Health NZ paid for departing chief executive Margie Apa to do governance course as she was leaving

• Departing Health New Zealand boss Margie Apa “will receive the remaining salary payments” under her fixed-term agreement, until June.
• Apa resigned from the budget-constrained agency in February.
• Health New Zealand contributed towards the fees for Apa to attend a governance course as part of her resignation from the public health agency.

Public health agency Health NZ Te Whatu Ora has confirmed it paid for outgoing boss Margie Apa to attend a governance course as part of her resignation.

The Health New Zealand’s chief executive resigned from the agency in February, following a number of concerns raised about its budget. Apa’s term in the top job was due to end in June, but she said she left the role to “make space” for a new leader as the agency was going through a structural reset.

The agency confirmed to the Herald that Apa will receive “the remaining salary payments that would have been payable under the terms of her fixed-term employment agreement, as well as a contribution towards the registration fees for a governance course in lieu of the usual outplacement service”.

When questioned on the spending and what the course was, the public health agency declined to give any further information, citing privacy.

Health NZ chief executive Margie Apa announced her resignation in February. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Apa received a $895,000 salary in the 2023-24 financial year, and $864,000 in the financial year prior. In her previous role leading the Counties Manukau DHB, Apa made a $592,000 salary.

At the time of her February resignation, Health New Zealand Commissioner Lester Levy said the pair “mutually agreed” on Apa’s departure.

Levy thanked Apa for her service to the public sector agency, adding she had an “extraordinary work ethic” and had worked extremely hard to support its structural reset.

“The reset is a significant change in direction from where Health NZ was heading but she realigned entirely to the programme,” Levy added.

Minister of Health Simeon Brown said Apa was committed to ensuring access to healthcare services while her agency “grappled with significant operational and financial challenges”.

The agency continues to propose restructures as the microscope remains on its spending. Commissioner Levy was appointed last year following concerns about its monthly deficits being around $130 million on average.

Health New Zealand confirmed there was no resignation letter sent by Apa, and it did not fund a leaving do for the departing boss.

In a statement, the agency said it was withholding further details about the nature of the governance course “to protect Margie’s privacy”.

It confirmed the spending was discussed with the Public Service Commission, and would not confirm how much it cost, reiterating it was “appropriate for the role”.

Azaria Howell is a multimedia reporter working from Parliament’s Press Gallery. She joined NZME in 2022 and became a Newstalk ZB political reporter in late 2024, with a keen interest in public service agency reform and Government spending.