December 13, 2019 12:00pm by David Farrar

Yes DHB elections should go

National is pondering an end to DHB elections, and is putting the idea out to the public ahead of the next election.
It’s one of a suite of changes as part of its health discussion document, which the party launched on Thursday morning.

Absolutely DHB elections should go. Having elected board members reduces accountability, as the Government can blame DHBs for issues. If the Government appoints all DHB members, then the Government can’t shirk responsibility.

And the reality is the elections are not informed choices. They’re a lottery. Even the most politically active person struggles to work out who to vote for.