Health Cuts Hurt

Voting Information

CDHB Election 2007

To vote in DHB elections you need to be enrolled on the electoral roll. Visit the Electoral Enrolment Centre's website or call 0800 ENROL NOW (0800 36 76 56) for more information. Voters use the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system to vote for candidates.

HCH Candidates 2007 CDHB

Eleanor Carter (Chairperson and Candidate - CDHB)

Eleanor Carter is passionate about health. She has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and is a trained English language teacher. She currently works for a Christchurch school.

Eleanor believes that long waiting lists, with people regularly being dumped off the lists, worsens patients' existing conditions and creates greater problems, both financially and emotionally, for families and the community as a whole.

Tom Dowie (Candidate - CDHB)

A political science graduate & father of three, Tom Dowie is a passionate campaigner for health care improvements.

In 2003, Tom went on a hunger strike in his bid to save Queen Mary Hospital from closure

Heather Carter (CDHB Member)

Heather Carter is the mother of four adult children whom she largely raised alone and home-schooled the younger two. While living in the United Kingdom, she trained and worked as a psychotherapist. After returning to New Zealand, Heather became concerned about the problems in the health system and this, eventually, led to her joining the Health Cuts Hurt group. A civilised society should put the health and well-being of its people first. To that end, Heather believes that prolonged waiting lists can, and must, be abolished and that the workings of the health system need to be more transparent and accessible. Women's health and senior health are her particular interests.

Heather believes in fighting for justice and fair-play and this is why she also serves the National Council of Women, the Council of Social Services and the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology (CPIT) Council.

Heather has been Health Cuts Hurts elected representative on the Canterbury District Health Board since 2004.

Andrew McKenzie (Candidate - CDHB)

Andrew McKenzie is a barrister who specialises in employment law. He has been involved in local health negotiation over the last 10 years, giving him a real understanding of the issues that health workers in Christchurch face.

Gary Watts (Candidate - CDHB)

Gary is an experienced advocate for the disability and mental health sectors. Since 1991, Gary has pioneered then helped develop consumer participation in the Canterbury mental health sector. Gary has also helped support patients as they have been moved back into the community with de-institutionalisation as they faced accommodation and quality of life issues - often without adequate funding.

Gary is a consumer advocate in the health sector.