tony ryall Archive

  • Russel Norman

    Privatising public energy companies in Wonderland - by Russel Norman



    Tony Ryall, Minister of State Owned Enterprises, turned up to the Finance and Expenditure Committee today to justify their plans to partially privatise the state owned energy companies. With a little bit of creative licence, the exchange went something like this: Tony: We need to partially privatise them so that Government can raise capital to [...] read more
    June 22, 2011 4:46 pm - 14 Comments
  • Kevin Hague

    Ryall cuts into sinew and bone of Health sector - by Kevin Hague



    Last week brought the news of the resignation of Ken Whelan, Chief Executive of the Capital and Coast District Health Board. Coming hot on the heels of Stephen McKernon’s departure as Director-General of Health, with no replacement in sight, Whelan’s departure was initially spun as “personal reasons”. Then an email he had sent staff surfaced, [...] read more
    August 8, 2010 3:45 pm - 26 Comments
  • Kevin Hague

    Government fudges Health budget cuts, has no clue on child health - by Kevin Hague



    I’ve had two opportunities to question Tony Ryall today about priorities in the health sector, and his answers reveal a real mastery of evasion and obfuscation but little or no grasp of what is genuinely important in health. First up was his appearance before the Health Select Committee to answer questions about the Budget (although [...] read more
    June 16, 2010 5:33 pm - 30 Comments
  • frog

    Podcast: Natural health – a new direction - by frog



    On Friday the Green and National Parties released a proposal to establish a new stand-alone New Zealand regulator for natural health products. Green Party Health Spokesperson Sue Kedgley has been collaborating with Health Minister Tony Ryall and Associate Health Minister Jonathan Coleman on the proposal. This work is part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) [...] read more
    March 22, 2010 10:29 am - 4 Comments
  • frog

    You can’t have your human rights because they cost too much - by frog



    The Government says it’s appealing against a ruling of the Human Rights Review Tribunal because the country cannot afford to pay people to look after their own severely disabled family members. What’s next, I wonder? Repeal the Equal Pay Act so employers can pay their women workers less and claim it is justified discrimination on the grounds that it would improve productivity? read more
    January 26, 2010 11:26 am - 69 Comments
  • Kevin Hague

    What’s in a number? - by Kevin Hague



    For those working in the health sector a general election tends to bring a frisson of apprehension: will the positive momentum built with the current structure be, as usual, swept away by the political wind of structural change? The Minister’s “razor gang” review of the health sector recommends splitting the Ministry of Health in two [...] read more
    September 27, 2009 9:00 am - 2 Comments
  • frog

    Why the National Party killed the pay-equity inquiries - by frog



    The Herald online highlighted the issue; The Government has axed two investigations aimed at improving the pay of women as it tries to save money by controlling public sector salaries. State Services Minister Tony Ryall said the investigations would “generate an additional form of remuneration pressure that is unaffordable in the current economic and fiscal [...] read more
    February 21, 2009 10:11 am - 70 Comments