmarks with a subjective idea of the mana of the water that leads to co-governance and unequal treatment based on who someone's ancestors were. 'Instead of clear metrics like nitrate levels or sedimentation rates, councils are being asked to assess spiritual values that cannot be measured or contested. 'Kiwi farmers are the best in the world. They're forecast to return $59.9 billion in export revenue and make up 10% of GDP. We simply can't afford to burden them with spiritual malarky dreamed up in Wellington. 'It means iwi have a right of veto over how water is used. The National Policy Statement on Freshwater Management 2020 requires Te Mana o te Wai to apply to the consenting of all projects involving freshwater management. Consenting is now subject to consideration of mauri, or the 'life-force' of water. 'It has led to water users making large one-off and on-going payments for 'cultural monitoring' services which do nothing for the environment but add costs to consumer and business power bills. 'Is requiring farmers to comply with a spiritual concept going to make them farm better? Of course not. It means they'll have to employ a cultural consultant and waste time and money that could instead be spent improving their farming practices. That's what happens when we regulate water quality based on superstition not science. 'Farmers just want to grow food and look after their land, incorporating spiritual concepts isn't necessary for them to do that. 'ACT is dedicated to real change. We cannot continue with a policy that burdens our farmers unnecessarily. We campaigned on a complete overhaul of the NPS-FM to remove subjective concepts and ensure that our freshwater management is scientifically sound and adapted to the needs of local communities. 'New Zealanders never voted for co-governance. Yet under Te Mana o te Wai, it's being imposed on every dam, drain, and ditch. We need to bring common sense back and let farmers farm.'
Scoop
2 hours ago
- Scoop
New And Improved Radiology Services For Auckland City Hospital
Press Release – New Zealand Government Minister of Health Health Minister Simeon Brown has today announced funding for the first stage of a major project to upgrade and expand interventional radiology services at Auckland City Hospital. 'This project will significantly improve access to radiology services for patients across Auckland and beyond,' Mr Brown says. 'A $41.2 million investment will fund the initial phase of the project – including construction of a fourth interventional neuroradiology operating theatre equipped with state-of-the-art imaging technology and enhanced support services. 'Investing in modern health infrastructure is a priority for this Government to ensure New Zealanders can access timely, high-quality care when they need it. 'The existing interventional radiology facility is outdated and no longer suitable for the advanced imaging equipment clinicians need. Redesigning the space will enable the use of modern technology and support more sophisticated models of care that meet the increasing complexity of patient needs over the coming decade.' The expansion, expected to be operational by early 2027, will significantly boost capacity for emergency stroke interventions and complex neuroradiology procedures – including specialist treatments for children from across the country. Stage 1 will also deliver: A replacement fluoroscopy room An interventional ultrasound room A new biplane imaging machine An expanded short-stay ward The funding will also support development of a second business case to fully complete a new, purpose-built interventional radiology suite – strengthening services not only for Auckland, but for patients nationwide who require advanced interventional care. 'This project will help reduce wait times for interventional radiology procedures, which play a critical role in diagnosing and treating life-threatening conditions and guiding decisions for further specialist care. 'Better access to interventional radiology means faster diagnoses, less invasive treatments, and improved outcomes for patients,' Mr Brown says.
