The Standard » health

Life is what happens

Guest post — Mon, 14 May 2012 23:03:13 +0000

A short, poignant guest post.

Compulsory vaccination

Anthony R0bins — Sat, 12 May 2012 02:48:48 +0000

It is the Nats' belief that those on a benefit have fewer human rights than the rest of us. They can simply be told what to do. So now we have a compulsory vaccination debate.

$100m for Lizards

Mike Smith — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 08:54:40 +0000

John Key and Bill English couldn't find $150million over four years for increased parental leave that would hugely benefit future children. Horrors - we would have to borrow! But they could find $100million straight away to pay international investment banks including Australian company Lazard's to advise on asset sales that robs our children's future and that nobody else wants. It's a matter of priorities - money gets money, kids get nothing.

A Butcher’s Shop, a Toy Shop, a Candy Store and a Childcare Centre

Ben Clark — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 01:30:25 +0000

Steven Joyce's personal fiefdom of Economic Development, Science and Innovation, Building and Housing, and Labour is confirmed. Now for the redundancies...

Daughter, my generation is squandering your birthright

Ben Clark — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 00:33:59 +0000

Will our children think of the welfare state, the tiger and the rhino as part of a mythologised Arcadia?

Milking a Land of Plenty?

Bill — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 22:39:37 +0000

NZ milk production has apparently risen by 30% since 2005. And, according to sources used by frenz.co.nz, back in 2006 over 14 billion liters of milk and 1.2 billion kilograms of milk solids (were) being processed by dairy companies annually That’s a lot of milk and associated dairy to spread around some four and a ...

Your life, your choice

The Standard — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 00:29:29 +0000

The right to choose to end our lives is back on the political agenda with Maryan Street's private member's bill on euthanasia going into the ballot. If it's drawn, it will be the third time in 17 years such a Bill has come up. The first one was voted down 2 to 1, the next lost by 3 votes. This time, success seems highly likely.

Won’t somebody think of the children

Eddie — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 20:38:40 +0000

The rate of third world disease in this country is a crime. A crime against the poor perpetrated by the rich. They call it neoliberalism - the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of the capitalist elite. They didn't set out to make kids sick and kill them but it was an inevitable result of their actions and they don't care. Now, what's Labour's take?

The neoliberal plague

Zetetic — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:03:41 +0000

Since New Zealand skulled the neoliberal cool-aid, hospital admissions for infectious diseases, the diseases of poverty, increased 51% while dropping in the countries we should consider our peers. The working class life has gotten worse; our wages are lower, our jobs gone, and our families living in unhealthy houses owned by slum landlords.

A sustainable future

Ben Clark — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:10:05 +0000

The UN High Level Panel on Global Sustainability has delivered a report about creating a future that's sustainable economically, socially and environmentally. Our government and political parties should be looking at it and measuring themselves against it.

3rd World New Zealand

Zetetic — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 23:22:51 +0000

25K Kiwi kids get infections like rheumatic fever and scabies each year. Disease sthey haven't seen in Sweden since the 70s.We treat our kids like an expense, not an investment. Then we wonder why we have unhealthy, uneducated, unskilled adults and our country gets left behind. We're becoming a 3rd world country. It's 3rd world thinking that's getting us there.

Key lied on health cuts

James Henderson — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 20:32:07 +0000

In the TVNZ debate on Monday, John Key claimed that he had cut 'back office' jobs and increased health services.That wasn't true. The fact is, funding cuts have reduced the capacity of many health services. 'Front-line' staff are doing 'back office' work as well and everything else is getting squeezed to put more money into 'sexy' elective surgery numbers.

A new low

Guest post — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 22:46:31 +0000

Last election, National promised to subsidise a treatment for the rare and deadly Pompe disease. Now, they won't even meet with the sufferers. The truth is that New Zealand can't afford ongoing treatments that cost $1m per patient per year. National promises us whatever we want to hear to get our votes. Knowing from the start they'll never deliver.

Suicide and community

Anthony R0bins — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 01:13:14 +0000

Following the release of data by the Chief Coroner, suicide is once again getting some time in the headlines. Coincidentally, news from Christchurch supports the suggestion that stronger communities reduce suicide rates.

Flavell fails on suicide

Eddie — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 21:23:09 +0000

Last week, Jim Anderton said that the tidal wave of youth unemployment we're experiencing will lead to more suicides. He's right. The best response from the Right: slash young people's wages and that might create a few more jobs. But Te Ururoa Flavell's suggestion to ostracise and condemn the dead is just as bad.