The whistleblower behind a conflict of interest row over a $50 million health contract has spoken out after being told an inquiry into how she was treated had been canned.
The review panel appointed by the Ministry of Health has told whistleblower Deborah Houston that her treatment afterraising questions over the deal would not be part of the inquiry.
The inquiry by the Ministry of Health was launched after the Herald on Sunday reported in July that a $50m contract for health care was derailed after the Hawkes Bay District Health Board became concerned over allegations of a conflict of interest.
The concerns came after Houston showed the board chairman, Kevin Atkinson, emails between health board managers and board member Peter Hausmann, who is also chief executive of the private health company Healthcare of New Zealand Ltd, one of the companies that was bidding for the contract.
The emails appeared to show discussions between managers at the board and Hausmann over the bidding process.
The inquiry was told to examine any conflicts of interest involving Hausmann. After Houston alerted board chairman Kevin Atkinson, she was called to a meeting with Chris Clarke, manager of the health board, and his deputy, Ray Lind, who is husband of the former health minister and current Police Minister Annette King.
Houston was later made redundant after her job was merged with another. She has since taken two personal grievance cases against the board; one which was settled by mutual agreement and a second which ruled in Houston's favour.
Lind left the health board to work for Hausmann in the private sector.
