Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation

Te Whatu Ora must reassure Wellingtonians it is adopting recommendations made by the Health and Disability Commissioner after a damning report was released today, NZNO says.

The report followed a complaint to the Commissioner by a 55-year-old man who went to Wellington Regional Hospital in August 2023 with chest pain. Despite being given a triage score of 3 which required him to be seen by a doctor within 30 minutes, he was not seen for four-and-a-half hours.

The HDC found the hospital emergency department (ED) was at 200% occupancy at the time and had a shortfall of 10 nurses.

NZNO College for Emergency Nurses co-chair Natasha Hemopo says in the past two years, Wellington ED has faced ongoing critical care deficits – when the staffing levels don’t meet patient demand.

“Occupancy has not improved; it has increased to 240%. Critical care and significant care deficit hours at Wellington ED are now at 72%, meaning the vast majority of patients are not receiving the interventions or monitoring they need.

“The HDC also found a significant nursing FTE shortfall. Despite identifying the need for 63.7 additional FTE, this fell only to 62 in 2024, to 56 in May 2025 and was at 41 FTE in May 2026.

“A 20% vacancy rate in ED is not sustainable and is not good for patient outcomes. More staff must be hired for the department,” Natasha Hemopo says.

The Commissioner said Te Whatu Ora has met with the man involved who was pleased with changes being made but wanted assurance recommendations are being adopted.

Natasha Hemopo says the College welcomes the Commissioner’s ongoing oversight – including on whether current staffing levels are acceptable – and that Te Whatu Ora was now sending nurses on its National Emergency Nurses Triage Course.

Source: Ara Institute of Canterbury

Ara Institute of Canterbury fashion ākonga (student) Alex O'Hagan claimed three major honours at the 2026 Hokonui Fashion Design Awards at the weekend, earning national recognition for a collection developed as part of his final year of study.

O'Hagan won the Open Collections category before also receiving the Best Use of Fabric Award and the Mataura Licensing Trust Award of Excellence.

“It was such a shock. I genuinely didn't expect to win, so to come away with three awards is pretty amazing,” the third-year Bachelor of Design (Fashion Technology and Design) ākonga said.

The award-winning collection emerged from a summer internship completed as part of his studies and formed a significant chapter of his final-year learning journey.

Drawing on that experience, O'Hagan developed a collection exploring the relationship between control and spontaneity within the creative process.

Judge Dayne Johnston, Head Designer at Kowtow, said the panel was instantly drawn to the winning collection.

“What really stood out was the designer's understanding of how to work with the chosen fabric. It felt elevated, innovative and aligned with international trends.

“The proportions were incredible, creating silhouettes that felt both modern and beautifully balanced. The craftsmanship was exceptional, with every detail thoughtfully executed. It was a collection that demonstrated both technical excellence and a strong creative vision.”

Ara fashion tutor Denise McKee, who attended the awards ceremony in Gore and accepted the honours on O'Hagan's behalf, said the achievement reflected his dedication throughout his studies.

“Alex's success is a testament to his commitment. He's taken what he has learned at Ara and applied it thoughtfully to create a collection that reflects both his technical skills and creative vision.

“It was a privilege to attend the awards and accept these honours on his behalf. We're incredibly proud of Alex and of all the learners who represented Ara at Hokonui. Their achievements reflect the creativity, hard work and perseverance that underpin our fashion programme, and it's wonderful to see that recognised on a national stage.”

The 2026 Hokonui results also saw success for other members of Ara's fashion community, with fashion programme co-lead Holly Liberona named runner-up in the Open Gala category and second-year ākonga Isabella Fenton earning a Highly Commended placing in the Open Avant Garde section.

The results add to a long tradition of success for Ara's fashion programme, with both learners and tutors regularly recognised on the national stage.

There's been little time for O'Hagan to dwell on his Hokonui success. On Monday, less than 48 hours after his triple triumph, he was back at Ara completing a proposal for his final graduate collection.

With one award-winning collection now behind him, his attention is already turning to the next.

Source: Dental for All

Monday 27 July

The Dental for All coalition welcomes the Green Party’s commitment to publicly delivered, free dental care for everyone and support for by-Māori for-Māori services in their new election manifesto. This announcement follows increasing attention on the failures of the current approach to oral health and calls for free dental care to be included in the public healthcare system.

“As an oral health therapist, I believe that oral health is a universal right, not a privilege. It is encouraging to see oral health recognised within the wider health agenda, alongside commitments to kaupapa Māori approaches that will help reduce inequities,” says Samuel Carrington, Associate Dean Māori and Senior Lecturer at the University of Otago Faculty of Dentistry and member of the Dental for All coalition.

“The PSA is very supportive of this policy which seeks to fully fund dental healthcare,” says Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary of the Public Service Association. The PSA represents the public oral health workforce and is a member of the Dental for All coalition.

“Dental care privatisation has completely failed New Zealanders. The provision of dental care is patchy, and is so expensive that many families now avoid going to the dentist at all. New Zealanders deserve to have dental care wrapped into our public healthcare system, so that all our communities can benefit – not just those who can afford it,” says Fitzsimons.

According to the latest NZ Health Survey, 43% of New Zealand adults report unmet need for dental care due to cost, and previous research released by Dental for All shows that the downstream effects cost the country billions every year.

Polling conducted by Talbot-Mills, released in March, shows that 83% of people support dental care being brought into the public healthcare system, with widespread support from voters across the political spectrum.

In April, Dental for All released a costed policy plan which includes a network of community oral health clinics to deliver universal, free oral healthcare as part of the public healthcare system, investment in the oral health workforce and resourcing for Māori tino rangatiratanga over oral health.

“There is a clear evidence base and strong public mandate for universal, Te Tiriti o Waitangi-consistent oral healthcare. We know that this is a viable, cost-effective policy and it has popular support.” says Dental for All campaigner, Hana Pilkinton-Ching.

The Green Party’s newly-announced health policies include a focus on prevention in health services, expanding access to essential primary and dental care (working towards publicly delivered, fully free services), funding dental vans to visit rural communities and kaupapa Māori approaches to end health inequities.

“We welcome this direction and look forward to seeing meaningful investment, a strengthened oral health workforce, and a clear pathway to delivering accessible, equitable oral healthcare for all people in Aotearoa,” says Carrington.

“It’s great to see the Greens are ready to put oral health back where it belongs, in the public system. We hope that other political parties will respond to the call from communities around the countries and commit to policies that address the urgent need for access to oral healthcare, and lead us towards a better future,” says Pilkinton-Ching.

Source: Federated Farmers

ACT’s plan to transfer responsibility for managing game animals on conservation land to the Game Animal Council needs a major rethink, Federated Farmers says.

Richard Dawkins, Federated Farmers pest management spokesperson, says allowing the Game Animal Council to set game population targets is extremely concerning.

“ACT has fired a shot with this policy, but they’ve completely missed the mark,” he says.

“Hunters generally see deer as a valuable resource. They want healthy herd numbers, plenty of hunting opportunities and, in some places, quality trophy animals.

“On the other hand, many farmers view those same deer as pests that cause huge problems when they damage pasture, crops, fences, forestry and native vegetation.”

That conflict is evident in ACT’s description of Himalayan tahr as a ‘treasured herd’, Dawkins says.

“They may be treasured by hunters, but they’re also an introduced pest that can cause significant damage to vulnerable high-country vegetation.

“Under ACT’s plan, the people who value the animals would be setting the limits, while neighbouring farmers could carry the consequences and the costs.

“That is an obvious conflict of interest.”

Dawkins says there is plenty in the announcement worth discussing.

“Hunters make a valuable contribution to conservation and back country maintenance, and we support better access and more secure funding for community groups.

“But giving hunters control of population targets crosses a line.

“ACT has made a significant mistake by assuming the interests of hunters and neighbouring farmers are automatically aligned – they are not.

“Farmers should not be expected to carry the cost of maintaining game animal populations for someone else’s recreational benefit.”

Federated Farmers says the practicalities are also far more complex than ACT’s announcement suggests.

Game animal management sits alongside the Wild Animal Control Act, the Conservation Act, Treaty obligations, public access, visitor safety and communications with people using conservation land.

It must also work alongside OSPRI, regional pest management plans, 1080 operations and control programmes for goats, pigs and other species.

“These animals are often managed across the same landscape,” Dawkins says.

“Having one organisation managing deer while another manages goats, biodiversity and disease control risks duplication, conflicting objectives and more bureaucracy.”

Dawkins says the Wapiti Foundation demonstrates that carefully designed partnerships between hunters and government can work in specific circumstances.

“That success reflects a unique arrangement with clearly defined objectives and does not justify transferring responsibility for setting deer population targets nationwide.

“Good local partnerships should be expanded where they work, not used as the basis for a wholesale transfer of responsibility.”

Dawkins says the answer is clear targets, better coordination and targeted investment.

“Federated Farmers agrees the current system is not delivering the level of feral browser control New Zealand needs, but simply transferring responsibility from DOC to the Game Animal Council is not the answer.

“What we need is a properly funded national feral browser strategy that brings hunters, farmers, DOC, OSPRI, councils, iwi, foresters and conservation groups around the same table, with clear targets, responsibilities and accountability.

“Similar to the coordinated approaches used for wilding conifers and wallabies, hunters should have a strong seat at the table and an important role in delivery, but they should not set population targets alone.”

Population targets should be informed by independent ecological monitoring, animal health risks and the effects on neighbouring landowners.

Dawkins says more International Visitor Levy funding could significantly increase pest control, monitoring and community partnerships.

“Hunters are an important part of the solution, but they cannot be the sole judge of how many pest animals should remain on the landscape.

“Good policy must balance hunting values with the rights of neighbouring landowners and the protection of New Zealand’s environment.”

27 July 2026

PSNA has today challenged the Prime Minister to explain why his government has not revealed how New Zealand voted at the International Criminal Court on Friday when ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan was ousted from his role after intense Israeli/US lobbying.

Khan is under attack from Israel and the US because he sought arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Israel's attacks on Gaza.

Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa spokesperson Rinad Tamimi says Israel and the US intensified their lobbying and diplomatic bullying after an ICC Judicial Panel established to examine the evidence on claims of sexual abuse against Khan declared they were 'unanimously of the opinion that the factual findings by OIOS (the ICC evidence collecting body) do not establish misconduct or breach of duty under the relevant legal framework'.

Israel and the US rejected the ICC legal ruling and demanded a vote of all member states of the ICC to remove Khan. That vote was held on Friday and Khan removed from office.

“The key question for Mr Luxon is 'Did we capitulate to Israel/US pressure, or did we stand up for the ICC's legal processes?” Tamimi says.

“We are not able to make any judgement on the allegations against Mr Khan, but New Zealand should have voted against his expulsion and insisted a proper judicial process be followed”

“Did we?” asks Ms Tamimi.

“In October last year, Foreign Minister Winston Peters issued a formal statement, with Nordic ministers in Stockholm, to 'reaffirm our unwavering support for the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court'.”

“Did Mr Peters we waver on Friday?”

“New Zealand has already failed numerous times to uphold international law in the face of Israeli/US pressure. We want an assurance the Coalition didn't throw in the towel again”

27 July, 2026:

“We are deeply alarmed by reports coming out of Nablus in the last days including that of Israeli forces storming Nablus Specialised Hospital, alongside clashes elsewhere in the governorate that have killed four Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers.

These violent incidents in Nablus are not isolated. They sit within a wider pattern of Israeli raids, state-sponsored settler violence, the disruption of essential services, and mounting pressure on civilians and healthcare.

When armed forces enter a hospital, the impact is immediate: fear, interruption of care, delayed treatment, and added risk for already vulnerable patients.

The protection of healthcare facilities must be respected. They must remain accessible to people in need. It is unacceptable for hospitals, ambulances, staff, and patients to be targeted by violence anywhere in Palestine.”

Filipe Ribeiro, Head of Mission, MSF Palestine

For more context on MSF's work in the West Bank read: “The impossible reality of life in the West Bank”

MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation. MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. Every year more than 120 Australians and New Zealanders go on assignment with Médecins Sans Frontières working as: doctors, midwives, psychologists, laboratory technicians, human resource/finance coordinators, pharmacists, mental health specialists and logisticians. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au