Andrew Dickens Afternoons

I have always avoided getting into the Treaty principles debate.    It’s just too much of a swamp to get trapped in.    Either you’re for David Seymour's debate on a reset, in which case some will call you a racist.    Or you’re against a select committee debate means the racists will call you a wokester.    Both of which are gross exaggerations of what’s really going down, so it’s best to just avoid it.    However, with the resignation of Dr Anthony Jordan from the Pharmac board, I find myself truly confused.    Dr Jordan quit over the Government's treaty directive. David Seymour told Pharmac it was inappropriate for the agency to keep considering the Treaty of Waitangi in the health sector.   Dr Jordan said he "could not with good conscience" continue to work for the agency following that direction.    But as an outsider, I can’t understand how the treaty was factored into Pharmac’s decisions.    If ever there was an agency that’s work was based on need, it’s Pharmac. Everybody gets sick, everybody needs me