Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

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Health and Education – Free school lunches make a difference to child poverty

Source: Health Coalition Aotearoa

A report out today shows children living in poverty up from 11 to 13 percent.
We have an effective tool in healthy school lunches, Ka Ora Ka Ako, says Health Coalition Aotearoa food expert Dr Kelly Garton.
“Research shows a nutritious lunch makes a difference to children's futures. 
“When tamariki are well fed, they can learn, grow, and participate fully in their education and communities.”
“We already have a foundation to build on: the Ka Ora, Ka Ako healthy school lunch programme, which reaches about a quarter of students.
“However, recent funding cuts have reduced the size and quality of meals. With the right investment and a fair pricing model, Ka Ora, Ka Ako could expand while providing meals that better meet children’s nutritional needs.
“This would support learning, improve attendance, and deliver long-term social and economic benefits.”
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PSA calls on Govt to make mileage increase permanent as oil prices surge

Source: PSA

With Brent crude now trading close to US$100 a barrel, the PSA is calling on the Government to make April’s temporary 30 percent mileage rate increase for home and community support workers permanent, and to go further.
“When Health Minister Simeon Brown announced this increase in April, he said it was targeted and temporary, tied to a consistent fall in petrol prices that hasn’t happened,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, PSA National Secretary.
“Global oil prices are climbing again on the back of the Iran war, and these workers will soon be back where they started: paying to go to work themselves.
“Home support workers cannot face a cut in the small fuel subsidy given we are in a cost-of-living crisis, and they have already had their pay equity claim cancelled.”
With petrol prices are about to surge again, Finance Minister Nicola Willis told The Post she is now seeking advice on whether to extend temporary support measures. The mileage rate for home support workers had been frozen since March 2022 – the April decision was for an increase in the allowance from 63.5 cents to 82.5 cents per kilometre, to remain in place for up to 12 months, or until the price of 91 octane petrol fell below $3 per litre for four consecutive weeks.
“The mileage allowance must be set at an adequate level that properly reflects costs and we still need to see the annual statutory review of the In-Between Travel allowance result in further increases. Workers can’t afford to wait any longer especially with the Government about to pass the Employment Leave Bill which further erodes their holiday and sick leave entitlements,” said Fitzsimons.
“Home support workers are essential. They care for our elderly and disabled New Zealanders, driving between clients in their own cars, on one of the lowest reimbursement rates of any publicly funded workforce. The Government has the power to fix this permanently, immediately, without waiting on Treasury or IRD. It just needs the will to do it.
“In a cost-of-living crisis this government promised to fix, it’s time to stop treating essential workers’ pay and conditions as an afterthought. We’re writing to the Finance and Health Ministers today calling on them to make this increase permanent and go further by properly reviewing a rate that’s been inadequate for years.”
ENDS
Background – pay equity legal challenge
The joint union legal challenge to the Government’s pay equity claim under the Bill of Rights Act has its first full hearing at the High Court in Wellington on Monday 3 August. The PSA has also lodged a complaint with the Labour Inspectorate over this issue.
Recent statements
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand's largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.
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Greenpeace says One third of Canterbury private water supplies reaching nitrate contamination preterm birth risk levels

Source: Greenpeace

Greenpeace is alarmed by Environment Canterbury’s lack of action on nitrate contamination, as new data reveals that 38% of Canterbury households on private water sources are in areas where groundwater nitrate contamination have exceeded levels associated with an increased risk of preterm birth.
Greenpeace Freshwater Campaigner Will Appelbe says the figures should be sobering for everyone in the region.
“Environment Canterbury has just confirmed that over a third of households on private self-supplied water are in areas with groundwater that could put pregnant people at risk. This is absolutely unacceptable.”
“When ECan declared a nitrate emergency in September last year, the understanding was that they would take a leadership role to urgently address the crisis.
“It’s nearly been a year and the question remains: when will ECan actually address the problem and confront the industry responsible for this pollution?”
“These high nitrate levels are the consequences of unchecked dairy expansion and intensification on the Canterbury plains, which is the main source of nitrate contamination. We simply have too many cows and too much synthetic nitrogen fertiliser being thrown on the land.”
The current legal limit for town supplies is 11.3 mg/L, which was set in the 1950s to protect against blue baby syndrome. But a growing body of scientific evidence has linked nitrate levels as low as 1 mg/L to an increased risk of bowel cancer, and levels above 5 mg/L has been linked to an increased risk of preterm birth.
There is increasing community concern about nitrate contamination in Canterbury, which led to Environment Canterbury declaring a Nitrate Emergency in September 2025. The declaration stated that the council:
  • 1. Should take a leadership role to urgently address the issue of groundwater pollution impacting drinking water sources and supplies.
  • 2.  Requests that ECan staff bring a workshop to the next term of Council to outline the scale, causes, spatial distribution, latest lag time research, and current and predicted impacts of nitrate pollution in Canterbury.
  • 3. Requests advice on the indicative cost to drinking water suppliers and private well owners, and consider options so that nitrate polluters contribute to the costs of nitrate removal.
  • ECan’s briefing today was an update from staff on this work. Councillors heard there are an estimated 20,000+ domestic self-supplies in Canterbury, which are households who source their water from private bores or other sources – not town supplies.
Over 500 of those households are in areas where groundwater nitrate levels have previously exceeded 11.3 mg/L, and over 7,500 households are in areas that have exceeded 5.65 mg/L.
“There is mounting evidence that has linked nitrate contaminated drinking water with several human health risks, and these new figures today show how much Canterbury is at risk,” says Appelbe.
Just last week, a new study from researchers at Canterbury, Otago, and Massey universities revealed that nitrate contamination in drinking water could be responsible for up to 120 premature births a year in New Zealand, at levels much lower than New Zealand’s legal health limit. The New Zealand College of Midwives recommends pregnant people consider another source of drinking water, if their water supply exceeds 5 mg/L, because of the increased pregnancy risks.
At today’s meeting, council staff also presented the indicative costs to install filters in households that remove nitrate from drinking water, which were in the range of $3,000 to $5,000 for whole household systems, and $1,000 to $2,000 for systems under the sink.
However, staff have yet to present funding options that the council could implement to ensure that those responsible for nitrate pollution contribute to the costs of nitrate removal from drinking water – as required in the Nitrate Emergency Declaration.
Appelbe says it's critical that Environment Canterbury continues its work under the declaration – the first of its kind in New Zealand.
“Right now, rural families in Canterbury can’t safely drink their water thanks to intensive dairying. The industry that’s polluted their water should be responsible for fixing the problem.
“Funding models that force polluters to pay for filtering are the bare minimum, and the Council must have those options on the table. But ultimately, we have to regulate the intensive dairy industry to stop the pollution at the source. That means fewer cows and phasing out synthetic nitrogen fertiliser.”
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​​​South Korea: Appeal decision for abortion case exposes legal vacuum – Amnesty International

Source: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

Responding to today’s appeal decision overturning the murder conviction of a woman who had a later abortion while reducing the sentences of medical staff, Amnesty International Korea’s Executive Director HeeKyoung Cho said:

“While we welcome the court’s decision to acquit the woman who sought abortion, the court’s decision to uphold the convictions of medical staff exposes structural loopholes in access to essential healthcare in South Korea.

“The National Assembly’s failure to amend the abortion law has left pregnant people without clear legal protections and access to essential reproductive healthcare. People's ability to exercise their reproductive autonomy, control their reproductive lives and decide if, when and how to have children is essential to the full realization of human rights, dignity, and bodily integrity. Moreover, the ability to make decisions about one’s body, sexuality and reproduction is at the core of gender, economic and social justice.

“Women deserve the latest and best medical care. The government must implement measures to remove barriers to accessing safe abortion as well as to provide proper regulations on abortion service provision. The Mother and Child Health Act must immediately be amended to prioritize women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights.”

Background

On 23 July, the Seoul High Court acquitted a woman who had been charged with murder for undergoing a later abortion. While the convictions of medical staff in relation to the later abortion were upheld, their sentences were reduced. The doctor who performed the procedure was sentenced to six months in prison, while the hospital director was sentenced to four years in prison, a fine of 1.5 million won (1,022 US dollars) and forfeiture of 9 million won (6,133 US dollars).

In June 2024, a 26-year-old South Korean woman terminated a pregnancy at approximately 34 to 36 weeks’ gestation at a clinic in Incheon. She documented her experience and hospitalization in a YouTube vlog, which subsequently went viral. As the video gained public attention, the Ministry of Health and Welfare commissioned the police to investigate the case and petitioned for “severe punishment”. In January 2026, prosecutors sought to charge the woman, along with the medical staff and people who facilitated arranging the abortion, with “premeditated murder”.

On 4 March 2026, the Seoul Central District Court sentenced the woman to three years in prison, suspended for five years. She was also ordered to complete 200 hours of community service. The doctor who performed the procedure was sentenced to four years in prison, while the hospital director received a six-year prison sentence, a fine of 1.5 million won (1,022 US dollars) and forfeiture of 1.15 billion won (783,709 US dollars). One of the persons involved in facilitating the abortion received a one-year prison sentence, and the other one was sentenced to ten months in prison, suspended for two years.

In 2019, the Constitutional Court ruled South Korea’s ban on abortion to be unconstitutional and ordered the National Assembly to amend the law by the end of 2020. While abortion has been decriminalized, the National Assembly has yet to enact new regulatory frameworks, thus undermining pregnant people’s access to vital healthcare.

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Consumer NZ – Detergent test shows price doesn’t always deliver quality

Source: Consumer NZ

Consumer NZ says shoppers could save money on dishwasher detergents without sacrificing cleaning performance, after new testing found little connection between price and results.

Consumer NZ tested 26 dishwasher detergents, including tablets, capsules and powders, and found some lower-priced products matched the performance of detergents costing significantly more.

Head of Product at Consumer NZ Joe Slater says the findings challenge the assumption that paying more guarantees cleaner dishes.

“We’ve found shoppers don’t necessarily need to spend top dollar to get excellent cleaning results. Some relatively inexpensive products delivered results that were comparable to products costing two or three times as much.”

Traditional dishwasher powders generally offered the lowest cost per wash, with one powder detergent scoring highly while costing around 20 cents per load. By comparison, some premium capsules cost more than $1 per wash.

“If you’re looking to cut household costs, there are genuine savings to be made by choosing carefully,” Slater says.

The testing also identified a clear loser. Exonic Dishwashing Tablets scored just 55 out of 100 overall, struggling across several food stains and falling well behind the majority of products tested.

Consumer NZ found important performance differences depending on the type of food being cleaned.

Rice starch proved particularly challenging, with scores ranging from 30 to 85. Egg yolk was another that separated strong performers from weak ones, while coffee was comparatively easy for most detergents to remove.

Consumer NZ found several New Zealand-made detergents performed strongly, matching or exceeding many well-known international brands.

Beyond cleaning performance, the organisation noted product information and safety labelling, finding some products provided limited advice on first aid, poisons information and recyclability.

Consumer NZ says it's worth considering overall value rather than assuming the most expensive option is the best choice.

“The message from our testing is simple: check the results before you buy. A higher price tag isn’t a guarantee of cleaner dishes.”

For full test results, visit consumer.org.nz

About Consumer

Consumer NZ is an independent, non-profit organisation dedicated to championing and empowering consumers in Aotearoa. Consumer NZ has a reputation for being fair, impartial and providing comprehensive consumer information and advice.

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VENEZUELA EARTHQUAKES: Pregnant Women and New Mothers Face Growing Health Risks as about 130 Babies Born Every Day

Source: Save the Children

Thousands of pregnant women and new mothers require access to healthcare, nutritious food and safe shelter one month after two devastating earthquakes damaged health facilities and displaced about 21,000 people in Venezuela, Save the Children said.
T he UN estimates there are 36,700 pregnant women who have been affected by the earthquakes, 4,000 of whom are expected to give birth in the next month, equivalent to about 130 babies born every day.[1]
The twin earthquakes, of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5, struck on 24 June, destroying and damaging dozens of health facilities and disrupting essential maternal and child healthcare services. Women have told Save the Children staff that some obstetricians and paediatricians were among the over 5,000 people killed in the disaster, leaving families uncertain where to seek care for themselves and their children.
In La Guaira, which was hardest hit, the main maternity hospital remains closed and, while basic care is available, complicated cases must be referred to Caracas. 
Many pregnant women, caregivers, and their children who lost their homes are now living in temporary shelters where access to antenatal care, nutritious food , and clean water and sanitation is limited. At the same time, many are coping with the traumatic loss of loved ones. 
Research shows that high levels of stress and anxiety during pregnancy may affect a baby's brain development and immune system, increasing the risk of preterm birth or even miscarriage. Babies exposed to elevated maternal stress during pregnancy may also show more fear, sadness and distress at three months of age than those born to mothers who experienced less stress. Limited access to nutritious food, uncontrolled infant formula donations, and reduced antenatal care during pregnancy also heightens the risk of malnutrition in infants and increases the risk of preterm birth and low birth weight.
Yohana, – 23, who is pregnant with her first child and relies on glasses to see, was alone at home in one of the hardest-hit parts of La Guaira when the earthquake hit, causing her building to collapse. She managed to escape by breaking a window, although she could not get her glasses until later, adding to her panic. 
“I went out barefoot, just wearing my house clothes. I lost my glasses…I couldn't see, or at least I could see less.
“When the whole house collapsed, I was scared. At that moment, I didn’t feel that I had hurt [my stomach], but with all the chaos, I wasn’t sure if I’d gotten hurt or not. But honestly, all I was thinking about was getting out alive.”
Yohana received a healthcare checkup at a mobile clinic run by Save the Children partner, Paluz in La Guaira. 
Meanwhile, newborn babies and infants living in sodden tents are falling sick from damp conditions or are at risk of mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue during the country’s rainy season. Some mothers living in temporary shelters say that along with feeling stressed and anxious, being able to buy nappies and other essential supplies for their babies is challenging. 
Yennifer-, 23, who is breastfeeding her four-month-old baby, Carmen- , struggled to take care of her own health after the earthquake. Carmen’s paediatrician was also killed in the earthquake. 
“I couldn’t eat and I had a lot of headaches. I couldn't sleep because it felt like I was shaking. It was difficult for me, and any movement put me on alert and I felt very uneasy.”
“Since [Carmen’s-] paediatrician passed away, that's a big worry, because now how am I going to find someone to treat her because there's no money either,” Yennifer- said. “Everything feels overwhelming and I can’t rest”.
Fatima Andraca, Save the Children’s Country Director in Venezuela said: 
“Every day about 130 babies are born to mothers in Venezuela whose lives have been turned upside down by the earthquake and who are dealing with huge amounts of stress. Many are bringing their newborns into a world of uncertainty, displacement and disrupted healthcare services.
“We’re hearing worrying reports of young babies becoming sick in camps where families are sleeping on damp mattresses exposed to rain and poor sanitation. At the same time, women are grieving loved ones, coping with trauma and worrying about where they can access healthcare after losing trusted obstetricians and paediatricians.
“Pregnancy and caring for a newborn can be challenging under any circumstances. No mother should have to navigate those challenges while living in a tent, mourning losses and worrying about whether her child can access the healthcare they need.”
Save the Children said it is imperative that pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women, and their children, are prioritised in the humanitarian response and recovery in Venezuela through urgent coordination, adequate funding, and targeted actions. 
Save the Children is calling on international governments, donors and humanitarian partners to ensure that pregnant and breastfeeding women affected by the earthquake have continuous access to quality antenatal, delivery and postnatal care, skilled infant and young child feeding support, nutritious food, safe shelter, clean water and sanitation, and essential newborn supplies, both now and in the months ahead. 
Save the Children is on the ground in Venezuela, working with authorities and local partners providing primary healthcare through mobile clinics, distributing hygiene kits, clean water and essential supplies. Save the Children is also supporting parents and caregivers to access services for small and nutritionally at-risk babies under six months to help them survive and thrive, including nutrition assessments for babies, and breastfeeding counselling and mental health support for caregivers. The organisation is also exploring potential support to maternal and paediatric services in coordination with national health authorities. 
Save the Children has been working in Venezuela since 2019. Since the humanitarian crisis started to rapidly deteriorate a few years ago, Save the Children has been scaling up its response through local partners to support the increasing number of children in need. Save the Children is delivering health, nutrition, education, child protection, shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene and food security and livelihoods support. 
In Aotearoa New Zealand, Save the Children is raising much-needed funds to support the response in Venezuela. To donate, go to:  Venezuela Earthquakes Appeal.
-Names changed for anonymity.
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Employment Issues – Volunteer Firefighters One Step Closer to Fair ACC Cover

Source: United Fire Brigades' Association

The United Fire Brigades' Association (UFBA) has welcomed Labour MP Kieran McAnulty's Accident Compensation (Extended Cover for Fire and Emergency New Zealand Personnel) Amendment Bill drawn from the biscuit tin today, describing it as a significant step towards ensuring New Zealand's volunteer firefighters receive the same ACC protection as their paid colleagues.
The Bill would extend ACC cover for work-related illness and injury to volunteer firefighters, recognising that they face the same operational hazards and long-term health risks as career firefighters.
UFBA Chief Executive Bill Butzbach said the Bill addresses a longstanding inequity.
“This is about fairness. Volunteer firefighters respond to the same emergencies, face the same dangers and are exposed to the same traumatic events and toxic and hazardous substances as paid firefighters. Yet when it comes to ACC coverage for work-related illness and injury, they are not treated equally.”
The UFBA has worked closely with Mr McAnulty during the development of the bill and welcomes the opportunity for Parliament to consider this important change.
Volunteer firefighters make up 86 percent of Fire and Emergency New Zealand's frontline workforce and respond to thousands of incidents every year, including structure fires, vegetation fires, motor vehicle crashes, hazardous substance incidents, medical emergencies, search and rescue operations, severe weather events and natural disasters.
“To the communities they serve, there is no distinction between a volunteer firefighter and a paid firefighter,” said Mr Butzbach.
“When someone calls 111, they don't ask whether the firefighters arriving are volunteers or career staff. They expect a professional emergency response, and that's exactly what they receive.”
Despite undertaking the same core training and carrying out the same operational duties as their paid counterparts, volunteer firefighters are currently excluded from ACC cover for a range of gradual process work-related conditions. These include mental injury arising from traumatic events and cumulative occupational illnesses linked to repeated exposure to hazardous and toxic substances.
Mr Butzbach said the legislation also reflects the changing nature of emergency response in New Zealand.
“As climate change increases the frequency and intensity of natural disasters and major weather events, volunteers continue to shoulder the majority of New Zealand's emergency response capability. Their contribution has never been more important.”
The UFBA is encouraging Members of Parliament from across the House to support the Bill.
“This is not a political issue; it's a matter of equity, recognition and doing what is right for the thousands of New Zealanders who volunteer to protect their communities every day.
“We congratulate Kieran McAnulty on bringing this issue before Parliament and look forward to working with all parties to see this important legislation progress.”
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ONE YEAR ON: Call for child-focused climate action after landmark ICJ ruling

Source: Save the Children

One year after the landmark International Court of Justice ruling on states’ climate change responsibilities, Save the Children is calling for more child-focused climate adaptation financing, as children and young people bear the brunt of the ongoing climate emergency.
The Advisory Opinion, delivered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on 23 July 2025, found that states’ legal obligations to address climate change extends beyond existing climate agreements. The ICJ said that a state’s failure to take appropriate action to protect the climate system from greenhouse gas emissions “may constitute an international wrongful act which is attributable to that state”.
The United Nations General Assembly in New York adopted a landmark resolution in May that endorsed the ICJ’s historic advisory opinion on state climate obligations. The resolution, drawn up by Vanuatu, clarifies that nations have a binding legal duty to protect the climate system under international law. 
Save the Children NextGen Youth Ambassador, 17-year-old Vepaiamele, travelled to The Hague with the Government of Vanuatu’s delegation to represent the voices of children and young people in the Pacific back in 2024. “What the court confirmed was that protecting the climate system isn't optional. It's an obligation under international law and must be consistent with what was agreed to under the Paris Agreement,” she said.
“We welcome the international community’s focus on the Pacific’s ‘vulnerability’ in a changing climate. But on behalf of Pacific youth, we are here to say, work for and with us to give us the agency, the platform to address the issues that affect us in our own unique way.” 
According to a 2023 report published by Children’s Environmental Rights Initiative, only 2.4% of climate finance from key multilateral climate funds was found to support projects incorporating child-responsive activities. However, since then some funders have recently acknowledged this gap, and are actively working with partners to bridge child-focused climate finance.
Save the Children New Zealand Heather Campbell said 2026 is a pivotal moment for New Zealand to commit to investing in child-focused adaptation that acknowledges that children are on the frontlines of the climate crisis. 
“Children across the Pacific, and the world, have been telling us for years that the climate emergency has reached into every aspect of their lives, making it harder to live, learn and thrive. The time is long overdue for global leaders, including leaders in Aotearoa New Zealand, to act on these calls and meaningfully invest in protecting their futures.
“Child-centred climate adaptation financing that takes into account the views of children and young people matters now more than ever, as children face compounding threats to their wellbeing, education and livelihoods due to the climate crisis.”
About Save the Children NZ:
Save the Children works in 120 countries across the world. The organisation responds to emergencies and works with children and their communities to ensure they survive, learn and are protected.
Save the Children NZ currently supports international programmes in Fiji, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Laos, Nepal, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Areas of work include child protection, education and literacy, disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation, and alleviating child poverty.
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Rural News – June marks Gumboot Friday’s highest month of 2026, with 2,322 rangatahi accessing free counselling

Source: Gumboot Friday

In June 2026, 2,322 young people aged 5–25 accessed free counselling through Gumboot Friday, with 3,776 sessions delivered nationwide.

Sessions are free, no referral is required, and young people choose who they want to talk to from Gumboot Friday’s network of registered counsellors.

Breakdown by age group:

  • • 656 young people aged 5–11 (28%)
  • • 716 young people aged 12–17 (31%)
  • • 950 young people aged 18–25 (41%)

June’s figures mark the busiest month of 2026 so far for Gumboot Friday. They show young people are continuing to reach out in high numbers, and that fast, simple access to counselling remains critical.

Since 2019, Gumboot Friday has funded 164,835 free counselling sessions for young New Zealanders as at 20 July 2026, with more than 927 registered practitioners across the country helping make that possible.

Every month, thousands more sessions are delivered to young people aged 5 to 25, often at a time when they simply can’t afford to wait or pay for support.

“June tells the story pretty clearly. More young people are reaching out, and we have to be ready when they do. These kids don’t have time to sit on a waitlist, jump through hoops, or prove they’re struggling enough. They need someone safe to talk to, and they need it when they ask for it,” says I Am Hope founder Mike King.

“Since 1 July last year, 12,242 rangatahi have accessed Gumboot Friday and 37,630 counselling sessions have been delivered. That is 37,630 times a young person has sat down with someone safe and been able to say what’s really going on and we couldn’t do it without the support of New Zealanders,” King says.

Government support helps pay for counselling sessions, but running Gumboot Friday takes more than session funding alone. Donations help support the platform young people use to book counsellors, the team who keeps it running, counsellor support, compliance, awareness, school programmes, community outreach, and the prevention work that helps young people know support is there before things reach crisis point.

With demand now at its highest point this year, community backing remains essential. Every donation, fundraiser, shared post and gumboot sold helps keep Gumboot Friday moving and helps young people connect with free counselling when they need it.

If you or someone you know is 25 or under and needs someone to talk to, visit www.gumbootfriday.org.nz to book a free counsellor today — no referral needed.

To donate, fundraise, or get involved with I Am Hope, head to www.iamhope.org.nz or text HOPE to 469 for a $3 donation.

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Universities – Department of Cancer Sciences to strengthen cancer research and care – UoA

Source: University of Auckland (UoA)

The University of Auckland has established a new Department of Cancer Sciences, bringing together leading researchers, clinicians and educators from across disciplines to create one of New Zealand's most comprehensive cancer-focused academic communities.

The new department represents a major step towards the University's long-term vision of a comprehensive cancer centre for Aotearoa New Zealand, connecting expertise across the full cancer pathway, from prevention and laboratory discovery through to clinical treatment, living with cancer, and evidence-informed health policy.
Cancer is the leading cause of death in New Zealand. The Cancer Control Agency projects the present around 30,000 cases a year to rise to more than 45,000 by 2044 due to population growth and ageing. 

The department brings together the Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre (ACSRC), the Department of Oncology, and Cancer Trials New Zealand, with more cancer researchers to join from across the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, the Faculty of Science and from throughout the University, creating opportunities for collaboration across Te Whatu Ora, Health New Zealand, community and through international research partnerships. 

Dean of the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Professor Warwick Bagg, said the new department creates the critical mass required to accelerate progress against one of New Zealand's biggest health challenges. 

“The benefits from cancer research and care will progress more rapidly when researchers, clinicians, educators and policy experts work more closely together. This is more than a new department in the faculty. We’re supersizing cancer research and care at the University. The new Department better reflects the patient’s journey, from the community and bedside to research laboratory, public health and through to advice to inform policy. The goal is to deliver better outcomes for New Zealanders with cancer.” 

The founding Head of the Department of Cancer Sciences, Associate Professor Ben Lawrence, a practising oncologist, said the new department dramatically expands the scope of cancer research and teaching. 

“The Department spans the complete continuum of cancer sciences, from prevention to fundamental discovery, translating research for real world prevention, care and treatment.”   

The Department of Cancer Sciences builds on a distinguished legacy of cancer research at the University, particularly through the Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre. Established in 1956 through a community-funded partnership between the University of Auckland and Cancer Society Auckland Northland, the centre became internationally recognised for its contributions to cancer discovery and drug development. 

Bagg acknowledged the longstanding contribution of the Cancer Society Auckland Northland and the many donors whose support has helped build cancer research capability at the University. 

“The achievements of cancer research at the University of Auckland have been made possible through decades of partnership and philanthropy. We are deeply grateful to Cancer Society Auckland Northland and the many supporters and donors who have invested in better outcomes for people with cancer. Their contribution has helped create the platform for this exciting new chapter in cancer sciences.” 

Lawrence said, “The Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre has played a vital role in advancing cancer science in New Zealand for decades. We are proud to build on that foundation.” 

Julian Grennell, the chair of Cancer Society NZ and the Cancer Society Auckland Northland said: “I am honoured to support the launch of the University of Auckland's Department for Cancer Sciences. It's the beginning of an ambitious journey  – one I hope leads, in time, to a comprehensive cancer centre for New Zealand. Cancer touches nearly every family, and this is a vital step toward better research and better outcomes for New Zealanders.” 

Andrew Young, chief executive of Cancer Society Auckland Northland division, said the 70-year partnership between the society and the University demonstrated the power of philanthropy. “I am excited about a new Department for Cancer Sciences playing a key role in our vision towards a future free from cancer.” 

Bagg also acknowledged Te Aka Mātauranga Matepukupuku, the Centre for Cancer Research, a University Research Centre hosted at the faculty, in particular for its work strengthening Māori  community networks. 

The Department for Cancer Sciences will teach across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and support the development of future researchers, clinicians, policymakers, advocates and innovators working in cancer care and research.  

The formal launch event is at the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences on 23 July.