Health & Wellbeing Archive

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  Health Budget predictions and alternatives - by Kevin Hague

  
  
  
  As I write this I am preparing to go into  Parliament to hear the Budget, and no doubt to see  Government Ministers crowing about “more money than ever before” spent on Health, and ‘brave new’ programmes for this and that. I only get the Budget documents once I’m actually in Parliament, and have to frantically [...] read more
  May 16, 2013 1:09 pm - 3 Comments
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  A motorway to save “dying” Wellington? - by Julie Anne Genter

  
  
  
  Recently, to shrug off blame for the Wellington region’s contraction in employment per capita, the government has taken to blaming the city council’s opposition to roading. As I have mentioned before, National has big plans to spend billions (perhaps as much as $5 billion, if we include the $2.4 billion interest on the private loan [...] read more
  May 12, 2013 11:55 pm - 72 Comments
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  Christchurch mental health initiative better than “all right” - by Kevin Hague

  
  
  
  Seeing images of the extent of the devastation wrecked by the earthquakes on Christchurch was depressing. I couldn’t even imagine how life must be for the people who had to work and raise their families in such tough conditions. So it’s great to see bright splashes of colour with the positive message of caring and [...] read more
  May 10, 2013 9:57 am - No Comments
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  Pacific Parliamentary Forum - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  Parliament has been blessed with the presence of political leaders from all around the Pacific for the last few days. We had some great debates and discussions. I just want to gloat about one – the motion to liberalise trade was voted down in favour of an amended motion in support of sustainable development. The [...] read more
  April 22, 2013 12:23 pm - 2 Comments
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  Marriage Equality: Difference of world views - by Kevin Hague

  
  
  
  The debate over Louisa Wall’s marriage equality bill has been raging for almost a year now, and I have received thousands of emails and letters, as well as having read many thousands of submissions during the Select Committee process I thought the contrast between those in favour and those opposed was striking, and have blogged [...] read more
  April 12, 2013 12:32 pm - 30 Comments
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  Full story on food - by Mojo Mathers

  
  
  
  Yesterday’s Herald editorial implied that former Green MP Sue Kedgley would be completely happy with new labelling laws and that I should be uncritically supporting them. This totally flies in the face of all that Sue worked for as an MP, which I am continuing to work on, to achieve the food labelling that people [...] read more
  April 10, 2013 9:37 am - 14 Comments
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  We must stop gambling with food standards - by Steffan Browning

  
  
  
  I keep being astounded by our food safety regulator’s lax attitude to genetically engineered food. This new report shows that once again they are making assumptions that GE food is safe without requiring any real evidence. I want to see an urgent reassessment of how genetically engineered (GE) foods are evaluated for food safety in [...] read more
  March 27, 2013 1:33 pm - 7 Comments
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  Basin flyover won’t solve traffic woes - by Julie Anne Genter

  
  
  
  Some influential people in Wellington (including the editorial board of the Dominion Post) seem to have an unshakeable faith that a four-lane road from Levin to the airport, including a motorway bridge at the Basin Reserve, will solve substantial traffic problems in Wellington and support economic growth.   Late last week, Wellington City Council split [...] read more
  March 26, 2013 9:46 pm - 29 Comments
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  Looking forward to passage of the Natural Health Products Bill - by Mojo Mathers

  
  
  
  Today the Natural Health Products bill passed it second reading in the house so I thought it would be a great opportunity to reflect on what we have managed to achieve, and what the bill does and doesn’t cover. One of the best outcomes of this bill is that it ensures that New Zealand retains [...] read more
  March 21, 2013 5:35 pm - 4 Comments
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  Putting animal testing out of its misery - by Mojo Mathers

  
  
  
  I thought it might be time for a bit of an update on the party pill animal testing issue. Late last year we highlighted the issue of party pills potentially being tested for safety on dogs. This came as part of the Government’s process to regulate party pills, legislation for which has just been introduced [...] read more
  March 15, 2013 9:11 am - 4 Comments
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  Police move to protect cyclists - by Kevin Hague

  
  
  
  In 2011, I discovered that the Police were failing in their duty of care to cyclists when it came to policing bicycle safety. The Police weren’t keeping any meaningful records on bicycle accidents reported by the public on their Community Roadwatch site. Now that’s changed: This small addition will make the world of difference to [...] read more
  March 5, 2013 9:49 am - 13 Comments
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  Removing discrimination: one small step at a time - by Mojo Mathers

  
  
  
  One of the biggest challenges that many disabled people face is negative attitudes towards them, and assumptions made by others that their lives are not worth living, which can lead to systematic discrimination. Antenatal screening programmes, such as the national screening programme for Down syndrome are controversial, because if they are not carried out appropriately, [...] read more
  February 21, 2013 7:00 pm - 5 Comments
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  First blind Scottish MP visits NZ - by Mojo Mathers

  
  
  
  I had the privilege of meeting with Dennis Robertson,  a Member of the Scottish Parliament who  made waves by being the first blind person elected to that office. In common with myself and other elected representatives around the world with a significant sensory impairment, he needs appropriate support to be able to carry out his [...] read more
  February 20, 2013 4:18 pm - 1 Comment
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  Aggressive lotto marketing harms gamblers - by Denise Roche

  
  
  
  The numbers of people presenting to problem gambling services who cite Lotto as the gambling method that causes harm is no surprise given the changes the Lotteries Commission has brought in over the last few years. Marketing for Lotto has become more aggressive – it’s everywhere – the jackpots are higher and Lotteries Commission gambling [...] read more
  February 18, 2013 10:36 am - 6 Comments
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  Submit to sink the lid on Auckland pokies - by Denise Roche

  
  
  
  Auckland Council is currently reviewing its Class 4 (pub and club pokies) gambling policy, and I’m encouraging people to have their say on this important issue. Councils across New Zealand have some control over the number of pubs and clubs with pokie machines. The policy review will be the first time Auckland Council has brought [...] read more
  February 8, 2013 2:13 pm - 49 Comments
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  My prayer for the nation this Waitangi Day - by Metiria Turei

  
  
  
  How can we, as this country’s leaders, address the inequity that has grown up amongst us? How can we build a nation where we trust and look after one another- where we are our brother’s and sisters keeper – not their bitter rival? read more
  February 6, 2013 7:56 am - 39 Comments
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  Cochlear implant funding should be based on need - by Mojo Mathers

  
  
  
  It didn’t get much media coverage, but the recent announcement by the Government that they are increasing funding for cochlear implants for one year is a welcome one. Last year I tabled a petition in parliament from Lyn Polwort calling for more funding for adult cochlear implants to enable parity with other disabled NZ. I sat on [...] read more
  January 31, 2013 12:46 pm - 5 Comments
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  We shouldn’t need to sponsor kids in NZ - by Holly Walker

  
  
  
  It’s good that Variety, KidsCan, and others have stepped in to fill the yawning chasm of child poverty that too many of our kids are falling into. But let’s take this as a challenge and demand governments that will eradicate the need for such schemes by guaranteeing the essentials for all our kids. read more
  January 29, 2013 9:42 am - 22 Comments
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  Home for life – Metiria Turei’s speech at Ratana - by Metiria Turei

  
  
  
   Metiria Turei’s speech to the annual gathering to celebrate the birthday of the prophet, Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana  24th January, 2013  Tēnēi au e tu whakaiti nei i raro i a Ranginui, i runga i a Papatuānuku, e titiro kau ana ki ngā maunga whakahi me ngā tini uri o Tane. Ki Te Temepara Tapu, ki [...] read more
  January 24, 2013 4:43 pm - 9 Comments
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  Government panders to food industry - by Mojo Mathers

  
  
  
  The Minister of Food Safety has just released her Advisory Group on front of pack labelling’s final report. The report is disappointing and its proposed labelling scheme will do little or nothing to improve our high rates of diet related diseases, which are highest in disadvantaged groups. There is plenty of research which shows that [...] read more
  December 17, 2012 10:01 am - 3 Comments
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  D.I.Y. Lawyering in the Family Court? - by David Clendon

  
  
  
  Last week the Family Court Proceedings Reform Bill got its first reading in Parliament.  There are 58 family courts around the country, and while it is a place most people would no doubt prefer to avoid, the courts nevertheless have a very high case load, especially in regards to the Care of Children Act. The [...] read more
  December 13, 2012 9:12 am - 2 Comments
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  TPP Protest - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  On Saturday afternoon I marched against the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement (TPP) talks which are being held in secret. The crowd in Auckland was a great mix of tangata whenua, union networks, GE free New Zealanders, asset keepers and citizens who cannot be manipulated. The Greens and the Mana Party were the only MPs visible and [...] read more
  December 11, 2012 1:52 pm - 86 Comments
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  Is it all in their heads? - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  After hearing around 100 submissions over 4 days on the latest welfare reform bill (see my summary of the first day of hearings here), some pretty strong themes have developed. The most obvious theme is opposition. Quite overwhelming opposition. For many reasons. I hope this is a sign that increasing unemployment is helping people realise [...] read more
  December 6, 2012 5:13 pm - 26 Comments
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  Win for best practice on animal testing - by Mojo Mathers

  
  
  
  It has been a busy few days. We broke a story that made it to the front page of the Sunday Star Times about party pills being tested for safety on dogs.  In response to the resulting public reaction, Peter Dunne put out a statement ruling out the LD50 test which is illegal in the UK [...] read more
  December 5, 2012 10:44 am - 4 Comments
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  Safe mothers, safe children - by Metiria Turei

  
  
  
  Rodney Hide’s latest piece in the NZ Herald exposes a callous and dangerous attitude. He needs to ask himself whether he really wants solutions to reduce child death or whether he just wants to pontificate while more women and more children suffer. Every death of a child at the hands of parent is a deep [...] read more
  November 26, 2012 5:35 pm - 124 Comments
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  Pike River, two years on - by Kevin Hague

  
  
  
  At the Pike River memorial service held at our local racecourse on a hot, still day in the weeks following the disaster, Grey District Mayor Tony Kokshoorn, who has often had the knack of putting his finger exactly on how our local community is feeling, referred to the Paparoa Ranges towering beside us as “our [...] read more
  November 19, 2012 12:54 pm - 11 Comments
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  Remembering Waihi and Pike - by Denise Roche

  
  
  
  The Pike River report released this week showed how little progress in health and safety New Zealand has made since the days of the Waihi mine strike. My own grandfather was a miner at Waihi. He died when my mother was small and my grandmother said that working in the mine meant long hours and [...] read more
  November 12, 2012 7:19 am - 63 Comments
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  Irradiated tomatoes? No thanks. - by Steffan Browning

  
  
  
  Our supermarkets could soon be stocking irradiated vegetables coming from Queensland. The Queensland Government has applied to Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) to irradiate tomatoes and capsicums, as a biosecurity control. Australian tomatoes and capsicum are imported into New Zealand, as the vegetables are staple fare for many, regardless of the season. Irradiation is [...] read more
  November 6, 2012 10:36 am - 75 Comments
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  Natural Health Bill back from select committee - by Mojo Mathers

  
  
  
  We are happy to see the Natural Health and Supplementary Products bill has passed its next hurdle with the select committee reporting back yesterday, and now will be returning to the house. Some might remember Sue Kedgley supporting industry objections to Labour’s proposal to hand over our regulator powers on Natural Health to Australia. Sue [...] read more
  November 1, 2012 11:16 am - 11 Comments
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  The parliamentary week that was, 23-25 Oct, for Pacific communities - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  Parliament was preoccupied by two major pieces of law last week, alcohol law reform and climate change. Climate change We can no longer debate whether Climate change is real or man-made, the science is unchallengeable and the signs increasingly visible. Pacific countries know this, because they are at the front line of Climate change. Some [...] read more
  October 29, 2012 4:29 pm - 3 Comments
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  Counselling service starved to death - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  Kiwi girls: are more afraid of becoming fat than they are of nuclear war, cancer or losing their parents. who severely diet are 18 time more likely to develop an eating disorder. are likely to think they’re fat when they’re not. Only 15 per cent of 15 year olds are overweight, yet 68 % want [...] read more
  October 23, 2012 4:03 pm - 2 Comments
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  Potentially many deaths by a thousand cuts - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  One of my first media releases as an MP, in December last year, was in defense of the Auckland Sexual Abuse 24 hour phone line. Since then, I have asked questions of the Government in response to the loss of funding to Wellington Rape Crisis; the lack of systems to enable women, on the DPB, [...] read more
  October 15, 2012 4:41 pm - 17 Comments
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  The elephant in the room is domestic violence - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  Today the Government released their long awaited white paper on vulnerable children. This is the paper that is going to radically reduce child abuse in this country. The paper talks tough but in fact it misses the point entirely.   Over the last several years there has been an increasing awareness of the connection between [...] read more
  October 11, 2012 2:55 pm - 18 Comments
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  Christchurch gets its say on gambling harm reduction - by Denise Roche

  
  
  
  Yesterday I was in Christchurch with the Commerce Committee hearing the verbal submissions on the Gambling (Gambling Harm Reduction) Amendment Bill. There were around 29,000 written submissions on the bill, with about 400 or so submitters wanting to give oral presentations so the committee is working our way through them. The bill concentrates on “Class [...] read more
  October 5, 2012 11:30 am - 13 Comments
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  Get your Paid Parental Leave Submission in! - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  I’m not usually prone to giving order but there are only 9 days left now. Submissions close on Friday the 5th of October. You can download a submission from  or submit on line at 26 for babies. It was fantastic news when Sue Moroney got this Bill pulled, let’s not let it go to waste. [...] read more
  September 26, 2012 5:50 pm - 5 Comments
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  AMP Do Your Thing Scholarship voting coming to a close! - by Mojo Mathers

  
  
  
  The AMP Do Your Thing Scholarship is all about helping Kiwis ‘do great things’ from rocket-building to opera singing. Over the past 14 years, their scholarships have helped aspiring Kiwis achieve outstanding things across a number of fields. As  NZ’s first deaf MP I am thrilled to see the number of people entered this year [...] read more
  September 26, 2012 9:12 am - 1 Comment
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  Me and Marriage Equality - by Kevin Hague

  
  
  
  So here’s a sample of the kind of thing MPs are receiving in our inboxes: EXACTLY WHAT ARE GAYS #4 WHO SAYS WE NEED ‘OFFICIAL MARRIAGE’ FOR INSECURE HOMOSEXUALS? WHAT’S WRONG WITH CIVIL UNION? OR FOR EXTREME INSECURITY, MAYBE CASTRATION COULD RELIEVE THEIR ANXIETY (IT DID FOR MY DOG) (BE LIKE GENETIC ENGINEERING TOO). OR [...] read more
  August 26, 2012 10:48 pm - 29 Comments
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  Palliative care vs assisted dying: A false dichotomy - by Kevin Hague

  
  
  
  A necessary survival skill in this place is to be able to manage big differences of views on a daily basis, without becoming damaged by it. I’m usually quite good at it. I’m also a very big supporter of cross-Party approaches and working groups, and work hard to try to maintain good relationships right across [...] read more
  August 16, 2012 4:13 pm - 6 Comments
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  Marriage Equality – idea whose time has come - by Kevin Hague

  
  
  
  Marriage equality is about basic fairness. It is a pretty basic principle of law that discrimination that disadvantages a particular group based on irrelevant criteria is unacceptable, particularly when it is practised by the State. Louisa Wall’s bill to redefine marriage to exclude discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity is about eliminating exactly [...] read more
  August 14, 2012 11:00 pm - 54 Comments
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  Unacceptable abuse of children in care - by Holly Walker

  
  
  
  CYFS is not keeping national records of the numbers of children abused in its care. Meanwhile the Government could be supporting a simple initiative that would help to improve the experiences of children and young people in care through an independent support network. read more
  July 19, 2012 7:48 am - 8 Comments