The final Cass Report was released yesterday. Four years in the making, it's a damning indictment of the affirmation only model of health care for children with gender dysphoria in the UK's GIDS clinic.
A lot of commentary and complexities in what Hillary Cass has revealed. This one stands out and should make people pause and think about what has really been going on.
It's previously been reported that GIDS refused to share data with the initial work Cass did, then it turns out that they hadn't actually been collecting it. That's the data that would have showed if their treatment model, including puberty blockers was working. Once the Cass review got up and running, this happened,
Amid all today's noise, please don't let this important story get lost: Hilary Cass says the adult gender clinics conspired, for ideological reasons, to prevent her doing follow-up studies for outcomes of the children passing through the Tavistock. The whole scandal in microcosm
Hilary Cass was actively impeded from doing a follow-up study of Tavistock children by adult gender clinics who wouldn’t co-operate. She believes this stunning refusal was co-ordinated and ideologically driven. All credit to @ameliagentleman in the Guardian for this revelation
It was “unbelievably disappointing” that the research study she had hoped to conduct to look at the outcomes of 9,000 former Tavistock patients had been blocked by the adult gender clinics, who refused to contact former patients for permission on her behalf.
The former health secretary Sajid Javid had changed legislation to allow researchers to link pre- and post-transition NHS numbers, but the research had to be abandoned when all but one of the adult clinics refused to cooperate, Cass said.
“I do think it was coordinated. It seemed to me to be ideologically driven,” she said. “There was no substantive reason for it. So I can only really conclude that it was because they didn’t feel that it was the right thing to do to try and nail down this data.”
And yet the NZ parliament has recently passed legislation that is likely to criminalize any parents or medical professionals who are unwilling to endorse medicalization of a child's gender dysphoria, because that would be "conversion therapy". Jacinda Ardern herself acknowledged that such prosecutions could happen under the new legislation.
Every single Labour, Green and Maaori Party MP voted for this legislation, as did "libertarian" David Seymour, who apparently believed that a 13-yr old girl can give informed consent to life-changing and irreversible procedures.
According to this article below, Te Whatu Ora "commissioned the Professional Association of Transgender Health Aotearoa (PATHA) to update the national guidelines and referral pathways for gender-affirming healthcare." If that's true, it's cause for great concern. Why did Te Whatu Ora commission an activist body to guide clinical practice? The article itself is rather poor journalism, in that it fails to challenge PATHA's misleading claim that the Cass Review "ignores the consensus of major medical bodies around the world and lacks relevance in an Aotearoa context". Is PATHA really unaware that Sweden and France have also recently halted the uncritical application of "gender-affirming care" (such as Orwellian term)? And what exactly is meant by "an Aotearoan context"?
Yes, sadly I fear that Visubversa is right. I'm aware that most of the Nats also supported the bill – including all of their current front bench apart from Shane Reti. And unfortunately, two of the eight who had the courage to oppose the bill are no longer in parliament.
The one aspect of politicians that may work in favour, is their chameleon ability to change position as the political background changes.
Public awareness changes the political background.
What is required here is immense effort, and care must be taken to ensure those harmed by this medical treatment – have high-quality care and support delivered to them.
As substantive – and harder to dismiss – evidence comes to public awareness, insurance companies may play a big part in stopping harmful procedures as they will not insure doctors or surgeons, or pay for treatments via health insurance.
Does anyone know if NZ doctors carry a liability insurance, or is this completely covered by ACC?
If so, asking ACC what their exposure is may be worth investigating.
It sounds like ACC will shield doctors from most (but not all) of the damage here in NZ. Whereas in Australia, where they don't have ACC, one insurance company has recently dropped coverage for doctors who carry out "gender affirming care":
Then I might get on with a letter to Minister for ACC, Hon Matt Doocey, and an OIA for Dr Tracey Batten as Chair and David Hunt as Deputy Chair to the Board of ACC to see what mechanism they can use to change the identified harmful practices we are still doing here in NZ.
Matt Doocey worked at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust and the Northern School of Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy as Assistant Director of Education and Training, not afaik in GIDS the service that was doing GA health care w young people
Molly – you and others may be interested that Doucey's work with Tavistock has been/is under discussion in the last 24 hours on "X" aka Twitter under a post by Stephen Franks (weka's tweet posted in her comment above is in this thread:)
"Have I missed the NZ journalist demands from Matt Doocey MP our most prominent local connection with Tavistock etc for his response to the Cass review? Surely it’s relevant that our Minister of Mental Health, and our Minister of Youth, was proud of being a former operative in what has been confirmed to be an unscientific and barbaric chop industry. Has he recanted? Pretty important in a country that has reportedly been using the life-ruining drugs even more than the UK. Our weak and Trudeau-trendy rulers voted unanimously for the ludicrous self-identification law. They voted their contempt for free speech with the ban on what Tavistock and its sinister collaborators branded ‘conversion therapy’. Are those who still don’t know what is a woman still controlling the puberty blocker drug spout?
Re questioning by some as to why Doucey is a National MP etc, Doucey is in fact part of the Carter family which includes David Carter, former Speaker of the House – his uncle. From Wikipedia:
Doucey's Wikipedia entry also records that his qualifications as follows (although note "citation needed")
Doocey worked in mental health and healthcare management in both New Zealand and the UK. He studied Counselling Psychology at Weltech, has a BSc (Hons) in Social Policy, an MA in Healthcare Management from Kingston University in London and an MSc in Global Politics from Birkbeck, University of London.[citation needed]
I'm heartened that the new Minister of Health (Reti) voted against the inclusion of gender identity in the "Conversion Practices" legislation. So if PATHA's review is predictably ideological, maybe he will quash it – if he doesn't, he will get a letter from me.
Public health expert and Otago University emeritus professor Charlotte Paul said Pharmac data showed New Zealand children aged 12 to 17 were being prescribed puberty blockers at *10 times the rate* as children in the UK.
Referral guidelines allowed for children as young as eight or nine to get blockers, she said.
I see red flag after red flag in that article. People still saying that PB are "safe and reversible". PATHA "not responding". Parent reports saying that PB made their kids mental health worse.
Incoming medical scandal. It will be bigger here because we always overdo stupid overseas trends to prove we're part of the world.
Apparently, PATHA was contracted to conduct and author the review…
"Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora, which was responsible for clinical care and guidance, had commissioned the Professional Association of Transgender Health Aotearoa (PATHA) to update the national guidelines and referral pathways for gender-affirming healthcare."
I look forward to a totally ideology-free and evidence-based review of the available evidence, and also hope that one day I will gain the ability to shoot laser beams out of my eyes and lightning bolts out of my arse.
One of these outcomes is considerably more likely than the other.
The findings of the review were deeply concerning. It concluded that clinical guidelines globally used to treat gender-questioning children and adolescents were crafted in violation of international standards for guideline development. These guidelines recommended medical interventions for minors despite insufficient evidence, particularly regarding long-term treatment outcomes in adolescents. Additionally, they relied on other guidelines that recommended medical treatments as the basis for making similar recommendations.
PATHA – Professional Association for Transgender Health Aotearoa
references WPATH SOC8 in their guidelines:
"We recommend healthcare providers refer to the latest Standards of Care version 8 (SOC-8), released by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), for guidance for working with transgender children and adolescents.2"
– Page 5 Primary Care Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy Initiation Guidelines (2023 – Aotearoa New Zealand)
A small number of "scientists" (e.g. Jack Turban) publish garbage-tier statistically dubious work in journals where they either directly know the reviewers or editorial team or know their ideological stance.
That work gets picked up by the PATHAs of the world, further inflating the influence of said "scientists".. ("my work has been cited by International Bodies and used to create Important Guidelines!!")
The "scientists" on the basis of Being Used to Create Important Guidelines then publish further garbage-tier science, which then inflates their importance further, which lends them further credibility that the PATHAs of the world then cite to show that their guidelines are based on credible "science"
The "No debate" means that no contrary opinion ever enters the citation merry-go-round.
It's not the kind of merry-go-round that kids play on. It's the kind of merry-go-round that plays with kids.
"Endocrinologist Dr. Will Malone, who is one of several doctors raising the alarm on this issue, said, “It is misleading to state as fact that ‘puberty blockers are reversible’. No one knows if the physical and psychological impacts of halting normal puberty are reversible.” Research conducted by Dr. Malone and Dr. Michael Laidlaw found that after two years of pubertal suppression, up to a third of children aged 12 – 15 years old were found to have abnormally low bone density. Moreover, further research conducted by Dr. Michael Biggs found that after two years of ‘puberty blocking’ medications, bone density in a significant number of children “declined to a level that should trigger clinical concern”. In the study, Biggs cites an example of a patient at the Tavistock clinic who began taking endocrine disruptors at the age of 12 and experienced four broken bones by the age of 16."
For a shorter 6 min video expressing an overview of the concerns visit Gluck's Twitter post:
I agree, preaching to the converted but please keep on preaching.
What bugs me about all this is how obvious the problem is. So many politicos will be like "I'm so surprised! Nobody could have known! I trusted the science!" and that's because politicians consume science like they are at a salad bar. Yeah, I'll have the croutons, but not the coleslaw. Don't like the coleslaw. I'll pretend it does not exist.
Unfortunately Chloe Swarbrick is a prime example of this.
I enjoy the exchange of info here too, @That_guy, but also post knowing that there may be some who retain intellectual curiosity, and will start to look into the issue because others have posted some starting points to investigate.
It all just demonstrates that this is an ideology – a form of quasi religious belief which leads its "true believers" to defy any requirements that they feel are against their accepted dogma.
They have moved from "no debate" to obstruction, obfuscation and the abuse of power.
"Thousands of kids have been harmed by this ideology, along with many, many adults. Those of us who have been shunned, lost jobs, friends and reputations as a result of accusations of bigotry and transphobia are, of course, secondary victims. And as for those who have played it safe? Inevitably, they will now stay silent or pretend that the evidence of harm contained in the Cass Report is a shocking revelation. The truth, of course, is that the evidence has been there all along. To those new converts now pretending otherwise: we see you."
while you are doing that, I would encourage you to read the first hand accounts of detransitioners. They are the ones most badly damaged as young people. Let me know if you would like some links.
try this first hand account of medical/surgical transition and detransition from Ritchie/TullipR on twitter, written in 2022 when was 35. He started transitioning at 26. Not sure when he started detransitioning, maybe 3 years ago or longer.
I want to tell everyone what they took from us, what irreversible really means, and what that reality looks like for us. No one told me any of what I’m going to tell you now.
I have no sensation in my crotch region at all. You could stab me with a knife and I wouldn't know. The entire area is numb, like it's shell shocked and unable to comprehend what happened, even 4 years on.
I tore a sutra 4 days post recovery, they promised to address it, i begged them in emails to fix it, they scorned me instead. Years later, I have what looks like a chunk of missing flesh next to my neo-vagina, it literally looks like someone hacked at me. They still wont fix it
No one told me that the base area of your penis is left, it can't be removed – meaning you're left with a literal stump inside that twitches. When you take Testosterone and your libido returns, you wake up with morning wood, without the tree. I wish this was a joke
And if you do take testosterone after being post op, you run the risk of internal hair in the neo-vagina. Imagine dealing with internal hair growth after everything? What a choice… be healthy on Testosterone and a freak, or remain a sexless eunuch.
And thats something that will never come back and one of the reason why i got surgery. My sex drive died about 6 months on HRT and at the time I was glad to be rid of it, but now 10 years later, Im realising what im missing out on and what I won't get back.
Because even if i had a sex drive, my neo vagina is so narrow and small, i wouldn't even be able to have sex if i wanted too. And when I do use a small dilator, I have random pockets of sensation that only seem to pick up pain, rather than pleasure.
Any pleasure I do get comes from the Prostate that was moved forward and wrapped in glands from the penis, meaning anal sex isnt possible and can risk further damage.
Then theres the dreams. I dream often, that I have both sets of genitals, in the dream I'm distressed I have both, why both I think? I tell myself to wake up because I know its just a dream. And I awaken into a living nightmare.
In those moments of amnesia as I would wake, I would reach down to my crotch area expecting something that was there for 3 decades, and it's not. My heart skips a beat, every single damn time.
Then theres the act of going to the toilet. It takes me about 10 minutes to empty my bladder, it's extremely slow, painful and because it dribbles no matter how much i relax, it will then just go all over that entire area, leaving me soaken.
So after cleaning myself up, I will find moments later that my underwear is wet – no matter how much I wiped, it slowly drips out for the best part of an hour. I never knew at 35 I ran the risk like smelling like piss everywhere I went.
Now i get to the point where im detransitioned and the realisation that this is permanent is catching up with me. During transition, I was obsessive and deeply unwell, I cannot believe they were allowed to do this to me, even after all the red flags.
I wasn't even asked if I wanted to freeze sperm or want kids. In my obsessive, deeply unwell state they just nodded along and didnt tell me the realities, what life would be like.
And finally, theres dilation, which is like some sort of demonic ceremony where you impale yourself for 20 agonising minutes to remind you of your own stupidity.
This isn't even the half of it. And this isn't regret either, this is grief and anger. Fuck everyone who let this happen.
@Robert Guyton – A strange response. What do you think you are contributing here – other than a exposure of some of your less savoury personality traits?
visubversa, posted this: "Thousands of kids have been harmed by this ideology, along with many, many adults.".
weka's response – for those who have kept up with the discussion – identifies two well-funded organisations that completely failed at child safeguarding.
If you care about the iatrogenic harm that has been identified, and is still being facilitated in NZ via the same guidelines, then you could instead look into this further instead of playing schoolboy games while the grownups talk.
Response from InsideOut (the org that goes into schools etc to preach about being in the wrong bodyetc)
"We categorically reject any calls to restrict access to gender affirming care in Aotearoa, following the release of the Cass Review in the U.K. earlier this week.
The Cass Review is a biased, unethical, methodologically flawed and politically motivated review that disregards a strong evidence base in support of affirming models of trans healthcare. It ignores the consensus of major medical bodies around the world and lacks relevance in an Aotearoa context."
And more denialof NZ’s PATHA on the evidence in the Cass resport:
"In a written statement, PATHA president Jennifer Shields [NZ] said the Cass Review "ignores the consensus of major medical bodies around the world and lacks relevance in an Aotearoa context".
"The final Cass Review did not include trans or non-binary experts or clinicians experienced in providing gender affirming care in its decision-making, conclusions, or findings. Instead, a number of people involved in the review and the advisory group previously advocated for bans on gender affirming care in the United States, and have promoted non-affirming 'gender exploratory therapy', which is considered a conversion practice."
"Dr Cass is clear that standards in this field have been woefully subpar, with children given treatments that lacked any evidence base. This might be excused temporarily, given that this is a fast-developing field, but what is inexcusable is that there has been no attempt to build an evidence base, and indeed Dr Cass’s own attempts to build one were “thwarted” by the adult and child NHS gender services. The most important overarching point in her report is that the standard of care for gender-distressed children has fallen far short of what this vulnerable population needs and deserves. "
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And if there is a GodI know he likes to rockHe likes his loud guitarsHis spiders from MarsAnd if there is a GodI know he's watching meHe likes what he seesBut there's trouble on the breezeSongwriter: William Patrick Corgan Read more ...
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Iain Rennie, CNZMSecretary and Chief Executive to the TreasuryDear Secretary, Undue restrictions on restricted briefings This week, the Treasury barred representatives from four organisations, including the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi, from attending the restricted briefing for the Half-Year Economic and Fiscal Update. We had been ...
This is a guest post by Tim Adriaansen, a community, climate, and accessibility advocate.I won’t shut up about climate breakdown, and whenever possible I try to shift the focus of a climate conversation towards solutions. But you’ll almost never hear me give more than a passing nod to ...
A grassroots backlash has forced a backdown from Brown, but he is still eyeing up plenty of tolls for other new roads. And the pressure is on Willis to ramp up the Government’s austerity strategy. Photo: Getty ImagesMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
Hi all,I'm pretty overwhelmed by all your messages and emails today; thank you so very much.As much as my newsletter this morning was about money, and we all need to earn money, it was mostly about world domination if I'm honest. 😉I really hate what’s happening to our country, and ...
A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 8, 2024 thru Sat, December 14, 2024. Listing by Category Like last week's summary this one contains the list of articles twice: based on categories and based on ...
I started writing this morning about Hobson’s Pledge, examining the claims they and their supporters make, basically ripping into them. But I kept getting notifications coming through, and not good ones.Each time I looked up, there was another un-subscription message, and I felt a bit sicker at the thought of ...
Once, long before there was Harry and Meghan and Dodi and all those episodes of The Crown, they came to spend some time with us, Charles and Diana. Was there anyone in the world more glamorous than the Princess of Wales?Dazzled as everyone was by their company, the leader of ...
The collective right have a problem.The entire foundation for their world view is antiscientific. Their preferred economic strategies have been disproven. Their whole neoliberal model faces accusations of corporate corruption and worsening inequality. Climate change not only definitely exists, its rapid progression demands an immediate and expensive response in order ...
Just ten days ago, South Korea's president attempted a self-coup, declaring martial law and attempting to have opposition MPs murdered or arrested in an effort to seize unconstrained power. The attempt was rapidly defeated by the national assembly voting it down and the people flooding the streets to defend democracy. ...
Hi,“What I love about New Zealanders is that sometimes you use these expressions that as Americans we have no idea what those things mean!"I am watching a 30-something year old American ramble on about how different New Zealanders are to Americans. It’s his podcast, and this man is doing a ...
What Chris Penk has granted holocaust-denier and equal-opportunity-bigot Candace Owens is not “freedom of speech”. It’s not even really freedom of movement, though that technically is the right she has been granted. What he has given her is permission to perform. Freedom of SpeechIn New Zealand, the right to freedom ...
All those tears on your cheeksJust like deja vu flow nowWhen grandmother speaksSo tell me a story (I'll tell you a story)Spell it out, I can't hear (What do you want to hear?)Why you wear black in the morning?Why there's smoke in the air? Songwriter: Greg Johnson.Mōrena all ☀️Something a ...
2024 is now officially my best-ever year for short stories. My 1,850-word dark fantasy piece, As Our Power Lessens, has been accepted for the upcoming solstice edition of Eternal Haunted Summer (https://eternalhauntedsummer.com/), thereby making that six published short stories for the calendar year. As always, see the Bibliography page for ...
National has only been in power for a year, but everywhere you look, its choices are taking New Zealand a long way backwards. In no particular order, here are the National Government's Top 50 Greatest Misses of its first year in power. ...
The Government is quietly undertaking consultation on the dangerous Regulatory Standards Bill over the Christmas period to avoid too much attention. ...
The Government’s planned changes to the freedom of speech obligations of universities is little more than a front for stoking the political fires of disinformation and fear, placing teachers and students in the crosshairs. ...
The Ministry of Regulation’s report into Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Aotearoa raises serious concerns about the possibility of lowering qualification requirements, undermining quality and risking worse outcomes for tamariki, whānau, and kaiako. ...
A Bill to modernise the role of Justices of the Peace (JP), ensuring they remain active in their communities and connected with other JPs, has been put into the ballot. ...
Labour will continue to fight unsustainable and destructive projects that are able to leap-frog environment protection under National’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. ...
The Green Party has warned that a Green Government will revoke the consents of companies who override environmental protections as part of Fast-Track legislation being passed today. ...
The Green Party says the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update shows how the Government is failing to address the massive social and infrastructure deficits our country faces. ...
The Government’s latest move to reduce the earnings of migrant workers will not only hurt migrants but it will drive down the wages of Kiwi workers. ...
Te Pāti Māori has this morning issued a stern warning to Fast-Track applicants with interests in mining, pledging to hold them accountable through retrospective liability and to immediately revoke Fast-Track consents under a future Te Pāti Māori government. This warning comes ahead of today’s third reading of the Fast-Track Approvals ...
The Government’s announcement today of a 1.5 per cent increase to minimum wage is another blow for workers, with inflation projected to exceed the increase, meaning it’s a real terms pay reduction for many. ...
All the Government has achieved from its announcement today is to continue to push responsibility back on councils for its own lack of action to help bring down skyrocketing rates. ...
The Government has used its final post-Cabinet press conference of the year to punch down on local government without offering any credible solutions to the issues our councils are facing. ...
The Government has failed to keep its promise to ‘super charge’ the EV network, delivering just 292 chargers - less than half of the 670 chargers needed to meet its target. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Government to stop subsidising the largest user of the country’s gas supplies, Methanex, following a report highlighting the multi-national’s disproportionate influence on energy prices in Aotearoa. ...
The Green Party is appalled with the Government’s new child poverty targets that are based on a new ‘persistent poverty’ measure that could be met even with an increase in child poverty. ...
New independent analysis has revealed that the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) will reduce emissions by a measly 1 per cent by 2030, failing to set us up for the future and meeting upcoming targets. ...
The loss of 27 kaimahi at Whakaata Māori and the end of its daily news bulletin is a sad day for Māori media and another step backwards for Te Tiriti o Waitangi justice. ...
Yesterday the Government passed cruel legislation through first reading to establish a new beneficiary sanction regime that will ultimately mean more households cannot afford the basic essentials. ...
Today's passing of the Government's Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill–which allows landlords to end tenancies with no reason–ignores the voice of the people and leaves renters in limbo ahead of the festive season. ...
After wasting a year, Nicola Willis has delivered a worse deal for the Cook Strait ferries that will end up being more expensive and take longer to arrive. ...
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has today launched a Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as the All Out For Gaza rally reaches Parliament. ...
After years of advocacy, the Green Party is very happy to hear the Government has listened to our collective voices and announced the closure of the greyhound racing industry, by 1 August 2026. ...
In response to a new report from ERO, the Government has acknowledged the urgent need for consistency across the curriculum for Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) in schools. ...
The Green Party is appalled at the Government introducing legislation that will make it easier to penalise workers fighting for better pay and conditions. ...
Thank you for the invitation to speak with you tonight on behalf of the political party I belong to - which is New Zealand First. As we have heard before this evening the Kinleith Mill is proposing to reduce operations by focusing on pulp and discontinuing “lossmaking paper production”. They say that they are currently consulting on the plan to permanently shut ...
Auckland Central MP, Chlöe Swarbrick, has written to Mayor Wayne Brown requesting he stop the unnecessary delays on St James Theatre’s restoration. ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says Health New Zealand will move swiftly to support dozens of internationally-trained doctors already in New Zealand on their journey to employment here, after a tripling of sought-after examination places. “The Medical Council has delivered great news for hardworking overseas doctors who want to contribute ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has appointed Sarah Ottrey to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). “At my first APEC Summit in Lima, I experienced firsthand the role that ABAC plays in guaranteeing political leaders hear the voice of business,” Mr Luxon says. “New Zealand’s ABAC representatives are very well respected and ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced four appointments to New Zealand’s intelligence oversight functions. The Honourable Robert Dobson KC has been appointed Chief Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, and the Honourable Brendan Brown KC has been appointed as a Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants. The appointments of Hon Robert Dobson and Hon ...
Improvements in the average time it takes to process survey and title applications means housing developments can progress more quickly, Minister for Land Information Chris Penk says. “The government is resolutely focused on improving the building and construction pipeline,” Mr Penk says. “Applications to issue titles and subdivide land are ...
The Government’s measures to reduce airport wait times, and better transparency around flight disruptions is delivering encouraging early results for passengers ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Improving the efficiency of air travel is a priority for the Government to give passengers a smoother, more reliable ...
The Government today announced the intended closure of the Apollo Hotel as Contracted Emergency Housing (CEH) in Rotorua, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. This follows a 30 per cent reduction in the number of households in CEH in Rotorua since National came into Government. “Our focus is on ending CEH in the Whakarewarewa area starting ...
The Government will reshape vocational education and training to return decision making to regions and enable greater industry input into work-based learning Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds says. “The redesigned system will better meet the needs of learners, industry, and the economy. It includes re-establishing regional polytechnics that ...
The Government is taking action to better manage synthetic refrigerants and reduce emissions caused by greenhouse gases found in heating and cooling products, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds says. “Regulations will be drafted to support a product stewardship scheme for synthetic refrigerants, Ms. Simmonds says. “Synthetic refrigerants are found in a ...
People travelling on State Highway 1 north of Hamilton will be relieved that remedial works and safety improvements on the Ngāruawāhia section of the Waikato Expressway were finished today, with all lanes now open to traffic, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“I would like to acknowledge the patience of road users ...
Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds, has announced a new appointment to the board of Education New Zealand (ENZ). Dr Erik Lithander has been appointed as a new member of the ENZ board for a three-year term until 30 January 2028. “I would like to welcome Dr Erik Lithander to the ...
The Government will have senior representatives at Waitangi Day events around the country, including at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, but next year Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has chosen to take part in celebrations elsewhere. “It has always been my intention to celebrate Waitangi Day around the country with different ...
Two more criminal gangs will be subject to the raft of laws passed by the Coalition Government that give Police more powers to disrupt gang activity, and the intimidation they impose in our communities, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. Following an Order passed by Cabinet, from 3 February 2025 the ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Justice Christian Whata as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Whata’s appointment as a Judge of the Court of Appeal will take effect on 1 August 2025 and fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Hon Justice David Goddard on ...
The latest economic figures highlight the importance of the steps the Government has taken to restore respect for taxpayers’ money and drive economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Data released today by Stats NZ shows Gross Domestic Product fell 1 per cent in the September quarter. “Treasury and most ...
Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Minister of Education David Seymour today announced legislation changes to strengthen freedom of speech obligations on universities. “Freedom of speech is fundamental to the concept of academic freedom and there is concern that universities seem to be taking a more risk-averse ...
Police Minister, Mark Mitchell, and Internal Affairs Minister, Brooke van Velden, today launched a further Public Safety Network cellular service that alongside last year’s Cellular Roaming roll-out, puts globally-leading cellular communications capability into the hands of our emergency responders. The Public Safety Network’s new Cellular Priority service means Police, Wellington ...
State Highway 1 through the Mangamuka Gorge has officially reopened today, providing a critical link for Northlanders and offering much-needed relief ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“The Mangamuka Gorge is a vital route for Northland, carrying around 1,300 vehicles per day and connecting the Far ...
The Government has welcomed decisions by the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) and Ashburton District Council confirming funding to boost resilience in the Canterbury region, with construction on a second Ashburton Bridge expected to begin in 2026, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Delivering a second Ashburton Bridge to improve resilience and ...
The Government is backing the response into high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Otago, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says. “Cabinet has approved new funding of $20 million to enable MPI to meet unbudgeted ongoing expenses associated with the H7N6 response including rigorous scientific testing of samples at the enhanced PC3 ...
Legislation that will repeal all advertising restrictions for broadcasters on Sundays and public holidays has passed through first reading in Parliament today, Media Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “As a growing share of audiences get their news and entertainment from streaming services, these restrictions have become increasingly redundant. New Zealand on ...
Today the House agreed to Brendan Horsley being appointed Inspector-General of Defence, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Mr Horsley’s experience will be invaluable in overseeing the establishment of the new office and its support networks. “He is currently Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, having held that role since June 2020. ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government has agreed to the final regulations for the levy on insurance contracts that will fund Fire and Emergency New Zealand from July 2026. “Earlier this year the Government agreed to a 2.2 percent increase to the rate of levy. Fire ...
The Government is delivering regulatory relief for New Zealand businesses through changes to the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act. “The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Amendment Bill, which was introduced today, is the second Bill – the other being the Statutes Amendment Bill - that ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed further progress on the Hawke’s Bay Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS), with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board approving funding for the detailed design of Stage 1, paving the way for main works construction to begin in late 2025.“The Government is moving at ...
The Government today released a request for information (RFI) to seeking interest in partnerships to plant trees on Crown-owned land with low farming and conservation value (excluding National Parks) Forestry Minister Todd McClay announced. “Planting trees on Crown-owned land will drive economic growth by creating more forestry jobs in our regions, providing more wood ...
Court timeliness, access to justice, and improving the quality of existing regulation are the focus of a series of law changes introduced to Parliament today by Associate Minister of Justice Nicole McKee. The three Bills in the Regulatory Systems (Justice) Amendment Bill package each improve a different part of the ...
A total of 41 appointments and reappointments have been made to the 12 community trusts around New Zealand that serve their regions, Associate Finance Minister Shane Jones says. “These trusts, and the communities they serve from the Far North to the deep south, will benefit from the rich experience, knowledge, ...
The Government has confirmed how it will provide redress to survivors who were tortured at the Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital Child and Adolescent Unit (the Lake Alice Unit). “The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care found that many of the 362 children who went through the Lake Alice Unit between 1972 and ...
It has been a busy, productive year in the House as the coalition Government works hard to get New Zealand back on track, Leader of the House Chris Bishop says. “This Government promised to rebuild the economy, restore law and order and reduce the cost of living. Our record this ...
“Accelerated silicosis is an emerging occupational disease caused by unsafe work such as engineered stone benchtops. I am running a standalone consultation on engineered stone to understand what the industry is currently doing to manage the risks, and whether further regulatory intervention is needed,” says Workplace Relations and Safety Minister ...
Mehemea he pai mō te tangata, mahia – if it’s good for the people, get on with it. Enhanced reporting on the public sector’s delivery of Treaty settlement commitments will help improve outcomes for Māori and all New Zealanders, Māori Crown Relations Minister Tama Potaka says. Compiled together for the ...
Mr Roger Holmes Miller and Ms Tarita Hutchinson have been appointed to the Charities Registration Board, Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Louise Upston says. “I would like to welcome the new members joining the Charities Registration Board. “The appointment of Ms Hutchinson and Mr Miller will strengthen the Board’s capacity ...
More building consent and code compliance applications are being processed within the statutory timeframe since the Government required councils to submit quarterly data, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “In the midst of a housing shortage we need to look at every step of the build process for efficiencies ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey is proud to announce the first three recipients of the Government’s $10 million Mental Health and Addiction Community Sector Innovation Fund which will enable more Kiwis faster access to mental health and addiction support. “This fund is part of the Government’s commitment to investing in ...
New Zealand is providing Vanuatu assistance following yesterday's devastating earthquake, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. "Vanuatu is a member of our Pacific family and we are supporting it in this time of acute need," Mr Peters says. "Our thoughts are with the people of Vanuatu, and we will be ...
The Government welcomes the Commerce Commission’s plan to reduce card fees for Kiwis by an estimated $260 million a year, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says.“The Government is relentlessly focused on reducing the cost of living, so Kiwis can keep more of their hard-earned income and live a ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour has welcomed the Early Childhood Education (ECE) regulatory review report, the first major report from the Ministry for Regulation. The report makes 15 recommendations to modernise and simplify regulations across ECE so services can get on with what they do best – providing safe, high-quality care ...
The Government‘s Offshore Renewable Energy Bill to create a new regulatory regime that will enable firms to construct offshore wind generation has passed its first reading in Parliament, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says.“New Zealand currently does not have a regulatory regime for offshore renewable energy as the previous government failed ...
Legislation to enable new water service delivery models that will drive critical investment in infrastructure has passed its first reading in Parliament, marking a significant step towards the delivery of Local Water Done Well, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly say.“Councils and voters ...
New Zealand is one step closer to reaping the benefits of gene technology with the passing of the first reading of the Gene Technology Bill, Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins says. "This legislation will end New Zealand's near 30-year ban on gene technology outside the lab and is ...
Cosmic CatastropheThe year draws to a close.King Luxon has grown tired of the long eveningsListening to the dreary squabbling of his Triumvirate.He strolls up to the top floor of the PalaceTo consult with his Astronomer Royal.The Royal Telescope scans the skies,And King Luxon stares up into the heavensFrom the terrestrial ...
Spinoff editor Mad Chapman and books editor Claire Mabey debate Carl Shuker’s new novel about… an editor. Claire: Hello Mad, you just finished The Royal Free – overall impressions? Mad: Hi Claire, I literally just put the book down and I would have to say my immediate impression is ...
Christmas and its buildup are often lonely, hard and full of unreasonable expectations. Here’s how to make it to Jesus’s birthday and find the little bit of joy we all deserve. Have you found this year relentless? Has the latest Apple update “fucked up your life”? Have you lost two ...
Despite overwhelming public and corporate support, the government has stalled progress on a modern day slavery law. That puts us behind other countries – and makes Christmas a time of tragedy rather than joy, argues Shanti Mathias. Picture the scene on Christmas Day. Everyone replete with nice things to eat, ...
Asia Pacific Report “It looks like Hiroshima. It looks like Germany at the end of World War Two,” says an Israeli-American historian and professor of holocaust and genocide studies at Brown University about the horrifying reality of Gaza. Professor Omer Bartov, has described Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza as an ...
The New Zealand government coalition is tweaking university regulations to curb what it says is an increasingly “risk-averse approach” to free speech. The proposed changes will set clear expectations on how universities should approach freedom of speech issues. Each university will then have to adopt a “freedom of speech statement” ...
Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. – COMMENTARY: By Caitlin Johnstone New York prosecutors have charged Luigi Mangione with “murder as an act of terrorism” in his alleged shooting of health insurance CEO Brian Thompson earlier this month. This news comes out at the same time as ...
Pacific Media Watch The union for Australian journalists has welcomed the delivery by the federal government of more than $150 million to support the sustainability of public interest journalism over the next four years. Combined with the announcement of the revamped News Bargaining Initiative, this could result in up to ...
Piracy is a reality of modern life – but copyright law has struggled to play catch-up for as long as the entertainment industry has existed. As far back as 1988, the House of Lords criticised copyright law’s conflict with the reality of human behaviour in the context of burning cassette ...
MONDAY“Merry Xmas, and praise the Lord,” said Sheriff Luxon, and smiled for the camera. There was a flash of smoke when the shutter pressed down on the magnesium powder. The sheriff had arranged for a photographer from the Dodge Gazette to attend a ceremony where he handed out food parcels to ...
It’s a little under two months since the White Ferns shocked the cricketing world, deservedly taking home the T20 World Cup. Since then the trophy has had a tour around the country, five of the squad have played in the WBBL in Australia while most others have returned to domestic ...
Comment: If we say the word ‘dementia’, many will picture an older person struggling to remember the names of their loved ones, maybe a grandparent living out their final years in an aged care facility. Dementia can also occur in people younger than 65, but it can take time before ...
As he makes a surprise return to Shortland Street, actor Craig Parker takes us through his life in television. Craig Parker has been a fixture on television in Aotearoa for nearly four decades. He had starring roles in iconic local series like Gloss, Mercy Peak and Diplomatic Immunity, featured in ...
The Ōtautahi musician shares the 10 tracks he loves to spin, including the folk classic that cured him of a ‘case of the give-ups’. When singer-songwriter Adam McGrath returns to Kumeu’s Auckland Folk Festival from January 24-27, he’s not planning on simply idling his way through – he wants the late ...
Alex Casey spends an afternoon on the job with River, the rescue dog on a mission to spread joy to Ōtautahi rest homes.Almost everyone says it is never enough time. But River the rescue dog, a jet black huntaway border collie cross, has to keep a tight pace to ...
Asia Pacific Report Fiji activists have recreated the nativity scene at a solidarity for Palestine gathering in Fiji’s capital Suva just days before Christmas. The Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre and Fijians for Palestine Solidarity Network recreated the scene at the FWCC compound — a baby Jesus figurine lies amidst the ...
By 1News Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver and 1News reporters A number of Kiwis have been successfully evacuated from Vanuatu after a devastating earthquake shook the Pacific island nation earlier this week. The death toll was still unclear, though at least 14 people were killed according to an earlier statement from ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Scully, Professor in Modern History, University of New England Bunker.Image courtesy of Michael Leunig, CC BY-NC-SA Michael Leunig – who died in the early hours of Thursday December 19, surrounded by “his children, loved ones, and sunflowers” – was the ...
The House - On Parliament's last day of the year, there was the rare occurrence of a personal (conscience) vote on selling booze over the Easter weekend. While it didn't have the numbers to pass, it was a chance to get a rare glimpse of the fact ...
A new poem by Holly Fletcher. bejeweled log i was dreaming about wasps / wee darlings that followed me / ducking under objects / that i was fated to pickup / my fingers seeking / and meeting with tiny proboscis’s / but instead / i wake up / roll sideways ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Flora Hui, Research Fellow, Centre for Eye Research Australia and Honorary Fellow, Department of Surgery (Ophthalmology), The University of Melbourne Versta/Shutterstock Australians are exposed to some of the highest levels of solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the world. While we ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Terry, Professor of Business Regulation, University of Sydney Michael von Aichberger/Shutterstock Even if you’ve no idea how the business model underpinning franchises works, there’s a good chance you’ve spent money at one. Franchising is essentially a strategy for cloning ...
If something big is going to happen in Ferndale, it’s going to happen at Christmas. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. If there’s one episode of Shortland Street you should watch each year, it’s the annual Christmas cliffhanger. The final episode of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By William A. Stoltz, Lecturer and expert Associate, National Security College, Australian National University US President-elect Donald Trump has named most of the members of his proposed cabinet. However, he’s yet to reveal key appointees to America’s powerful cyber warfare and intelligence institutions. ...
Announcing the top 10 books of the the year at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Intermezzo by Sally Rooney (Faber & Faber, $37) The phenomenal Irish writer is the unsurprising chart topper for 2024 with her fourth novel that, much like her first ...
The government has confirmed its plan to break up Te Pūkenga / New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology and re-establish independent polytechnics. ...
James, you will be missed.
totally. More than most.
James, he will be missed, a man of integrity and well informed on the things he stood for. Wishing him well in his next chapter
I credit j.shaw with getting the green party to where it is now..
..having the credibility to be within biting distance of labour..and being a credible opposition voice..in their own right..and ready for power..
I have said previously that shaw has been playing a long game..in building that credibility/trust..and I stand by that..
He was the right person for that time/role..and he succeeded in that/his task…
Much respect to him…
The final Cass Report was released yesterday. Four years in the making, it's a damning indictment of the affirmation only model of health care for children with gender dysphoria in the UK's GIDS clinic.
A lot of commentary and complexities in what Hillary Cass has revealed. This one stands out and should make people pause and think about what has really been going on.
It's previously been reported that GIDS refused to share data with the initial work Cass did, then it turns out that they hadn't actually been collecting it. That's the data that would have showed if their treatment model, including puberty blockers was working. Once the Cass review got up and running, this happened,
https://twitter.com/simonjedge/status/1778000213149377015
https://twitter.com/simonjedge/status/1777983256224210993
From the Guardian piece,
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/apr/10/children-are-being-used-as-a-football-hilary-cass-on-her-review-of-gender-identity-services
that's a medical scandal in its own right.
And yet the NZ parliament has recently passed legislation that is likely to criminalize any parents or medical professionals who are unwilling to endorse medicalization of a child's gender dysphoria, because that would be "conversion therapy". Jacinda Ardern herself acknowledged that such prosecutions could happen under the new legislation.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/08/prime-minister-jacinda-ardern-doesn-t-rule-out-parents-facing-charges-under-conversion-therapy-ban.html
Every single Labour, Green and Maaori Party MP voted for this legislation, as did "libertarian" David Seymour, who apparently believed that a 13-yr old girl can give informed consent to life-changing and irreversible procedures.
According to this article below, Te Whatu Ora "commissioned the Professional Association of Transgender Health Aotearoa (PATHA) to update the national guidelines and referral pathways for gender-affirming healthcare." If that's true, it's cause for great concern. Why did Te Whatu Ora commission an activist body to guide clinical practice? The article itself is rather poor journalism, in that it fails to challenge PATHA's misleading claim that the Cass Review "ignores the consensus of major medical bodies around the world and lacks relevance in an Aotearoa context". Is PATHA really unaware that Sweden and France have also recently halted the uncritical application of "gender-affirming care" (such as Orwellian term)? And what exactly is meant by "an Aotearoan context"?
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/514044/ministry-of-health-taking-the-time-to-get-it-right-on-puberty-blockers
NZ has a much higher rate of prescribing PBs than the UK I think.
the scandal will reach here eventually. But as Visubversa says below, we will go through a lot of denial and blocking first.
Most of the National MPs also voted for the bill.
Yes, sadly I fear that Visubversa is right. I'm aware that most of the Nats also supported the bill – including all of their current front bench apart from Shane Reti. And unfortunately, two of the eight who had the courage to oppose the bill are no longer in parliament.
The one aspect of politicians that may work in favour, is their chameleon ability to change position as the political background changes.
Public awareness changes the political background.
What is required here is immense effort, and care must be taken to ensure those harmed by this medical treatment – have high-quality care and support delivered to them.
As substantive – and harder to dismiss – evidence comes to public awareness, insurance companies may play a big part in stopping harmful procedures as they will not insure doctors or surgeons, or pay for treatments via health insurance.
Does anyone know if NZ doctors carry a liability insurance, or is this completely covered by ACC?
If so, asking ACC what their exposure is may be worth investigating.
Molly I think this document sheds some light on your question:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://nzmii.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/NZMP-INF002-C2-Doctor-in-Training-Fact-Sheet-03.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjBk5H5l7uFAxUdjGMGHTorDT8QFnoECBIQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2FUI0mFrlFlzxRwD2iWay8
It sounds like ACC will shield doctors from most (but not all) of the damage here in NZ. Whereas in Australia, where they don't have ACC, one insurance company has recently dropped coverage for doctors who carry out "gender affirming care":
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-13/qld-medical-insurer-drops-cover-private-doctors-gender-dysphoria/102592298
Thank you, Dolomedes III.
Then I might get on with a letter to Minister for ACC, Hon Matt Doocey, and an OIA for Dr Tracey Batten as Chair and David Hunt as Deputy Chair to the Board of ACC to see what mechanism they can use to change the identified harmful practices we are still doing here in NZ.
(On the list for the weekend…)
Matt Doocey worked at the Tavistock and is proud of it.
Likely you already knew that but there it is.
Ah yes, one of the "liberal" Nats.
Worked at the Trust as an educator, we don't know if he worked in the GIDS clinic itself.
@Dolomedes Erica Stanford is just as bad.
https://twitter.com/wekatweets/status/1778281731847766182
(in the interests of accuracy).
No, I did not. Thank you for that information.
@weka
Thanks for the link
Matt Doocey's own words, in Hansard:
"I used to work for the Tavistock Clinic in London."
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/document/51HansS_20150506_00001648/doocey-matt-social-security-clothing-allowances-for
I am not sure he is qualified to work in the GIDS clinic itself, his qualifications seem to be in political science mostly.
Molly – you and others may be interested that Doucey's work with Tavistock has been/is under discussion in the last 24 hours on "X" aka Twitter under a post by Stephen Franks (weka's tweet posted in her comment above is in this thread:)
https://twitter.com/franks_lawyer
Re questioning by some as to why Doucey is a National MP etc, Doucey is in fact part of the Carter family which includes David Carter, former Speaker of the House – his uncle. From Wikipedia:
Doucey's Wikipedia entry also records that his qualifications as follows (although note "citation needed")
To answer Frank's question about journos I suspect most of them have drink the Koo Aid too and don't see anything to question.
some will be wanting to keep their careers too.
I'm heartened that the new Minister of Health (Reti) voted against the inclusion of gender identity in the "Conversion Practices" legislation. So if PATHA's review is predictably ideological, maybe he will quash it – if he doesn't, he will get a letter from me.
Thank you Molly for those heartening words of wisdom.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2024/04/government-won-t-say-if-it-will-follow-britain-s-move-to-ban-routine-use-of-puberty-blockers.html
I see red flag after red flag in that article. People still saying that PB are "safe and reversible". PATHA "not responding". Parent reports saying that PB made their kids mental health worse.
Incoming medical scandal. It will be bigger here because we always overdo stupid overseas trends to prove we're part of the world.
The "review" of puberty blockers initiated by the outgoing government – is due out next week:
https://www.health.govt.nz/news-media/news-items/mental-health-and-wellbeing-inform-evidence-brief-puberty-blockers
Apparently, PATHA was contracted to conduct and author the review…
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/514044/ministry-of-health-taking-the-time-to-get-it-right-on-puberty-blockers
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
I look forward to a totally ideology-free and evidence-based review of the available evidence, and also hope that one day I will gain the ability to shoot laser beams out of my eyes and lightning bolts out of my arse.
One of these outcomes is considerably more likely than the other.
Christina Buttons has just posted an article about the circular "citation cartel" when it comes to referencing for "affirmation only" healthcare.
Worth the read, which clearly identifies what many have previously understood and tried to draw attention to.
https://www.buttonslives.news/p/new-systematic-review-exposes-deceptive
PATHA – Professional Association for Transgender Health Aotearoa
references WPATH SOC8 in their guidelines:
– Page 5 Primary Care Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy Initiation Guidelines (2023 – Aotearoa New Zealand)
https://patha.nz/Guidelines
A small number of "scientists" (e.g. Jack Turban) publish garbage-tier statistically dubious work in journals where they either directly know the reviewers or editorial team or know their ideological stance.
That work gets picked up by the PATHAs of the world, further inflating the influence of said "scientists".. ("my work has been cited by International Bodies and used to create Important Guidelines!!")
The "scientists" on the basis of Being Used to Create Important Guidelines then publish further garbage-tier science, which then inflates their importance further, which lends them further credibility that the PATHAs of the world then cite to show that their guidelines are based on credible "science"
The "No debate" means that no contrary opinion ever enters the citation merry-go-round.
It's not the kind of merry-go-round that kids play on. It's the kind of merry-go-round that plays with kids.
The evidence of harm has been around for decades, but ignored.
Genevieve Gluck posted this in 2021, linking to news stories from 2001:
https://genevievegluck.substack.com/p/puberty-blockers-and-the-medical
For a shorter 6 min video expressing an overview of the concerns visit Gluck's Twitter post:
https://x.com/WomenReadWomen/status/1644332569641762816
I agree, preaching to the converted but please keep on preaching.
What bugs me about all this is how obvious the problem is. So many politicos will be like "I'm so surprised! Nobody could have known! I trusted the science!" and that's because politicians consume science like they are at a salad bar. Yeah, I'll have the croutons, but not the coleslaw. Don't like the coleslaw. I'll pretend it does not exist.
Unfortunately Chloe Swarbrick is a prime example of this.
I enjoy the exchange of info here too, @That_guy, but also post knowing that there may be some who retain intellectual curiosity, and will start to look into the issue because others have posted some starting points to investigate.
Forever the optimist…
It all just demonstrates that this is an ideology – a form of quasi religious belief which leads its "true believers" to defy any requirements that they feel are against their accepted dogma.
They have moved from "no debate" to obstruction, obfuscation and the abuse of power.
Ducking for cover.
https://unherd.com/2024/04/the-cass-reports-cowardly-converts/
"Thousands of kids have been harmed by this ideology, along with many, many adults. Those of us who have been shunned, lost jobs, friends and reputations as a result of accusations of bigotry and transphobia are, of course, secondary victims. And as for those who have played it safe? Inevitably, they will now stay silent or pretend that the evidence of harm contained in the Cass Report is a shocking revelation. The truth, of course, is that the evidence has been there all along. To those new converts now pretending otherwise: we see you."
reverse ferret from Stonewall apparently. Also Mermaids doing some substantial spin.
Visubversa cites ducks, weka; ferrets and mermaids.
And it's not yet 9.
wait until you get your head around what is really going on. Then you too can choose which side you are on, or if you want to swap sides.
Swap sides?
Now?
I could end up on the wrong side!
🙂
that doesn’t seem to have bothered you so far 😛
I'm maintaining a watching brief.
while you are doing that, I would encourage you to read the first hand accounts of detransitioners. They are the ones most badly damaged as young people. Let me know if you would like some links.
I already read Unherd 🙂
try this first hand account of medical/surgical transition and detransition from Ritchie/TullipR on twitter, written in 2022 when was 35. He started transitioning at 26. Not sure when he started detransitioning, maybe 3 years ago or longer.
https://twitter.com/TullipR/status/1536422533230206976
Thanks (I think), weka.
That is some grim reading.
These are the real casualties in this culture war.
Like others, I trust the PTB wake up to the harmful ideological mindsets at play here.
@Robert Guyton – A strange response. What do you think you are contributing here – other than a exposure of some of your less savoury personality traits?
visubversa, posted this: "Thousands of kids have been harmed by this ideology, along with many, many adults.".
weka's response – for those who have kept up with the discussion – identifies two well-funded organisations that completely failed at child safeguarding.
If you care about the iatrogenic harm that has been identified, and is still being facilitated in NZ via the same guidelines, then you could instead look into this further instead of playing schoolboy games while the grownups talk.
Molly, myob.
Bob, fyoa.
"Bob"
Bobdobalina, Mr Bob Dobalina?
This issue should concern all the adults in NZ, Robert.
You're either one of them, or you are not.
Response from InsideOut (the org that goes into schools etc to preach about being in the wrong bodyetc)
"We categorically reject any calls to restrict access to gender affirming care in Aotearoa, following the release of the Cass Review in the U.K. earlier this week.
The Cass Review is a biased, unethical, methodologically flawed and politically motivated review that disregards a strong evidence base in support of affirming models of trans healthcare. It ignores the consensus of major medical bodies around the world and lacks relevance in an Aotearoa context."
(words in bold done by myself)
https://www.facebook.com/insideoutkoaro/posts/pfbid0VSjpfJxxiUNs3ACmH4N9gtG8vsejEbvQVkqcU2LGWMNnwyJMNSvxo9zURHvp7vSZl
And more denialof NZ’s PATHA on the evidence in the Cass resport:
"In a written statement, PATHA president Jennifer Shields [NZ] said the Cass Review "ignores the consensus of major medical bodies around the world and lacks relevance in an Aotearoa context".
"The final Cass Review did not include trans or non-binary experts or clinicians experienced in providing gender affirming care in its decision-making, conclusions, or findings. Instead, a number of people involved in the review and the advisory group previously advocated for bans on gender affirming care in the United States, and have promoted non-affirming 'gender exploratory therapy', which is considered a conversion practice."
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/514044/ministry-of-health-taking-the-time-to-get-it-right-on-puberty-blockers
From the Cass report
"Dr Cass is clear that standards in this field have been woefully subpar, with children given treatments that lacked any evidence base. This might be excused temporarily, given that this is a fast-developing field, but what is inexcusable is that there has been no attempt to build an evidence base, and indeed Dr Cass’s own attempts to build one were “thwarted” by the adult and child NHS gender services. The most important overarching point in her report is that the standard of care for gender-distressed children has fallen far short of what this vulnerable population needs and deserves. "
https://sex-matters.org/posts/updates/the-cass-review-is-a-damning-indictment-of-what-the-nhs-has-been-doing-to-children/
InsideOUT are partly funded by Te Whatu Ora and Ministry of Youth Development
https://insideout.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/InsideOUT-Annual-Report-2021-22.pdf
Such is the extent of activist capture of NZ institutions.
Hush Robert, the adults are talking
Nothing dismissive and arrogant about that, gsays!
Good times!
Test
Either you ain't weka or weka's changed their icon
that was me not logged in. Trying to test the cursor bug in the desktop version on the phone.
Infiltrator! I see you!
sneaky weka 😁