Labour challenges Te Whatu Ora gag orders

Labour has complained to the Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission about the high number of non-disclosure agreements that have effectively gagged staff at Te Whatu Ora Health NZ from talking about anything relating to their work.

Since June, 67 staff at Te Whatu Ora have signed non-disclosure agreements, including senior leaders who brief media and members of Parliament in the select committee process.

“Non-disclosure agreements block legitimate scrutiny and stifles internal debate in Te Whatu Ora,” said Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall.

"The Government aims to cut $1.4 billion from the health system and is using these NDAs to hide where those cuts will come from and who they will affect. All the people involved are under threat of legal action if they speak out.

“Shane Reti says the agreements are for one specific topic, but the document seen by Labour is a blanket ban on anything relating to Te Whatu Ora, even ‘ideas’.

“There are occasions when non-disclosure agreements are appropriate, and staff should handle private patient information sensitively. But these agreements go well beyond that, banning ‘all and any information about Health NZ and its business’ as well as ‘the content of all discussions, correspondence or other communications’ between the staff member and Te Whatu Ora.

“You have to wonder what they are trying to hide?

“With staff silenced, how are the public to get reliable, factual information about their health system.

“We asked all Ministers for information about non-disclosure agreements their agencies and the only agency that came close to the number at Te Whatu Ora was the Ministry for the Environment, to hide who is on the Fast Track approvals list. Most agencies don’t use them at all,” said Ayesha Verrall.