Women who are pregnant or recently gave birth would have to pay for urgent visits to doctors or after-hours medical clinics under proposals being considered by the Ministry of Health.
In a move that has alarmed doctors and patient advocates, health officials are proposing to withdraw public funding for these unscheduled doctor visits — which number about 30,000 a year — and to instead make urgent care the responsibility of a woman's lead maternity carer, typically a midwife.
At present, GPs, obstetricians and midwives who are not a woman's lead maternity carer can claim public funding for one-off urgent pregnancy or postnatal care. Under the proposed change, this funding would end.
Oh man, its so good being a pregnant women in NZ. Seriously, the effort that is being put into making pregnancy a safe and affordable event is just a m a z i n g! Not.
I really hope that this is just a sort of a belated april fools joke. But then i would not be surprised if this government is looking at cutting the services for the most vulnerable. Those tax incentives for superrich and the surplus need to be paid for, and it will be the poorest of this country that will pay for it.
This cannot go ahead. Expecting the lead maternity carer to ensure that urgent care is managed when there is already a shortage of midwives is irresponsible and will affect the care midwives provide and increase hospital admissions for antenatal and post natal care.
I would not put it past them to go ahead with it. Women in this country are as much a punching bag as in any other country. Why not try to save some pennies on some women needing emergency care after giving birth to a tiny human. Heck if she dies does anyone care? Honestly, these guys could not dissapoint me more.
The independent midwives are contracted to 24hr /7 day care already.
Is the issue the midwives will do 'after hours' for more money or dont they want that burden at all. Maybe they could be hospital midwives where the hospital manages the 24 hr requirement.
I would have thought the after hours part is managed by a group of midwives so that the womans care comes first rather than the can kicked down the road to after hours clinics and GPs.
It would depend on what the visit was for and the follow up. A midwife cannot be expected to attend to more than what they are reasonably able to do at the standard required. I would like to see what a lead maternity carer is contracted to do and the average hours they work per week.
However, Im thinking the privatisation of medical services like midwifery means it seems to be moving into office hours and poor after-hours service. This may especially be apparent for high income areas as they seem to expect and consume health services at high rates.
I suppose it would be unreasonable to ask who exactly came up with this plan? There must be an individual who can claim credit for this brilliant idea?
Name them I say!
Let them step forward (or drag them kicking and screaming) into the limelight and explain their reasoning to we lesser mortals. And then we can shower them with the praise thy so richly deserve.
Seriously though….back in the day (white) women were being encouraged to breed. Supports were put in place, and the great experiment on How Best To Provide Maternity Care really took off. All designed to ensure more little (white) Kiwis walked the land. Healthy happy Mothers had healthy happy babies and the costs were immaterial if the desired outcomes were achieved. And indeed, we did enjoy the lowest infant mortality rate in the world. For a while.
I wonder what changed?
Along side this is a worldwide lowering of the birthrate. Great for the planet. Fewer babies.
The MOH is run by its CEO. The ideas arent created in the ministers office. The head office would have hundreds of policy analysts or such
Why is this fundamental mistake repeated over aaaaaaaaand over for every ministry
I notice the story doesnt say the mother will be responsible for these costs , but its the midwife. In fact the midwives cannot charge the mothers extra at all.
Why arent you making this clear Sabine ?
Yep, just keep those dollars rolling for the film crews etc…You know, baby’s are born all the time, no big deal (sarc). I suspect that we slide back into the 1800 with easy by the looks of it.
My trust in articles in The Herald is such that I am not prepared to waste money on reading articles behind their paywall. I suspect headlines are often click-bait, and from previous comments it is clear that yet again this article is based on an anonymous source. That does not mean it is not true, but it may well be one of a long list of possibilities for balancing costs , and it may be that it was intended to indicate the extremes necessary for implementation of increased spending elsewhere. I listened to Media Report this morning; this report may well be part of the same media sensationalism that appears to have motivated political reporters to conveniently spread rumours in the hope of destabilising the National Party; there may be a little truth in what they are saying, but reporting rumours, possibly out of context, has been a favourite occupation of some media 'personalities" – who will take pride in bringing down a Government Minister or Opposition Leader or shadow minister without scruple – journalism it is not, but they may think it pays the bills . . .
Agree with you on that. It seems that some good journalists are required to rev up conflicts and minimise any informed understanding in their stories as the editors want 'impact'.
This is just crazy, can you imagine a low income family already struggling with housing costs then having to think of money if they are worried about their newborn baby’s health ?
I generally agree with user pays for a lot of services but the first few years of life shouldn’t be subject to cost cutting measures.
Yes, but here comes the budget issue. The money for the Wellbeing budget had to come from somewhere. We cannot afford to have complicated births or dead's. Now, we solved the latter (income too low, malnutrition and if sick an injection), what are we going to do about the former? Someone was musing over a spreadhseet for accountancy and came up with this wonderful idea. So innovative and human. Stunning. Yeah right.
(sarc)
Isnt the situation that the pre and ante natal services are provided by the 'Lead Maternity Carer ( who is under government contract to do so) but for some reason arent doing so 'after hours'
From the context it isnt about normal 'infant' care as these are covered by free GP visits and of course Plunket, but while a woman is pregnant and immediately after.
The question is whats happening with 'midwives and obstetricians' who are supposed to be on call for these women but arent, to the extent of 30,000 occurences per year.
Heres the background
“Your lead maternity carer will care for you while you are pregnant, during labour and birth and for 4–6 weeks after your baby is born. All maternity care is free unless you choose a specialist doctor.”
“Your care provider (or their backup) will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for urgent care. If you have an urgent concern, contact your care provider immediately, whatever the time of day. ”
Maybe it is just systematic underfunding of everything that is the problem. One .govt after the other our health system is left underfunded and understaffed.
And the 24 hour , 7 days per week for care before and 4-6 weeks after birth ?
Is it the neo liberal model of self employed midwives who get 'chosen' by the mother and then effectively shut out 'after hours' ( except the actual birth of course)
"Equally important, NASA avoided overreliance on the private sector. Had the agency outsourced its governance role, it would have been vulnerable to what its then head of procurement called “brochuremanship”: when the private-sector party dictates what is “best.” Because NASA had developed internal expertise, it knew as much as the contractors did about technology, and thus was well equipped to negotiate and manage its contracts."
When we were re-elected with a clear mandate for change, our Government made three promises – to keep New Zealanders safe from COVID-19, to accelerate our economic recovery and to lay the foundations for a better future.
On Wednesday, I will announce the future shape and structure of our health and disability system. The changes are bold, but will allow us to build a modern, efficient, effective and innovative health system that works for everyone, no matter where you live or who you are.
going on your past posts, whatever the gov does wont please you, and you will go into, yet another rant, without suggesting any other solutions. So, why wait, start ranting now. give yourself a three day headstart.
woodart, dear, maybe don't go by my rant but rather read the article. Or is that like so many things in the 'too hard basket'?
And considering the times and the fact that we are crowdfunding for ICU beds for Starship Hospital, you too should maybe listen to your heart and ask yourself if you maybe too have a rant among all that sweet molasses in your heart.
I’m sure it will. What is the interview about? Why should we watch it if we’re not already Greenwald devotees and disciples? Who’s doing the interview?
That was my response reading the comment as well. Greenwald has done some really useful journalism – the the second Iraq War, NSA / Snowden.
But he seems to have drifted into using dubious sources, supposition and innuendo for quite some time. The last dozen oe so times I read his stuff there hasn't been a keenelnof anything worthwhile or even interesting unless you like Brazilian politics.
Central banks across the OECD have an inflation target of 2% (there has been some flexibility i.e. a range such as 1-3% but the medium term target is consistently around the 2% across those economies)
If interest is to be paid there needs to be growth (inflation) and that growth needs to occur within the financial system…i.e. credit (debt) so the inflation target of 2% is a credit growth target.
2% is the approximate operating margin of the private banking sector.
The inflation target is aligned with the profit margin of the banking sector.
Inflation targeting was introduced alongside the deregulation of the banking system .
To my slow mind it seems as if the 2% inflation norm enables the banks to be ensured of their profitability with low interest being paid to depositors, and good returns generally on business lending; certainty is great. And seeing the CPI inflation is worked on a model that leaves the major part of dealing in housing out of CPI concerns, the banks can go gang-busters on house dealing – better than drugs I imagine, and legitimate. Whoope!
But then I am just a simple citizen and cleverer people know that the system is far more complex, with aspects and levers all prevailing that I know nothing about.
CPI inflation is widely considered a poor measure of inflation….but if credit growth is the real (unnamed) inflation target then CPI is simply window dressing
CPI as window dressing – that's the feeling that I get. A useful system that can be controlled and referred to in praiseworthy terms as a measure of good control of the economy and, I think the idea is, to also refer to the whole country's state. Which would be a Great Big Lie, but hey the CPI is within range, so Good On Us all is sweet and this wine is a good vintage, or have a nice craft beer whatever, to celebrate.
All nation states have a right to defend themselves. But do regimes enjoy an equal right to self-defence? Is the security of a particular party-in-power a fundamental right of nations? The Chinese government is asking ...
A modest attempt to analyse Donald Trump’s tariff policies.Alfred Marshall, whose text book was still in use 40 years after he died wrote ‘every short statement about economics is misleading with the possible exception of my present one.’ (The text book is 719 pages.) It’s a timely reminder that any ...
If nothing else, we have learned that the economic and geopolitical turmoil caused by the Trump tariff see-saw raises a fundamental issue of the human condition that extends beyond trade wars and “the markets.” That issue is uncertainty and its centrality to individual and collective life. It extends further into ...
To improve its national security, South Korea must improve its ICT infrastructure. Knowing this, the government has begun to move towards cloud computing. The public and private sectors are now taking a holistic national-security approach ...
28 April 2025 Mournfor theDead FightFor theLiving Every week in New Zealand 18 workers are killed as a consequence of work. Every 15 minutes, a worker suffers ...
The world is trying to make sense of the Trump tariffs. Is there a grand design and strategy, or is it all instinct and improvisation? But much more important is the question of what will ...
OPINION:Yesterday was a triumphant moment in Parliament House.The “divisive”, “disingenous”, “unfair”, “discriminatory” and “dishonest” Treaty Principles Bill, advanced by the right wing ACT Party, failed.Spectacularly.11 MP votes for (ACT).112 MP votes against (All Other Parties).As the wonderful Te Pāti Māori MP, Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke said: We are not divided, but united.Green ...
The Pacific Response Group (PRG), a new disaster coordination organisation, has operated through its first high-risk weather season. But as representatives from each Pacific military leave Brisbane to return to their home countries for the ...
The Treaty Principles Bill has been defeated in Parliament with 112 votes in opposition and 11 in favour, but the debate about Te Tiriti and Māori rights looks set to stay high on the political agenda. Supermarket giant Woolworths has confirmed a new operating model that Workers First say will ...
1. What did Seymour say after his obnoxious bill was buried 112 to 11?a. Watch this spaceb. Mea culpac. I am not a crookd. Youse are all such dumbasses2. Which lasted longest?a. Liz Trussb. Trump’s Tariffsc. The Lettuced. Too soon to say but the smart money’s on the vegetable 3. ...
And this is what I'm gonna doI'm gonna put a call to you'Cause I feel good tonightAnd everything's gonna beRight-right-rightI'm gonna have a good time tonightRock and roll music gonna play all nightCome on, baby, it won't take longOnly take a minute just to sing my songSongwriters: Kirk Pengilly / ...
The Indonesian military has a new role in cybersecurity but, worryingly, no clear doctrine on what to do with it nor safeguards against human rights abuses. Assignment of cyber responsibility to the military is part ...
The StrategistBy Gatra Priyandita and Christian Guntur Lebang
Another Friday, another roundup. Autumn is starting to set in, certainly getting darker earlier but we hope you enjoy some of the stories we found interesting this week. This week in Greater Auckland On Tuesday we ran a guest post from the wonderful Darren Davis about what’s happening ...
Long stories shortest:The White House confirms Donald Trump’s total tariffs now on China are 145%, not 125%. US stocks slump again. Gold hits a record high. PM Christopher Luxon joins a push for a new rules-based trading system based around CPTPP and EU, rather than US-led WTO. Winston Peters ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including: and on the week in geopolitics and climate, including Donald Trump’s shock and (partial) backflip; and,Health Coalition Aotearoa Chair ...
USAID cuts and tariffs will harm the United States’ reputation in the Pacific more than they will harm the region itself. The resilient region will adjust to the economic challenges and other partners will fill ...
National's racist and divisive Treaty Principles Bill was just voted down by the House, 112 to 11. Good fucking riddance. The bill was not a good-faith effort at legislating, or at starting a "constitutional conversation". Instead it was a bad faith attempt to stoke division and incite racial hatred - ...
Democracy watch Indonesia’s parliament passed revisions to the country’s military law, which pro-democracy and human rights groups view as a threat to the country’s democracy. One of the revisions seeks to expand the number of ...
The StrategistBy Linus Cohen, Astrid Young and Alice Wai
Australia should follow international examples and develop a civilian cyber reserve as part of a whole-of-society approach to national defence. By setting up such a reserve, the federal government can overcome a shortage of expertise ...
A ballot for three Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Life Jackets for Children and Young Persons Bill (Cameron Brewer) Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Restrictions on Issue of Off-Licences and Low and No Alcohol Products) Amendment Bill (Mike Butterick) Crown ...
Te Whatu Ora is proposing to slash jobs from a department that brings in millions of dollars a year and ensures safety in hospitals, rest homes and other community health providers. The Treaty Principles Bill is back in Parliament this evening and is expected to be voted down by all parties, ...
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has repeatedly asserted the country’s commitment to a non-aligned foreign policy. But can Indonesia still credibly claim neutrality while tacitly engaging with Russia? Holding an unprecedented bilateral naval drills with Moscow ...
The NZCTU have launched a new policy programme and are calling on political parties to adopt bold policies in the lead up to the next election. The Government is scrapping the 30-day rule that automatically signs an employee up to the collective agreement when they sign on to a new ...
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te must have been on his toes. The island’s trade and defence policy has snapped into a new direction since US President Donald Trump took office in January. The government was almost ...
Auckland’s ongoing rail pain will intensify again from this weekend as Kiwirail shut down the network for two weeks as part of their push to get the network ready for the City Rail Link. KiwiRail will progress upgrade and renewal projects across Auckland’s rail network over the Easter holiday period ...
This is a re-post from The Electrotech Revolution by Daan Walter Last week, UK Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch took the stage to advocate for slowing the rollout of renewables, arguing that they ultimately lead to higher costs: “Huge amounts are being spent on switching round how we distribute electricity ...
That there, that's not meI go where I pleaseI walk through wallsI float down the LiffeyI'm not hereThis isn't happeningI'm not hereI'm not hereSongwriters: Philip James Selway / Jonathan Richard Guy Greenwood / Edward John O'Brien / Thomas Edward Yorke / Colin Charles Greenwood.I had mixed views when the first ...
(A note to subscribers:I’m going to keep these daily curated news updates shorter in future to ensure an earlier and more regular delivery.Expect this format and delivery around 7 am Monday to Friday from now on. My apologies for not delivering yesterday. There was too much news… This ...
As Donald Trump zigs and zags on tariffs and trashes America’s reputation as a safe and stable place to invest, China has a big gun that it could bring to this tariff knife fight. Behind Japan, China has the world’s second largest holdings of American debt. As a huge US ...
Civilian exploration may be the official mission of a Chinese deep-sea research ship that sailed clockwise around Australia over the past week and is now loitering west of the continent. But maybe it’s also attending ...
South Korea’s internal political instability leaves it vulnerable to rising security threats including North Korea’s military alliance with Russia, China’s growing regional influence and the United States’ unpredictability under President Donald Trump. South Korea needs ...
Here are 5 updates that you may be interested in today:Speed kills and costs - so why does National want more of it?James (Jim) Grenon Board Takeover Gets Shaky - As Canadian Calls An Australian Shareholder a “Flake” Billionaire Bust-ups -The World’s Richest Men Are UncomfortableOver 3,500 Australian doctors on ...
Australia is in a race against time. Cyber adversaries are exploiting vulnerabilities faster than we can identify and patch them. Both national security and economic considerations demand policy action. According to IBM’s Data Breach Report, ...
The ever brilliant Kate Nicholls has kindly agreed to allow me to re-publish her substack offering some under-examined backdrop to Trump’s tariff madness. The essay is not meant to be a full scholarly article but instead an insight into the thinking (if that is the correct word) behind the current ...
In the Pacific, the rush among partner countries to be seen as the first to assist after disasters has become heated as part of ongoing geopolitical contest. As partners compete for strategic influence in the ...
The StrategistBy Miranda Booth, Henrietta McNeill and Genevieve Quirk
We’ve seen this morning the latest step up in the Trump-initiated trade war, with the additional 50 per cent tariffs imposed on imports from China. If the tariff madness persists – but in fact even if were wound back in some places (eg some of the particularly absurd tariffs on ...
Weak as I am, no tears for youWeak as I am, no tears for youDeep as I am, I'm no one's foolWeak as I amSongwriters: Deborah Ann Dyer / Richard Keith Lewis / Martin Ivor Kent / Robert Arnold FranceMorena. This morning, I couldn’t settle on a single topic. Too ...
Australian policy makers are vastly underestimating how climate change will disrupt national security and regional stability across the Indo-Pacific. A new ASPI report assesses the ways climate impacts could threaten Indonesia’s economic and security interests ...
So here we are in London again because we’re now at the do-it-while-you-still-can stage of life. More warm wide-armed hugs, more long talks and long walks and drinks in lovely old pubs with our lovely daughter.And meanwhile the world is once more in one of its assume-the-brace-position stages.We turned on ...
Hi,Back in September of 2023, I got pitched an interview:David -Thanks for the quick response to the DM! Means the world. Re-stating some of the DM below for your team’s reference -I run a business called Animal Capital - we are a venture capital fund advised by Noah Beck, Paris ...
I didn’t want to write about this – but, alas, the 2020s have forced my hand. I am going to talk about the Trump Tariffs… and in the process probably irritate nearly everyone. You see, alone on the Internet, I am one of those people who think we need a ...
Maybe people are only just beginning to notice the close alignment of Russia and China. It’s discussed as a sudden new phenomenon in world affairs, but in fact it’s not new at all. The two ...
The High Court has just ruled that the government has been violating one of the oldest Treaty settlements, the Sealord deal: The High Court has found the Crown has breached one of New Zealand's oldest Treaty Settlements by appropriating Māori fishing quota without compensation. It relates to the 1992 ...
Darwin’s proposed Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct is set to be the heart of a new integrated infrastructure network in the Northern Territory, larger and better than what currently exists in northern Australia. However, the ...
Local body elections are in October, and so like a lot of people, I received the usual pre-election enrolment confirmation from the Orange Man in the post. And I was horrified to see that it included the following: Why horrified? After all, surely using email, rather ...
Australia needs to deliver its commitment under the Seoul Declaration to create an Australian AI safety, or security, institute. Australia is the only signatory to the declaration that has yet to meet its commitments. Given ...
Ko kōpū ka rere i te paeMe ko Hine RuhiTīaho mai tō arohaMe ko Hine RuhiDa da da ba du da da ba du da da da ba du da da da da da daDa da da ba du da da ba du da da da ba du da da ...
Army, Navy and AirForce personnel in ceremonial dress: an ongoing staffing exodus means we may get more ships, drones and planes but not have enough ‘boots on the ground’ to use them. Photo: Lynn GrievesonLong stories short in Aotearoa’s political economy this morning:PM Christopher Luxon says the Government can ...
If you’re a qualified individual looking to join the Australian Army, prepare for a world of frustration over the next 12 to 18 months. While thorough vetting is essential, the inefficiency of the Australian Defence ...
I’ve inserted a tidbit and rumours section1. Colonoscopy wait times increase, procedures drop under NationalWait times for urgent, non-urgent and surveillance colonoscopies all progressively worsened last year. Health NZ data shows the total number of publicly-funded colonoscopies dropped by more than 7 percent.Health NZ chief medical officer Helen Stokes-Lampard blamed ...
Three billion dollars has been wiped off the value of New Zealand’s share market as the rout of global financial markets caught up with the local market. A Sāmoan national has been sentenced for migrant exploitation and corruption following a five-year investigation that highlights the serious consequences of immigration fraud ...
This is a guest post by Darren Davis. It originally appeared on his excellent blog, Adventures in Transitland, which we encourage you to check out. It is shared by kind permission. Rail Network Investment Plan quietly dropped While much media attention focused on the 31st March 2025 announcement that the replacement Cook ...
Amendments to Indonesia’s military law risk undermining civilian supremacy and the country’s defence capabilities. Passed by the House of Representatives on 20 March, the main changes include raising the retirement age and allowing military officers ...
The StrategistBy Alfin Febrian Basundoro and Jascha Ramba Santoso
So New Zealand is about to spend $12 billion on our defence forces over the next four years – with $9 million of it being new money that is not being spent on pressing needs here at home. Somehow this lavish spend-up on Defence is “affordable,” says PM Christopher Luxon, ...
Donald Trump’s philosophy about the United States’ place in the world is historically selfish and will impoverish his country’s spirit. While he claimed last week to be ‘liberating’ Americans from the exploiters and freeloaders who’ve ...
China’s crackdown on cyber-scam centres on the Thailand-Myanmar border may cause a shift away from Mandarin, towards English-speaking victims. Scammers also used the 28 March earthquake to scam international victims. Australia, with its proven capabilities ...
At the 2005 election campaign, the National Party colluded with a weirdo cult, the Exclusive Brethren, to run a secret hate campaign against the Greens. It was the first really big example of the rich using dark money to interfere in our democracy. And unfortunately, it seems that they're trying ...
Many of you will know that in collaboration with the University of Queensland we created and ran the massive open online course (MOOC) "Denial101x - Making sense of climate science denial" on the edX platform. Within nine years - between April 2015 and February 2024 - we offered 15 runs ...
How will the US assault on trade affect geopolitical relations within Asia? Will nations turn to China and seek protection by trading with each other? The happy snaps a week ago of the trade ministers ...
I mentioned this on Friday - but thought it deserved some emphasis.Auckland Waitematā District Commander Superintendent Naila Hassan has responded to Countering Hate Speech Aotearoa, saying police have cleared Brian Tamaki of all incitement charges relating to the Te Atatu library rainbow event assault.Hassan writes:..There is currently insufficient evidence to ...
With the report of the recent intelligence review by Heather Smith and Richard Maude finally released, critics could look on and wonder: why all the fuss? After all, while the list of recommendations is substantial, ...
Well, I don't know if I'm readyTo be the man I have to beI'll take a breath, I'll take her by my sideWe stand in awe, we've created lifeWith arms wide open under the sunlightWelcome to this place, I'll show you everythingSongwriters: Scott A. Stapp / Mark T. Tremonti.Today is ...
Staff at Kāinga Ora are expecting details of another round of job cuts, with the Green Party claiming more than 500 jobs are set to go. The New Zealand Defence Force has made it easier for people to apply for a job in a bid to get more boots on ...
Australia’s agriculture sector and food system have prospered under a global rules-based system influenced by Western liberal values. But the assumptions, policy approaches and economic frameworks that have traditionally supported Australia’s food security are no ...
Following Trump’s tariff announcement, US stock values fell by the most ever in value terms (US$6.6 trillion). Photo: Getty ImagesLong story shortest in Aotearoa’s political economy this morning:Donald Trump just detonated a neutron bomb under the globalised economy, but this time the Fed isn’t cutting interest rates to rescue ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 30, 2025 thru Sat, April 5, 2025. This week's roundup is again published by category and sorted by number of articles included in each. The formatting is a ...
This is a longer read.Summary:Trump’s tariffs are reckless, disastrous and hurt the poorest countries deeply. It will stoke inflation, and may cause another recession. Funds/investments around the world have tanked.Trump’s actions emulate the anti-economic logic of another right wing libertarian politician - Liz Truss. She had her political career cut ...
We are all suckers for hope.He’s just being provocative, people will say, he wouldn’t really go that far. They wouldn’t really go that far.Germany in the 1920s and 30s was one of the world’s most educated, culturally sophisticated, and scientifically advanced societies.It had a strong democratic constitution with extensive civil ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Mars warming? Mars’ climate varies due to completely different reasons than Earth’s, and available data indicates no temperature trends comparable to Earth’s ...
Max Harris and Max Rashbrooke discuss how we turn around the right wing slogans like nanny state, woke identity politics, and the inefficiency of the public sector – and how we build a progressive agenda. From Donald Trump to David Seymour, from Peter Dutton to Christopher Luxon, we are subject to a ...
Max Harris and Max Rashbrooke discuss how we turn around the right wing slogans like nanny state, woke identity politics, and the inefficiency of the public sector – and how we build a progressive agenda. From Donald Trump to David Seymour, from Peter Dutton to Christopher Luxon, we are subject to a ...
The Green Party recognises the extension of visa allowances for our Pacific whānau as a step in the right direction but continues to call for a Pacific Visa Waiver. ...
The Government yesterday released its annual child poverty statistics, and by its own admission, more tamariki across Aotearoa are now living in material hardship. ...
Today, Te Pāti Māori join the motu in celebration as the Treaty Principles Bill is voted down at its second reading. “From the beginning, this Bill was never welcome in this House,” said Te Pāti Māori Co-Leader, Rawiri Waititi. “Our response to the first reading was one of protest: protesting ...
The Green Party is proud to have voted down the Coalition Government’s Treaty Principles Bill, an archaic piece of legislation that sought to attack the nation’s founding agreement. ...
A Member’s Bill in the name of Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter which aims to stop coal mining, the Crown Minerals (Prohibition of Mining) Amendment Bill, has been pulled from Parliament’s ‘biscuit tin’ today. ...
Labour MP Kieran McAnulty’s Members Bill to make the law simpler and fairer for businesses operating on Easter, Anzac and Christmas Days has passed its first reading after a conscience vote in Parliament. ...
Nicola Willis continues to sit on her hands amid a global economic crisis, leaving the Reserve Bank to act for New Zealanders who are worried about their jobs, mortgages, and KiwiSaver. ...
Today, the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill has passed its third and final reading, but there is one more stage before it becomes law. The Governor-General must give their ‘Royal assent’ for any bill to become legally enforceable. This means that, even if a bill gets voted ...
Abortion care at Whakatāne Hospital has been quietly shelved, with patients told they will likely have to travel more than an hour to Tauranga to get the treatment they need. ...
Thousands of New Zealanders’ submissions are missing from the official parliamentary record because the National-dominated Justice Select Committee has rushed work on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...
Today’s announcement of 10 percent tariffs for New Zealand goods entering the United States is disappointing for exporters and consumers alike, with the long-lasting impact on prices and inflation still unknown. ...
The National Government’s choices have contributed to a slow-down in the building sector, as thousands of people have lost their jobs in construction. ...
Willie Apiata’s decision to hand over his Victoria Cross to the Minister for Veterans is a powerful and selfless act, made on behalf of all those who have served our country. ...
The Privileges Committee has denied fundamental rights to Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, Rawiri Waititi and Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, breaching their own standing orders, breaching principles of natural justice, and highlighting systemic prejudice and discrimination within our parliamentary processes. The three MPs were summoned to the privileges committee following their performance of a haka ...
April 1 used to be a day when workers could count on a pay rise with stronger support for those doing it tough, but that’s not the case under this Government. ...
Winston Peters is shopping for smaller ferries after Nicola Willis torpedoed the original deal, which would have delivered new rail enabled ferries next year. ...
The Government should work with other countries to press the Myanmar military regime to stop its bombing campaign especially while the country recovers from the devastating earthquake. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Government to scrap proposed changes to Early Childhood Care, after attending a petition calling for the Government to ‘Put tamariki at the heart of decisions about ECE’. ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill today that will remove the power of MPs conscience votes and ensure mandatory national referendums are held before any conscience issues are passed into law. “We are giving democracy and power back to the people”, says New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters. ...
Welcome to members of the diplomatic corp, fellow members of parliament, the fourth estate, foreign affairs experts, trade tragics, ladies and gentlemen. ...
In recent weeks, disturbing instances of state-sanctioned violence against Māori have shed light on the systemic racism permeating our institutions. An 11-year-old autistic Māori child was forcibly medicated at the Henry Bennett Centre, a 15-year-old had his jaw broken by police in Napier, kaumātua Dean Wickliffe went on a hunger ...
Confidence in the job market has continued to drop to its lowest level in five years as more New Zealanders feel uncertain about finding work, keeping their jobs, and getting decent pay, according to the latest Westpac-McDermott Miller Employment Confidence Index. ...
The Greens are calling on the Government to follow through on their vague promises of environmental protection in their Resource Management Act (RMA) reform. ...
The Government’s new planning legislation to replace the Resource Management Act will make it easier to get things done while protecting the environment, say Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop and Under-Secretary Simon Court. “The RMA is broken and everyone knows it. It makes it too hard to build ...
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay has today launched a public consultation on New Zealand and India’s negotiations of a formal comprehensive Free Trade Agreement. “Negotiations are getting underway, and the Public’s views will better inform us in the early parts of this important negotiation,” Mr McClay says. We are ...
More than 900 thousand superannuitants and almost five thousand veterans are among the New Zealanders set to receive a significant financial boost from next week, an uplift Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says will help support them through cost-of-living challenges. “I am pleased to confirm that from 1 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra It takes a bit for Labor not to preference the Greens but on Friday it was announced that in the Melbourne seat of Macnamara, where Jewish MP Josh Burns is embattled, the ALP will run ...
By Layla Bailey-McDowell, RNZ Māori news journalist Legal experts and Māori advocates say the fight to protect Te Tiriti is only just beginning — as the controversial Treaty Principles Bill is officially killed in Parliament. The bill — which seeks to redefine the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi — ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wesley Morgan, Research Associate, Institute for Climate Risk and Response, UNSW Sydney Australia’s relationship with its regional neighbours could be in doubt under a Coalition government after two Pacific leaders challenged Opposition Leader Peter Dutton over his weak climate stance. This week, ...
An additional tariff by the US on New Zealand exporters is harmful and the Minister of Trade has written to his American counterparts to tell them that. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sophia Staite, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures Social media is ablaze with reports of kids going wild at screenings of A Minecraft Movie. Some cinemas are cracking down. There are reports of cinemas calling ...
The Treaty Principles Bill has been brutally defeated in Parliament. We have highlights from key speeches, and explain why its demise is so unusual. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hunter Fujak, Senior Lecturer in Sport Management, Deakin University Few issues in Australian sport generate as much media noise or emotional fan reactions as player movement, especially in our major winter codes the National Rugby League (NRL) and Australian Football League (AFL). ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Isabelle Ng, PhD candidate, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University A couple of whip coral goby (_Bryaninops yongei_).randi_ang/Shutterstock Swim along the edge of a coral reef and you’ll often see schools of sleek, torpedo-shaped fishes gliding through the currents, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charles Kemp, Professor, School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock Languages are windows into the worlds of the people who speak them – reflecting what they value and experience daily. So perhaps it’s no surprise different languages highlight different ...
A new poem by Daniel Frears. Pale Straw this season’s colour is pale straw a revelatory colour for an oh so special season it might mess with your head, or mine you can rub my belly like I was a dog. all actions are allowed in this .. phase. if ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins (Hay House, $32) “A truly helpful treatise on seeing ...
Tara Ward watches the return of The Handmaid’s Tale and discovers the dystopia of the future now feels all too real. If you like your television so bleak that you need to curl into a ball and rock back and forward afterwards, then clear the floor because I have great ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national YouGov poll, conducted April 4–10 from a sample of 1,505, gave Labor a 52.5–47.5 lead, a 1.5-point gain for Labor ...
Submissions close today on proposed reforms that would mark the most significant shakeup of fisheries in decades. Here’s what you need to know.On February 12, oceans and fisheries minister Shane Jones held up a wagging finger and a shiny, plastic-comb-bound document as Wellington’s downtown seagulls squawked overhead. Among a ...
This bill sought to fundamentally alter the meaning of Te Tiriti o Waitangi by selectively and incorrectly interpreting the reo Māori text, says E tū National Secretary Rachel Mackintosh. ...
Luxon has an opportunity to emerge as a stabiliser without the diplomatic risk of poking the bear in the White House. Last month, pundits from across the political spectrum were begging Christopher Luxon to add a modicum of clarity to the way he communicates after a disastrous interview with Mike ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Mitchell, Professor of Nursing and Health Services Research, University of Newcastle Annie Spratt/Unsplash Hospital-acquired infections are infections patients didn’t have when they were admitted to hospital. The most common include wound infections after surgery, urinary tract infections and pneumonia. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christina Hanna, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Planning, University of Waikato Christina Hanna, CC BY-SA Once floodwaters subside, talk of planned retreat inevitably rises. Within Aotearoa New Zealand, several communities from north to south – including Kumeū, Kawatiri Westport and parts ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arian Wallach, Future Fellow in Ecology, Queensland University of Technology michael garner/Shutterstock In 1938, zoologist Ellis Le Geyt Troughton mourned that Australia’s “gentle and specialized creatures” were “unable to cope with changed conditions and introduced enemies”. The role of these ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Peetz, Laurie Carmichael Distinguished Research Fellow at the Centre for Future Work, and Professor Emeritus, Griffith Business School, Griffith University doublelee/Shutterstock Can the government actually make a difference to the wages Australians earn? A lot of attention always falls on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Egliston, Senior Lecturer in Digital Cultures, Australian Research Council DECRA Fellow, University of Sydney Last week, Nintendo announced the June 5 release of its long anticipated Switch 2. But the biggest talking point wasn’t the console’s launch titles or features. At ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Woodman, TR Ashworth Professor in Sociology, The University of Melbourne Securing the welfare of future generations seems like solid grounds for judging policies and politicians, especially during an election campaign. Political legacies are on the line because the stakes are so ...
pre-budget nuggets – i hope not.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/pregnant-women-may-have-to-pay-for-urgent-doctor-visits-under-plans-for-maternity-shake-up/IDVI57AW6QJ6JQBFQ2VNYXMGNQ/
Oh man, its so good being a pregnant women in NZ. Seriously, the effort that is being put into making pregnancy a safe and affordable event is just a m a z i n g! Not.
I really hope that this is just a sort of a belated april fools joke. But then i would not be surprised if this government is looking at cutting the services for the most vulnerable. Those tax incentives for superrich and the surplus need to be paid for, and it will be the poorest of this country that will pay for it.
This cannot go ahead. Expecting the lead maternity carer to ensure that urgent care is managed when there is already a shortage of midwives is irresponsible and will affect the care midwives provide and increase hospital admissions for antenatal and post natal care.
I would not put it past them to go ahead with it. Women in this country are as much a punching bag as in any other country. Why not try to save some pennies on some women needing emergency care after giving birth to a tiny human. Heck if she dies does anyone care? Honestly, these guys could not dissapoint me more.
Honestly, these guys could not dissapoint me more.
Me as well.
How much worse will it get for those who need the care but have barriers to get the care?
The independent midwives are contracted to 24hr /7 day care already.
Is the issue the midwives will do 'after hours' for more money or dont they want that burden at all. Maybe they could be hospital midwives where the hospital manages the 24 hr requirement.
I would have thought the after hours part is managed by a group of midwives so that the womans care comes first rather than the can kicked down the road to after hours clinics and GPs.
30,000 unscheduled doctor visits a year for antenatal and postnatal care. No way could midwives fill the gap.
As for being contracted to 24/7 care there are regulations which need to be followed for safe practise.
Some women find it hard to get a lead maternity carer due to the workload of midwives.
When there is no midwife available the GP/medical service needs to be available at no cost.
Nearly 60,000 births last year , so on average 1 unscheduled outside medical visit per 2 births.
Could you give more background about how midwives 'couldnt handle' that.
Dont think there is any suggestion that no help would be available for mothers without a midwife. Its about those that do.
It would depend on what the visit was for and the follow up. A midwife cannot be expected to attend to more than what they are reasonably able to do at the standard required. I would like to see what a lead maternity carer is contracted to do and the average hours they work per week.
Yes, would be in many cases.
However, Im thinking the privatisation of medical services like midwifery means it seems to be moving into office hours and poor after-hours service. This may especially be apparent for high income areas as they seem to expect and consume health services at high rates.
I suppose it would be unreasonable to ask who exactly came up with this plan? There must be an individual who can claim credit for this brilliant idea?
Name them I say!
Let them step forward (or drag them kicking and screaming) into the limelight and explain their reasoning to we lesser mortals. And then we can shower them with the praise thy so richly deserve.
Seriously though….back in the day (white) women were being encouraged to breed. Supports were put in place, and the great experiment on How Best To Provide Maternity Care really took off. All designed to ensure more little (white) Kiwis walked the land. Healthy happy Mothers had healthy happy babies and the costs were immaterial if the desired outcomes were achieved. And indeed, we did enjoy the lowest infant mortality rate in the world. For a while.
I wonder what changed?
Along side this is a worldwide lowering of the birthrate. Great for the planet. Fewer babies.
Ministry of Health, who would be the minister with whom the buck would stop?
Andrew Little – well, i guess we will hear about some unnamed lowly staffer who will get the blame for this crap when the outrage just gets too loud.
I think they are trialing social budget cuts to see with what they could get away with.
The MOH is run by its CEO. The ideas arent created in the ministers office. The head office would have hundreds of policy analysts or such
Why is this fundamental mistake repeated over aaaaaaaaand over for every ministry
I notice the story doesnt say the mother will be responsible for these costs , but its the midwife. In fact the midwives cannot charge the mothers extra at all.
Why arent you making this clear Sabine ?
Yep, just keep those dollars rolling for the film crews etc…You know, baby’s are born all the time, no big deal (sarc). I suspect that we slide back into the 1800 with easy by the looks of it.
My trust in articles in The Herald is such that I am not prepared to waste money on reading articles behind their paywall. I suspect headlines are often click-bait, and from previous comments it is clear that yet again this article is based on an anonymous source. That does not mean it is not true, but it may well be one of a long list of possibilities for balancing costs , and it may be that it was intended to indicate the extremes necessary for implementation of increased spending elsewhere. I listened to Media Report this morning; this report may well be part of the same media sensationalism that appears to have motivated political reporters to conveniently spread rumours in the hope of destabilising the National Party; there may be a little truth in what they are saying, but reporting rumours, possibly out of context, has been a favourite occupation of some media 'personalities" – who will take pride in bringing down a Government Minister or Opposition Leader or shadow minister without scruple – journalism it is not, but they may think it pays the bills . . .
Agree with you on that. It seems that some good journalists are required to rev up conflicts and minimise any informed understanding in their stories as the editors want 'impact'.
This is just crazy, can you imagine a low income family already struggling with housing costs then having to think of money if they are worried about their newborn baby’s health ?
I generally agree with user pays for a lot of services but the first few years of life shouldn’t be subject to cost cutting measures.
Yes, but here comes the budget issue. The money for the Wellbeing budget had to come from somewhere. We cannot afford to have complicated births or dead's. Now, we solved the latter (income too low, malnutrition and if sick an injection), what are we going to do about the former? Someone was musing over a spreadhseet for accountancy and came up with this wonderful idea. So innovative and human. Stunning. Yeah right.
(sarc)
Someone needs a reality check and to find a new job as they are callous.
Isnt the situation that the pre and ante natal services are provided by the 'Lead Maternity Carer ( who is under government contract to do so) but for some reason arent doing so 'after hours'
From the context it isnt about normal 'infant' care as these are covered by free GP visits and of course Plunket, but while a woman is pregnant and immediately after.
The question is whats happening with 'midwives and obstetricians' who are supposed to be on call for these women but arent, to the extent of 30,000 occurences per year.
Heres the background
“Your lead maternity carer will care for you while you are pregnant, during labour and birth and for 4–6 weeks after your baby is born. All maternity care is free unless you choose a specialist doctor.”
“Your care provider (or their backup) will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for urgent care. If you have an urgent concern, contact your care provider immediately, whatever the time of day. ”
24 hours a day 7 days a week! My take is that many lead carers are telling their patient to go to an after hours clinic rather than care themselves for the woman.
https://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/pregnancy-and-kids/services-and-support-during-pregnancy/maternity-care
there is a bit of a shortage of midwives, https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/124275511/midwife-shortage-and-more-babies-creates-perfect-storm-for-wellington-hospital-maternity-ward
also a bit of a shortage of nurses and specialists staff i see here
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/439623/operations-postponed-due-to-nursing-shortage-at-waitemata-dhb
we are crowdfunding for beds at Starship Hospital.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2021/04/starship-hospital-launches-15m-fundraising-campaign-as-it-faces-critical-shortage-of-icu-beds.html
Maybe it is just systematic underfunding of everything that is the problem. One .govt after the other our health system is left underfunded and understaffed.
And the 24 hour , 7 days per week for care before and 4-6 weeks after birth ?
Is it the neo liberal model of self employed midwives who get 'chosen' by the mother and then effectively shut out 'after hours' ( except the actual birth of course)
"Equally important, NASA avoided overreliance on the private sector. Had the agency outsourced its governance role, it would have been vulnerable to what its then head of procurement called “brochuremanship”: when the private-sector party dictates what is “best.” Because NASA had developed internal expertise, it knew as much as the contractors did about technology, and thus was well equipped to negotiate and manage its contracts."
https://www.interest.co.nz/opinion/109994/mariana-mazzucato-calls-return-mission-oriented-public-sector-procurement-and
Sound familiar?…..after almost 4 decades of 'small government' (small enough to drown in a bath) by design we are reaping what we have sown.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/300279006/our-health-system-is-under-stress–things-must-change
oh boy. I can't wait for wednesday!
lol, yes every baby will now get the opportunity to be born at the road side as these can be found everywhere. There is no access issue.
Nothing wrong with home births unless you want to give birth in a car in the driveway.
What you gonna do about it?
I wait till wednesday to read about the amazing changes coming our way.
going on your past posts, whatever the gov does wont please you, and you will go into, yet another rant, without suggesting any other solutions. So, why wait, start ranting now. give yourself a three day headstart.
woodart, dear, maybe don't go by my rant but rather read the article. Or is that like so many things in the 'too hard basket'?
And considering the times and the fact that we are crowdfunding for ICU beds for Starship Hospital, you too should maybe listen to your heart and ask yourself if you maybe too have a rant among all that sweet molasses in your heart.
Big congratulations to Lydia Ko for her win today in Honolulu. Great to see her in winning form again.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/women-in-sport/124875338/lydia-ko-storms-to-first-lpga-tour-victory-in-three-years-with-dominant-performance-in-honolulu
Glen Greenwald interviewed. Hope it makes somebodies Sunday night
I’m sure it will. What is the interview about? Why should we watch it if we’re not already Greenwald devotees and disciples? Who’s doing the interview?
That was my response reading the comment as well. Greenwald has done some really useful journalism – the the second Iraq War, NSA / Snowden.
But he seems to have drifted into using dubious sources, supposition and innuendo for quite some time. The last dozen oe so times I read his stuff there hasn't been a keenelnof anything worthwhile or even interesting unless you like Brazilian politics.
So yeah, a bare link is worthless.
But he seems to have drifted into using dubious sources, supposition and innuendo for quite some time.
To back up that remarkable claim, could you supply some evidence please?
Consider the following.
Central banks across the OECD have an inflation target of 2% (there has been some flexibility i.e. a range such as 1-3% but the medium term target is consistently around the 2% across those economies)
If interest is to be paid there needs to be growth (inflation) and that growth needs to occur within the financial system…i.e. credit (debt) so the inflation target of 2% is a credit growth target.
2% is the approximate operating margin of the private banking sector.
The inflation target is aligned with the profit margin of the banking sector.
Inflation targeting was introduced alongside the deregulation of the banking system .
To my slow mind it seems as if the 2% inflation norm enables the banks to be ensured of their profitability with low interest being paid to depositors, and good returns generally on business lending; certainty is great. And seeing the CPI inflation is worked on a model that leaves the major part of dealing in housing out of CPI concerns, the banks can go gang-busters on house dealing – better than drugs I imagine, and legitimate. Whoope!
But then I am just a simple citizen and cleverer people know that the system is far more complex, with aspects and levers all prevailing that I know nothing about.
CPI inflation is widely considered a poor measure of inflation….but if credit growth is the real (unnamed) inflation target then CPI is simply window dressing
CPI as window dressing – that's the feeling that I get. A useful system that can be controlled and referred to in praiseworthy terms as a measure of good control of the economy and, I think the idea is, to also refer to the whole country's state. Which would be a Great Big Lie, but hey the CPI is within range, so Good On Us all is sweet and this wine is a good vintage, or have a nice craft beer whatever, to celebrate.