Hoatu he tumanako ki a rātou
Grant Robertson has given his valedictory speech in Parliament.
Social issues
health
What does the Government have against Maori health?
National spent much of yesterday ramming through under urgency and without a select committee process two measures which will have detrimental effects on Māori health.
Coffee and Cigarettes
Coffee and Cigarettes is an in-depth study of the human condition by Jim Jarmusch.
The Apparatus behind the Curtain
The release from the Public Health Communication Centre Aotearoa around tobacco industry interference was a glimpse behind the curtain into a troubling reality.
It has been a long week for Casey Costello
Recent disclosure of the actions of associate Minister of Health Casey Costello raises the extraordinary possibility that British American Tobacco may be having an undue influence on the setting of the Government’s smoking policies.
The Government is planning to cut tobacco excise duty
Hot on the heels of the Government’s walk back from the previous Government’s smoke free policies is the disclosure that the Government is considering halting increases to excise duties on tobacco. And the Government tried to hide this.
Peak NZ Liberal
As National dismantles with speed some of the institutional reforms made by the last Labour Government the concern is that we may have witnessed the peak in progressive influence.
Is the Coalition Government Back Jabbing Māori?
The coalition government robs Pita to pay Paora to appease its voter base.
About that Speech from the Throne
The new Government blows the dog-whistle like the pied piper.
Chris Bishop can’t count
This morning on Q&A and despite being pulled up on it Chris Bishop repeated National’s claim that under the Smokefree reforms there would only be allowed one tobacco retail shop in Northland when there would actually be at least 34.
Just One Term
There is every reason to believe National will be chucked out in 2026.
How not to make friends and influence people
An increase in lung cancer rates and a decrease in the amount that working families receive so that tax credits for landlords can be put in place tells you everything you need to know about the priorities of this Government. Your blood should be boiling by this stage and it is only two days in.
Highlights quoted out of the National-New Zealand First coalition agreement
Some of the more unusual policies from the National-New Zealand First coalition agreement.
The weird and wacky 2023 election campaign
In a week of weird events National’s decision not to debate Labour in the Press’s leader’s debate has been a massive own goal because the country will be able to see how toxic David Seymour’s and Winston Peters’ relationship is.
Tax or quality public services – which is more important to NZ voters?
Earlier this year Andrew Marr wrote in the New Statesmen, that Britain’s problem was that it wanted Scandinavian levels of Public Services and North American levels of taxation. His view was that Britain was overdue for an honest debate about tax and public spending. In New Zealand, there is a similar challenge.
Cookers of the world unite
Ryan Hamilton, National’s Hamilton East candidate, has had social media released suggesting that he is against flouridation of water, opposed covid mandates and thinks that covid death numbers were inflated, is vehemently opposed to cycleways and thinks that poor people only drink Raro.
Labour’s Women’s Manifesto
“A re-elected Labour Government will continue its proud tradition of advancing women’s health, employment, and legal rights Spokesperson for Women Jan Tinetti said.”
Labour pledges free cervical screening
“Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers and regular screening saves lives, so it is critical cost isn’t a barrier to accessing early detection”
NZ First and Winston seek anti vax vote
Winston Peters clearly hopes that enough of us have short memories. He was an integral part of the 2017 Government whose Covid policies saw our death rate from the disease amongst the lowest in the developed world. But now his party is clearly courting the anti vaccination community.
Greens: free dental care for all
“Under our plan, everyone will be able to keep their teeth healthy, and access treatment when they need it through a new community-based New Zealand Dental Service.”
A letter to Chris Hipkins
My 2c on what I think Chris Hipkins needs to do to win this year’s election.
Winning ugly
Another week and another example of National using dog whistle racism to stir up hatred and try and gain political advantage. This time it is to attack the notion that our health system should be seeking to look after those most in need.
Luxon Aeterna
Ad reports on Christopher Luxon’s meeting in Wanaka.
National thinks tax cut good, reduction in Government charges bad
National has promised to reverse the removal of prescription charges even though it has a strong policy support and is an example of the state taking less of individuals’ private wealth.
Natural disasters test new leaders in New Zealand – some did better than others.
After the Auckland flood, Wayne Brown’s election will now be viewed as a cautionary tale. What can happen when someone who is inexperienced and unsuited to political office is elected to important political leadership roles. The blowback of this on the New Zealand right should not be understated, it is bad news for them.
What repeat covid infections do to the human body
There’s bad news, but there is also hope and opportunity.
New Zealand is in a terrible state *
* or is it?
The kind, caring tobacco companies
Kim Hill vs Tobacco Company PR Guy.
Labour’s big reset
New Zealand politics is at an interesting stage. With announcements about Ministerial futures pending and with a review of all current projects to occur over Christmas Jadinda Ardern is planning to repurpose Labour to have its best chance in the election next year.
Medical gender transition in New Zealand: How common is it really?
Laura López decided to explore and analyse the available evidence on medical transition in New Zealand.
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse Pause With Map In Hand and Scratch Their Heads
If 2020 was the worst year in my lifetime how does 2022 compare?
The right is weirdly gleeful about the end of the mask mandate
National MPs and their supporters have been celebrating the removal of the mandate with weird levels of glee.
Covid review due today
The Government is to make an announcement today on the future of covid mandates and the traffic light system. With infection numbers and hospitalisation and death rates plummeting it appears likely that these measures will not be renewed.
Re-Nationalise Electricity Generators Now
This COVID era is the decade in which the state is back, bigger and faster than ever before. But the one area this government won’t let the state expand again is the one area in which New Zealand is the most vulnerable: electricity generation. It needs to change.
Labour’s Ardern and Democrats’ Biden: Learnings
For those fishing around for a progressive playbook in this fractious world, Biden and Ardern are pretty similar. But Biden appears to be turning the fortunes of the Democrats around but Ardern is currently unrewarded. Is there anything to learn?
The Conversion Practice Prohibition Act: what does it mean for counsellors, parents and teachers?
Will the Act catch counsellors or parents who don’t offer automatic affirmation for a young person who declares a gender identity?