When Jacinda Ardern unexpectedly became the Labour Party leader shortly before the 2017 general election, she promised to lead a government of transformation. After nearly three years occupying the Treasury benches, health professionals working in public hospitals have been keenly waiting for transformational progress, including in the capacity and quality of hospital buildings where a …
The right of employees to strike is an internationally recognised employment right that has been a feature of New Zealand’s industrial relations system for over a century, albeit with different constraints and limitations at different times. Although more restricted, this right even continued under the anti-union Employment Contracts Act (1993-2000). It is a basic right …
Questioning the number of district health boards in New Zealand has got to the extent that “too many DHBs” has become a perceived truth requiring no further elaboration. It is rarely challenged by policy advisers, academics, and journalists. But when one drills down further it becomes clear that the number of DHBs is the wrong …
In assessing the effectiveness of the Government’s response to the Covid-19 threat it is important to distinguish between responsiveness and preparedness. The better the former, the greater the likelihood of glossing over weaknesses in the latter. New Zealand’s response to Covid-19 has been extraordinary. Compared with much of the rest of the world we have …
The coronavirus crisis afflicting the planet raises the issue of vaccines as a commercial commodity made profitable through patents rather than a public good. As a family of genetically related viruses affecting respiratory systems, coronavirus is not new. Covid-19 is its most recent and serious family member. Coronavirus was first discovered in chickens in the …
The experience of trying to implement ‘high performance high engagement’ (branded as HPHE) in the 20 district health boards is an unfortunate example of zealotry flavoured with a dose of duplicity leading to poor policy-making at the taxpayers’ expense. But for the intervention of pragmatism it could have been worse. It is a case study …