Health NZ Commissioner Lester Levy wouldn’t request gag orders for senior staff

Health czar Lester Levy says he personally wouldn’t request senior staff be subject to non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), something his agency asked of some employees earlier this year. The Health New Zealand Commissioner’s comments at a parliamentary select committee on Wednesday come despite the agency’s chief executive Margie Apa saying the use of NDAs was “normal”. However, she is reviewing them.

Asked by the Herald afterwards if he was comfortable with Apa’s response, Levy said: “I have made my position clear, it is not something I would do.” “Margie is thinking about it. We will talk about it and we will come to a conclusion,” he said.



Labour earlier this month said 67 staff at Te Whatu Ora had signed NDAs since June. This concerned the political party, which believed it blocked scrutiny as the agency looks to find $1.4 billion to return to budget .

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