Health Minister Annette King is prepared to accept Tairawhiti District Health Board chairman Wayne Brown’s resignation from the board.

Ms King said today Mr Brown, who is also the appointed chair of Auckland District Health Board, had been forced to resign from Tairawhiti, where he was elected in DHB elections last October, because of a Ministry of Health administrative error.

Under the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act 2000, an elected member of one board was not allowed to hold office as an elected or appointed member of any other board, she said.

Ms King said she regretted that Mr Brown had been forced to resign from Tairawhiti. “He has done a great job there since he was initially appointed as commissioner in 2000.”

For further comment, contact Marama Ellis at the Ministry of Health (04) 496 2067 or (025) 802 622, or Wayne Brown, (021) 735 315.