health

$100m for Lizards

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 8:54 pm, April 26th, 2012 - 26 comments

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.

Daughter, my generation is squandering your birthright

Written By: Ben Clark - Date published: 12:33 pm, April 20th, 2012 - 46 comments

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

Your life, your choice

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 1:29 pm, March 29th, 2012 - 29 comments

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.

The neoliberal plague

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 9:03 am, February 23rd, 2012 - 131 comments

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.

3rd World New Zealand

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 12:22 pm, November 21st, 2011 - 37 comments

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.

A new low

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 11:46 am, October 19th, 2011 - 44 comments

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.

Flavell fails on suicide

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 9:23 am, July 28th, 2011 - 45 comments

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.

Drug-peddlers

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 3:30 pm, May 15th, 2011 - 50 comments

Lobbyist Mark Unsworth of Saunders Unsworth is campaigning against Pharmac, ahead of the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade negotiations with the US. They want more money spent on patented drugs.

Lloyd Morrison and Gareth Morgan have come to the defence of Pharmac.

NZMA position on health inequity

Written By: Ben Clark - Date published: 2:54 pm, May 3rd, 2011 - 18 comments

NZ’s doctor’s organisation is prescribing a healthier society: putting kids first, reduced income inequality (higher minimum income), investment in skills and education, and equity, not equality in our social services – helping most those with the greatest need. Take note Don, John.

Economists line up on “Robin Hood” tax

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 9:16 pm, April 15th, 2011 - 31 comments

1000 economists have written to the G20, about to meet in Washington, and to Bill Gates, asking for a tax on financial transactions known as a Tobin tax after its originator, or a Robin Hood tax as it is known in the US. 4 New Zealanders are among the 1000; Prue Hyman, Stefan Kesting, Peter Conway, and Petrus Simons. Good on them.

Cuts! Cuts! Cuts!

Written By: Bunji - Date published: 12:42 pm, March 21st, 2011 - 42 comments

There was already going to be too little money in Budget 2011 for maintenance of public services. Now what little there was is being further slashed in the name of Christchurch. An Earthquake Levy is not an option, rather we’ll all pay through increased borrowing and 25% cuts in services like police, transport, justice and social services.

National’s Impending Swingeing Cuts

Written By: Bunji - Date published: 2:42 pm, January 26th, 2011 - 31 comments

Whilst John Key’s raising of privatisation is the first focus of his State of the Nation speech, perhaps equally as important is his intention for swingeing cuts to public services. Health and Education will have to pay higher wages from the same budget, but the likes of Police, Justice, Conservation and Social Services can expect cuts of more than 10%.

National Attacks Vulnerable Children

Written By: Bunji - Date published: 7:25 am, December 14th, 2010 - 22 comments

National are consistently attacking the vulnerable in society – those who cannot fight back and complain. This is where a lot of their cuts are aimed at – those who need it most. Be it in health, education or welfare.

And in several recent health and education National cuts have hurt the most vulnerable – our children.  Not just the massive ECE cuts of Tolley, but cuts hurting those at the bottom even more.

Tales from front-lines of the class war

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 10:24 am, December 6th, 2010 - 17 comments

This collection of articles from recent days illustrate the class war going on within this country. In a time of economic, environmental, and social crisis, either the established elite can be reined in or it will use its power to cement its position and take a greater share of the wealth. Because we’re letting them, the elite are winning the class war.