Author: Press Room

Some patients and advocacy groups see Pharmac as “slow to respond”, “highly defensive” and “lacking respect” for them, according to an independent report released by the drug-funding agency today.The report – commissioned by Pharmac’s board and based on workshops held late last year – found there was “a credibility and trust gap”.Pharmac chairwoman Paula Bennett said it was intended to support its “wider reset” to become “more outward focused”.”We’ve heard very clearly that we need to make sure our interactions are respectful and meaningful, and that people’s voices are valued and included throughout our work,” Bennett said.The agency has come…

Amid concerns about foreign interference and demands that Greenlanders must control their own destiny, the island’s PM called an early parliamentary election, set for Tuesday. ADVERTISEMENTUncertainty reigns in Greenland right now, as the world’s largest island prepares for elections that could define its future and sovereignty on Tuesday.Many of the 57,000 Greenlanders in this semi-autonomous territory swing between being concerned and offended by US President Trump’s threats to seize control of their mineral-rich homeland, even by force, over Washington’s alleged need “for national security”. Amid worries about foreign interference and demands that Greenlanders must control their own destiny, the island’s…

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will meet with Narendra Modi when he visits India next week.Luxon will be accompanied by “one of the largest delegations a New Zealand Prime Minister has ever travelled with” when he heads to India on March 15.The delegation will be made up of New Zealand business leaders; prominent Kiwi-Indians in the community; and representatives from across Parliament. the Prime Minister’s Office said today in a media release. Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston, Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay, and Ethnic Communities Minister Mark Mitchell will also be in attendance.Luxon said strengthening Aotearoa’s ties with India “is…

This article was originally published in German Election winner and Chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz is relying on votes from the Greens to push through parliament a special fund for infrastructure and defence. ADVERTISEMENTGermany’s Greens party on Monday declared its opposition to Friedrich Merz’s planned constitutional changes to massively boost defence and infrastructure spending, putting the proposal’s future in parliament in question. During a press conference, the co-chairwomen of the party announced the Greens did not find Merz’s proposals convincing enough and suggested amendments, including earmarking money for climate protection. “From our point of view, these are not things that are appropriate to…

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today said he was “relaxed” about National MP Andrew Bayly, who recently resigned from his ministerial portfolios, taking two weeks’ leave from Parliament to trek to Mount Everest base camp in Nepal.Bayly stood down from his portfolios last month after admitting he grabbed the arm of a staffer during a discussion he described as “animated”.Scott Simpson took over as Minister for ACC and Commerce and Consumer Affairs, while Bayly remained in his role as MP for Port Waikato.At the Post-Cabinet press conference today, Luxon said: “It was a pretty significant and big decision that he made…

Transport Minister Chris Bishop has announced registrations of interest for the first stage of the Northland Expressway project will open later this week at the NZ Infrastructure Investment Summit.This week’s Infrastructure Investment Summit has been arranged by the Government to showcase its infrastructure pipeline and “exciting growth sectors to companies managing about $6 trillion in capital”, Bishop said. One of the first for investors to consider would be the already well-advanced project, between Warkworth and Te Hana — a 26km-long four-lane road built to expressway standard. The design included an 850m-long twin-bore tunnel in the Dome Valley and three interchanges…

While street crime across the country continues to plague city centres and businesses, one centre has been bucking the trend.Every day, Gisborne Police can be seen out on the streets, carrying out patrols and checking in on local businesses.Tairāwhiti area commander Danny Kirk said his team refocused their priorities midway through last year to focus on community engagement.”That was in line with our organisational priorities, which was a focus on being visible in places where we have a high volume of members of the public present. It was evident to us also that shoplifting was a significant issue in the…

Violence is often drug-related, particularly in Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany and France. ADVERTISEMENTA February briefing by the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) has warned that gang violence is increasing across the EU, a phenomenon linked to “escalating competition between rival criminal groups”.One of the most concerning trends is the recruitment of minors into organised crime and terrorism groups, which recently prompted countries like Sweden to introduce legislation to wiretap children under the age of 15, in an effort to block a wave in bombings – at least 36 since the beginning of 2025.According to the latest Eurostat data, 10% of…

Some tabloids have stoked fears that the EU will soon ban coffee after the European Commission allegedly labelled caffeine dangerous for human consumption. ADVERTISEMENTNews reports and viral social posts are claiming that the EU has labelled coffee as dangerous for humans.A headline from opinion-orientated news channel GB News accuses “meddling Brussels bureaucrats” of declaring coffee unsafe, while The Telegraph has led with the line that the EU has labelled coffee as dangerous because caffeine is “harmful to humans if swallowed”, stoking fears of a coffee-ban around the bloc.Yet another article from NDTV World says that the EU has banned caffeine…

A Department of Conservation (DOC) permit issued to NZTA Waka Kotahi allowing it to kill protected species – including kiwi and long-tailed bats – at the Mt Messenger bypass site in Taranaki has been ruled unlawful.The High Court found the permission granted under Section 53 of the Wildlife Act was at odds with the law because the killing would occur during the construction of a road.The Environmental Law Initiative sought the judicial review arguing the purpose Wildlife Act was to keep protected species from harm – not allow them to be killed.Director of research and legal Dr Matt Hall said…