Dear Health New Zealand,

How much taxpayer money has been burned on consultants, PR firms, and ‘communications specialists’ while hospitals are falling apart at the seams? How much has gone into meaningless rebranding, corporate jargon, and ‘strategic reports’ instead of fixing the actual problems—like patients waiting 12 hours in ED and staff quitting in droves?

I want a full breakdown of every single cent that has been funneled into these wasteful contracts. How many consultants have been paid ridiculous fees to produce reports that just gather dust? How many so-called ‘communications experts’ are on the payroll instead of hiring more doctors and nurses? How much has been spent on branding, marketing, and glossy brochures that no one asked for? And let’s not forget the endless website redesigns and ‘engagement initiatives’ that do nothing except drain public money while patients sit on waiting lists for months.

While nurses and doctors are being told to do more with less, Health NZ seems to have an endless slush fund for consultants and corporate spin. Frontline workers are burnt out, patients are suffering, and yet there’s always cash for PR fluff.

Yours faithfully,

Brian Thompson