Auckland DHB boss hints that he will resign

Sunday Star Times | Sunday, 22 April 2007

Beleaguered Auckland District Health Board chairman Wayne Brown has given his strongest hint yet that he'll resign amid persistent criticism of his board's handling of a $560 million lab testing contract.

Brown has been pilloried in the media after the High Court overturned an eight year contract awarded to Auckland company LabTests, part-owned by DHB board member Dr Tony Bierre.

The court ruling found major faults in procedure, and a failure to manage Bierre's serious conflicts of interest that threatened the integrity of the process.

Association of Salaried Medical Specialists executive director Ian Powell attacked Brown and deputy chairman Ross Keenan, saying "it defies professional and commercial credibility for them to remain in their positions."

Brown last month indicated he saw no need to resign, telling the Dominion Post "I've done nothing wrong".

But he may be considering his future. Interviewed by the Sunday Star-Times ahead of the publication of his new book The 5-Minute MBA, Brown was clearly fed up with the public vilification. Asked if the rewards compensated for the demands of public service, he said: "No, but I'm not going to do it any more."

The furore over the LabTests contract had overlooked the real issues. "Nobody missed a lab test... nobody was going to and we saved $10m. "What are we focusing on in New Zealand - processes or outcomes? I'm an outcomes guy."

It wasn't a matter of throwing in the towel when the going got tough, he said: "15 years is a while, mate. (The criticism) doesn't do anything for renewing your enthusiasm."