Health Promotion Agency

ᔥ NZ Herald

Even though Chris Hipkins attacked the wrong person he has still done us all a massive favour. In an intemperate rant about National appointing mates to the Health Promotion Agency he says the following:

Three National Party office-holders on one board, particularly given the nature of the board, with an advocacy role, it seems to me is pretty questionable.

He was concerned that the presence of three National members would heavily influence the agenda of the new organisation, which would create programmes on key areas such as alcohol use and obesity.

Great. When Labour come back into power we will be able to hold them to the “Hipkins Standard”. No one with any Labour Party connections, even if they have been out of parliament for more than a term, may be given any government appointment.

That should stop the kind of useless hacks that infest Labour being given any positions that cost the rest of us money.

ᔥ NZ Herald

Chris Hipkins has taken time out of his tortured, angst ridden relationship with whatever batshit crazy woman student he has been chasing to accuse National of cronyism in the appointment of people with National Party links to the Health Promotion Agency.

Unfortunately for Chippie, the Herald ran an article on Lee Mathias recently.

Lee Mathias’s first entrepreneurial business was Birthcare after being a nurse for 26 years including principal nurse at Middlemore Hospital. The entrepreneur, who is currently deputy chair of the Auckland District Health Board, first thought of the idea for Birthcare when completing an MBA at the University of Auckland University.

Having her own children at National Women’s her argument was: “What would I like? We’ve got to be able to do something better than this.”

She opened the new building for Birthcare Auckland in 2001, having launched Birthcare Huntly in 1995. Birthcare contracted to DHBs and the Ministry of Health to provide primary maternity facilities services.From there Mathias went to Labtests, where she was a director and shareholder. In July 2006, Labtests Auckland was awarded the contract to provide community laboratory services to the people of Auckland.

Selling out in 2007, Mathias, who has a doctorate, became a professional director and chair, but still wanted to be involved in entrepreneurial enterprises.

So 26 years as a nurse, running a midwifery business, a couple of biotech positions and a background in managing tight budgets for growing organisations is trumped by being a former National Party electorate chair? Or does her over 30 years in public health, and doctorate in corporate governance, plus many years of governance experience make her an ideal candidate for this role?