Author: Press Room

Twelve new junior doctors are being recruited to Nelson Hospital following a damning review that found staffing shortages were affecting care.Health NZ’s acting executive regional director for Te Waipounamu Phil Wheble said the permanent full-time roles include five anaesthetic registrars, six internal medicine registrars and one orthopaedic registrar.The recruitment drive follows recommendations from a 25-page review released in July, which outlined “significant” staffing issues and found that Nelson Hospital has specific shortfalls in some services compared to the rest of New Zealand.The review highlighted the need to increase staff numbers to manage hospital demand and address long-term vacancies.Senior doctors say…

An increase in murder, attempted murder and manslaughter cases is putting the court system under significant strain, the country’s top judge says.Chief Justice Dame Helen Winkelmann said criminal trials are also becoming longer and more complex, now averaging 17 days – the highest level ever recorded.Just four years ago the average was 14 days.Factors behind the increase include more evidence being submitted, sometimes from electronic devices such as mobile phones.An increase in trials with multiple defendants is another factor adding to the burden.Murder, attempted murder and manslaughter – known as Category 4 offences – now make up 76% of new…

Recorded dog attacks on children in Auckland are occurring on an almost daily basis, with fears the situation is set to worsen.The figures, released in Auckland Council’s Animal Management Annual Report 2024/25, was tabled at yesterday’s (Tue) Regulatory and Safety Committee meeting.According to the report, dogs attacked 228 children under 15 last year, alongside nearly 17,000 roaming dog complaints.The Manukau Animal Shelter took in almost 60 of all impounded dogs, underscoring a particular strain on southern neighbourhoods.Animal Management Manager Elly Waitoa told Local Democracy Reporting that the problem is being fuelled by low desexing rates, dumped litters and families struggling…

ADVERTISEMENT Online disinformation aimed at discrediting Moldova’s pro-European government is ramping up ahead of crunch parliamentary elections on 28 September.  Moldovan President Maia Sandu and her Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) are hoping to cling onto power and keep Moldova — which is flanked by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the east — on its path towards European Union (EU) membership. But ballots in the country have traditionally been the target of intense disinformation and destabilisation campaigns, including vote-buying and bribery schemes. It means Moldova has been caught in the crossfire of an information war pitting EU…

The Government has announced significant changes to the disability support system.Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston addressed stakeholders in a call ahead of attending the Disability Connect expo in Auckland today.She said assessment processes and allocations for support services using the Needs Assessment and Service Coordination (NASC) system would be standardised across the country.Purchasing guidelines – including the controversial cost-saving changes made in March last year – would be abandoned, with disabled people having more control over what they spend on, but with a hard limit on spending.This “budget” would initially be allocated based on past spending levels for individual users.…

Finance Minister Nicola Willis insists she’s been as “upfront and transparent” as possible about the mismanagement of Adrian Orr’s resignation as Reserve Bank governor in March.She mounted the personal defence on RNZ on Wednesday after Labour deputy Carmel Sepuloni called on Willis to take responsibility for the shifting stories and lack of public transparency from the central bank.”Nicola, just be forthcoming,” Sepuloni implored. “Let us know what exactly happened here.”Willis bit back: “Why on earth would I be motivated to in any way hide any of this when the person it ultimately all reflects badly on is the former Reserve…

By Susan Edmunds of RNZ Any gold you’ve got stashed in your jewellery box could well be worth more than you think, auction houses say. The price of gold has reached new record levels, up about 45 percent year-on-year and more than 100 percent over five years. That’s also pushing up the price of gold jewellery, including pre-owned items. Christine Power, head of fine jewels, watches and luxury accessories at auction house Webb’s said there had been a noticeable impact on values. “People have started to realise that there is a return so we are finding that more people are…

Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po is hosting her first koroneihana event marking a year since the passing of her father, the late Kingi Tuheitia Potatau Te Wherowhero VII, and her subsequent ascension to the throne.The week-long event starts today with Tainui waka set to acknowledge loved ones who passed in the last twelve months, including the late king, with the first of two kawe mate.Kiingitanga explained and why it still matters today – watch on TVNZ+Kiingitanga spokesperson Rahui Papa said this year’s Koroneihana celebration will be significant for it being the first for Kuini Nga wai.…

Because Health New Zealand has refused to reveal how much it is paying private hospitals to perform elective surgeries under a new government contract, it is difficult to assess whether taxpayers are getting value for money, writes Kaaren Mathias.The government has committed to an evidence-based, cost-effective health system that provides equitable access to all New Zealanders.At the same time, it is actively funding private healthcare and has directed Health New Zealand to give ten-year contracts to private hospitals for elective surgeries such as cataracts and joint replacements.Private healthcare may seem alluring. Surely outsourcing services such as knee replacements frees up…

A telecommunications giant in Australia signed up a homeless, non-verbal, deaf amputee to five contracts and then resisted complaints about its sales practices, a court has been told. The disability pensioner’s plight was highlighted in the Federal Court in Adelaide on Tuesday after Optus agreed to pay a $A100 million ($NZ111 million) penalty. Optus and Australia’s competition watchdog are seeking court approval for the hefty fine after the company admitted in June this year to breaching consumer law. It has accepted sales staff acted unconscionably when selling phones and contracts to more than 400 people at 16 stores nationwide between…