Nats condemn unfinished Hawke's Bay DHB report

National is condemning the report into the troubled Hawke's Bay District Health Board (DHB) even though it is yet to finalised.

National's health spokesman Tony Ryall said in Parliament that the report had been rewritten to avoid criticism of the board member at the centre of conflict of interest allegations.

Mr Ryall said that the former board had been given just three working days to comment on version two of the report which was "radically different" from the first.

This was part of a "whitewash" of highly critical comments about board member Peter Hausmann, he said.

Mr Ryall has used parliamentary privilege to accuse Mr Hausmann and DHB chief executive Chris Clarke of "colluding" over tender documents for a $50 million contract Mr Hausmann's company Healthcare New Zealand was preparing to bid for.

The allegation is at the centre of the Health Ministry report which will be released on March 17.

Mr Cunliffe said he had confidence in the integrity of those conducting the review and said Mr Ryall should not undermine that work before they had a chance to read it.

Mr Cunliffe last month cited internal board divisions, an "irrevocable breakdown" in relations with hospital management and a $7.7 million budget blowout as reasons for replacing the board with commissioner Sir John Anderson.

Mr Ryall said in Parliament that the report originally "largely" exonerated the board and was critical of Mr Hausmann.

"Isn't that the real reason this report is being suppressed," Mr Ryall said.

Mr Cunliffe said he was not aware of anything being suppressed and he had not seen the reports.

The Dominion-Post has been injuncted from publishing on the original version. Mr Cunliffe said this could be due to the Health Ministry trying to follow due process.

Mr Ryall said both versions should be publicly released.

- NZPA