Minister defends holiday as nurses on strike

Health Minister David Clark has defended his decision to take his family on an overseas holiday in the days leading up to the nationwide strike by nurses on Thursday.

About 30,000 nurses around the country returned to work at 7am today after walking off the job for 24 hours yesterday.

They have voted against a revised offer from district health boards totalling half a billion dollars.

The date of the strike - the first by nurses for decades - had been well-flagged by the New Zealand Nurses Organisation.

Acting Prime Minister Winston Peters and Finance Minister Grant Robertson both fronted on the issue - but Clark was overseas this week.

Asked about his absence today, Clark said he had not been on holiday but had made a commitment to take his family to a trip overseas and was out of the country for 33 hours.

"I was in connection with my colleagues the whole way through that period."

Clark said it was largely an operational issue and while he had been back, it was inappropriate to comment during the strike.

"I think that the record will show I have been involved at every point, that my colleagues were entirely briefed on it and that there was no need for any comment but that I was in touch the whole time I was away."

 

Comments

I see nothing wrong with this to be honest, his holiday was obviously planned prior, and he has the same views and values as the Nurses and what they want, so it should not be hard for him to align his values with what the Nurses want and give them the results they want. The hard working nurses want 1. family time just clark 2. Wages to be able to enjoy family time and take there loved ones on a break overseas. 3. A safe working enviroments like Clark 4. A work schedule that allows 1-3 above. Come on Clark you have it let the Nurses have the same

If we scrapped half the MPs we could afford about 180 additional nurses. Now I wonder which would be a better investment ?

Don't quite understand. It is an operational issue, and inappropriate to comment during strike action. It remains an operational issue under negotiation, but now it is appropriate to comment?

Id say im glad im dunedin south electorate so I don't have this shambles representing me....
But then again, is not like Curran is doing herself and labour any favours either.
Rock and a hard place
Bring back FPP