|
Kia ora e hoa
First, congratulations to Jan Logie, the Greens and the Government for making International Women’s Day meaningful (Domestic violence bill passes first reading | Radio New Zealand News). That Parliament actually did something to benefit women (and consequently all of us) is a rare recognition of the many UN mandated ‘Days’ in the calendar.
Congratulations also for leadership from Jackie Blue and the Human Rights Commission for hammering the gender pay gap ($600,000 gender gap revealed | NZ Herald News) and Catriona McLennan for pointing out how simple it would be to address if we really put our minds to it (Gender pay gap fixable 'overnight' | Radio New Zealand News)...
|
|
PHA Newsletters have changed
All members receive The Bulletin monthly. You need to sign up to receive ALL other PHA newsletters:
- PolicySpot
- Public Health Matters
- Whiria Te Tangata
And more. Don't miss out. Sign up today!
|
|
|
|
On the other side of the coin, boys from ‘good homes’ attending ‘good schools’ have just outdone Shortland Street’s sexting episode on their fb pages (Rape comments happen 'every single day' - student | Radio New Zealand News) and distressing disrespect of their female teachers (Year 9s at St Patrick's Silverstream suspended over sexual harassment of staff | Stuff). I don’t suppose their role models in the Rugby community would have anything to do with it.
Have a good weekend.
Warren
|
|
In this week's Public Health Matters:
|
|
|
Help! The PHA needs to raise $50,000 to support our work advocating for good public health, supporting the workforce and developing events to strengthen public health action. Please consider donating to us or running a fundraising event.
|
|
|
Your generous donation will help us:
- deliver extra policy workshops and other forums for debate - increasing our ability to impact on healthy public policy
- increase our output on significant policy issues - ensuring a public health lens is applied to legislation
- enable former Tu Rangatira te Ora winners to attend national or overseas conferences - promoting effective Māori public health practice
- engage someone to write the history of the PHA - demonstrating our long term impact on the wellbeing of New Zealanders
- and keep our staff salaries up with the CPI - enabling us to continue to employ staff to support our work and our members.
You can also regularly donate to the PHA through payroll giving. Download the form today.
|
|
Māori Public Health Symposium
SAVE THE DATE
13 June 2017
|
|
|
|
|
|
‘Te Toia, te haumati – nothing can be achieved without a plan, a workforce and a way of doing things’
In October of this year, Ōtautahi Christchurch will be the destination for the 2017 Public Health Association of New Zealand Conference.
To learn more about the conference, visit the PHA website: www.pha.org.nz
You can also follow the Canterbury branch on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PHACWC
Add the conference to your Calendar:
iCalendar • Google Calendar • Outlook • Outlook Online • Yahoo! Calendar
|
|
Public Health in the News
|
|
Inequality
Domestic violence bill passes first reading | Radio New Zealand News
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/326179/domestic-violence-bill-passes-first-reading
"A Green MP's bill designed to help victims of domestic violence has passed its first reading in Parliament with unanimous support"
NZ gender pay gap unchanged in more than a decade | Scoop News
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1703/S00251/nz-gender-pay-gap-unchanged-in-more-than-a-decade.htm
"The gap between what men and women are paid on average has barely shifted in the 14 years since the first major attempt to measure the difference was published in 2003, a new report from the Ministry for Women has found"
Ziena Jalil: Ask yourself, would you discriminate against a loved one? - Opinion - NZ Herald News
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11813420
""Business here is done at the pub over beer." The message, articulated by a posse of male peers, was clear."
Editorial: 'Women's work' does not explain much of the pay gap - Opinion - NZ Herald News
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11813679
"Organisations that fail to tap the potential of women are denying themselves access to half the human talent pool."
NZ lags in women business leaders - Business - NZ Herald News
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11813643
"New Zealand is among the ten worst countries in a global survey on the proportion of women in senior business roles"
$600,000 gender gap revealed - Business - NZ Herald News
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11813827
"A Human Rights Commission project, published today to mark International Women's Day, has found women earn $600,000 less on average than their male counterparts"
Women's minister Paula Bennett challenges companies to conduct gender pay audits and to declare the results - Business - NZ Herald News
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11813480
"Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett is challenging private businesses to conduct gender audits of what they pay their employees and to publish the results"
Super age increase 'unfair' on physical workers | Radio New Zealand News
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/326073/super-age-increase-'unfair'-on-physical-workers
"People doing physically demanding jobs say they will get the short end of the stick under the government's plan to increase the pension age to 67."
Gender pay gap fixable 'overnight' | Radio New Zealand News
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/326092/gender-pay-gap-fixable-'overnight'
"Employers are being told they can fix the pay gap between men and women overnight if they wanted to"
Jackie Blue: We need to help our young women cultivate boldness in pursuit of change | Stuff.co.nz
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/90136357/jackie-blue-we-need-to-help-our-young-women-cultivate-boldness-in-pursuit-of-change
"This International Women's Day, the onus is on each of us to encourage our younger generations of women, bolstered by the experiences of those who have fought in the past, to be bold for change."
'Super changes so little, so distant, it's pathetic' | Radio New Zealand News
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/326017/'super-changes-so-little,-so-distant,-it's-pathetic'
"Raising the age for superannuation entitlement needs to happen, but the proposed changes are too little, too late, and cynically arranged, writes Shamubeel Eaqub"
|
|
Environment
Marie Brown: Strengthening our last line of defence | Stuff.co.nz
http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/90094245/marie-brown-strengthening-our-last-line-of-defence
"The Environmental Defence Society has released its most recent major report [looking] at how environmental laws are enforced in New Zealand. If environmental laws are not enforced they can be broken with impunity"
Smith dismisses claims plan excludes most rivers | Radio New Zealand News
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/325814/smith-dismisses-claims-plan-excludes-most-rivers
"Environment Minister Nick Smith has rejected claims by Forest and Bird that new water quality standards exclude most New Zealand rivers"
What would happen if an Auckland volcano erupted | Radio New Zealand News
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/325917/what-would-happen-if-an-auckland-volcano-erupted
"The biggest danger from a volcanic eruption in Auckland would be a pyroclastic surge - a hot mix of gas, ash and other substances - that would spread over a 5km-wide area, scientists say"
Diving into the muddy water of 'swimmable' | Radio New Zealand News
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/325538/diving-into-the-muddy-water-of-'swimmable'
" Critics accused them of doubling the allowable levels of faecal bacteria and coming up with a definition of swimmable that means it's OK for one in 20 people to get sick"
Forest & Bird quits water forum, saying govt ignores advice | Radio New Zealand News
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/326009/forest-and-bird-quits-water-forum,-saying-govt-ignores-advice
"Forest & Bird have pulled out of the Land and Water Forum in protest against the government's new "timid" freshwater standards."
|
|
Child Health
Sleep lessons cut obesity - National - NZ Herald News
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11813829
"Teaching parents how to improve their baby's sleep appears to roughly halve the rate of childhood obesity, but the authors of a new University of Otago study are not sure why"
Birth defect in boys 'linked to hairspray' - research - Lifestyle - NZ Herald News
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11812371
"Pregnant women have been warned against using hairspray, as new evidence suggests that chemicals they contain may be linked to an increasingly common birth defect in boys"
Schools struggle to keep pools afloat | Radio New Zealand News
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/325810/schools-struggle-to-keep-pools-afloat
"The Ministry of Education said about 60 percent of New Zealand schools had pools"
Children's day highlights push for younger voting age | Radio New Zealand News
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/325878/children's-day-highlights-push-for-younger-voting-age
"Today is National Children's Day, and Children's Commissioner Andrew Becroft says it's a good time to think about lowering the voting age to 16."
KiVa - Bystanders beating the bullies | Nine To Noon, 9:21 am on 6 March 2017 | Radio New Zealand
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/201835556/kiva-bystanders-beating-the-bullies
"A Finnish anti-bullying programme could reduce the number of children being bullied in New Zealand schools by 14,500 a year, the organisation that introduced it to this country says."
|
|
Infrastructure
General practice under pressure, says NZMA GP leader | Scoop News
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1703/S00023/general-practice-under-pressure-says-nzma-gp-leader.htm
"General practices throughout New Zealand face funding issues, and both GPs and their patients are struggling, says Chair of the New Zealand Medical Association’s General Practitioner Council, Dr Kate Baddock"
That's Super sorted - what about health? | Scoop News
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1703/S00025/thats-super-sorted-what-about-health.htm
"The Health Funds Association (HFANZ) today renewed its call for more to be done to diversify health funding sources to reduce the future projected burden on taxpayers"
Govt on shaky ground in data demand, lawyers say | Radio New Zealand News
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/325740/govt-on-shaky-ground-in-data-demand,-lawyers-say
"Law experts say the government is breaching privacy laws by making social services hand over their client's personal details before they can get funding"
Privacy Commission investigates data-for-funding proposal | Radio New Zealand News
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/325709/privacy-commission-investigates-data-for-funding-proposal
"Sexual violence and counselling services are among groups from which the government is demanding private client information in exchange for funding"
|
|
Mental Health
Inmates found being filmed while using toilets | Radio New Zealand News
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/319956/inmates-found-being-filmed-while-using-toilets
"The Ombudsman has unearthed evidence of some prisoners being filmed while strip-searched or using the toilet."
Tying down prisoner an 'economic decision' - Ombudsman | Radio New Zealand News
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/325795/tying-down-prisoner-an-'economic-decision'-ombudsman
"The Chief Ombudsman says Corrections has been disingenuous in interpreting his report into the welfare of mentally ill prisoners, which was released yesterday"
Restraining ill prisoners outdated, inhumane - psychiatrist | Radio New Zealand News
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/325915/restraining-ill-prisoners-outdated,-inhumane-psychiatrist
"Prison staff are using outdated and inhumane techniques to deal with prisoners with acute mental health problems, and need better training, a psychiatrist says"
|
|
Family Violence
Govt defends domestic violence legislation u-turn | Radio New Zealand News
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/326089/govt-defends-domestic-violence-legislation-u-turn
"National's change of heart means the bill will now have unanimous support."
Family Courts 'failing' abused women | Radio New Zealand News
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/325873/family-courts-'failing'-abused-women
"A new independent group is being formed to push for changes to the way the courts deal with violence against women."
Overhaul of domestic violence laws on the way | Radio New Zealand News
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/325908/overhaul-of-domestic-violence-laws-on-the-way
"The government plans to unveil sweeping changes to the country's domestic violence laws in the next few weeks."
|
|
Alcohol
Preloading party-goers a big problem for police - National - NZ Herald News
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11811933
"Preloading party-goers and home drinkers are causing the lion's share of trouble for police, according to data released under the Official Information Act."
Less binge drinking — but only among teens - National - NZ Herald News
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11811461
"Underage teens are drinking less than their counterparts were 10 years ago, but adults are not."
|
|
Tobacco
Police act to stub out tobacco crimes - National - NZ Herald News
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11686681
"The arrest of 10 tobacco company employees and one of their family members is the latest police sting to nab offenders believed to be stealing for the blackmarket."
Police need to record tobacco robberies: Act Party leader David Seymour - National - NZ Herald News
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11812773
"The call comes after a Christchurch dairy was on the weekend robbed for the eighth time in seven months"
|
|
Sugar
Analysis of a new NZ Treasury Report on soft drink tax – Public Health Expert, University of Otago, New Zealand
https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/pubhealthexpert/2017/02/28/analysis-of-a-new-nz-treasury-report-on-soft-drink-tax/
"The Government has an action plan to tackle childhood obesity, but it lacks a tax on sugary drinks – a strategy for which there is good evidence."
Video reveals disturbing truth about Coke vs Coke Zero - Lifestyle - NZ Herald News
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11813376
"In an online experiment shared by Home Science, bottles of Coke and Coke Zero were both boiled to show the disturbing amount of sugar in the normal soft drink, reports the Daily Mail."
|
|
Disability
Transformation of disability support services welcomed | Scoop News
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1703/S00014/transformation-of-disability-support-services-welcomed.htm
"CCS Disability Action is pleased the government is continuing to reform disability support services. The government has decided to pilot a new approach around Palmerston North"
Connect helps deaf to connect with mainstream society | Scoop News
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1703/S00016/connect-helps-deaf-to-connect-with-mainstream-society.htm
" To help deaf people eliminate communication barriers, BeWarned has launched a new app called Connect, which is a simple helper for the deaf to be understood"
|
|
Society
Year 9s at St Patrick's Silverstream suspended over sexual harassment of staff | Stuff.co.nz
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/90179350/cultural-shift-needed-to-put-an-end-to-attitudes-toward-sexual-violence-experts-say
"Four year 9 students have been suspended from a Wellington boys' school for a "most distressing incident of sexual harassment" towards two female staff members."
Rape comments happen 'every single day' - student | Radio New Zealand News
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/326088/rape-comments-happen-'every-single-day'-student
"Boys talking about wanting to rape drunk girls can probably be heard every day in schools around the country, young women and sex education groups say"
|
|
Climate Change
Sustainability: Big gains on tap from trimming energy use - Business - NZ Herald News
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11683050
"Big gains are up for grabs for industrial players keen on switching to energy efficient production equipment, say industry insider"
|
|
Infectious Disease
NZ not immune to antibiotic-resistant strains | Radio New Zealand News
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/325864/nz-not-immune-to-antibiotic-resistant-strains
"New Zealand can't be complacent about antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens, even though it has fewer than the rest of the world, warns an Otago University professor"
|
|
Upcoming Events
Equality Network Hui. 24 March 2017. Wellington.
Voices - Vision - Action. 15th World Congress on Public Health. 3-7 April 2017. Melbourne, Australia.
Mokopuna Ora Seminar. 26-27 April 2017. Te Tai Tokerau
Indigenous Diversity Forum. 5 May 2017. Wellington.
Citizen Participation in a Rapidly Changing World, A global perspective on issues that affect us in New Zealand, a Parliamentary Breakfast featuring Dr Dhananjayan (Danny) Sriskandarajah. 11 May 2017. Wellington.
Working Together. Inspiring Change. 7th Activity and Nutrition Aotearoa conference. 30-31 May 2017. Wellington.
Māori Public Health Symposium. 13 June 2017 (tbc). Auckland. Registration details to come.
Valuing Connections, Connecting Values. Ō Tātou Kaha, Ō Tātou Pae Ora. The PHA Conference 2017. 2-4 October 2017. Ōtautahi Christchurch.
Global Alcohol Policy Conference (co-hosted by GAPA and Australian PHA). 4-6 October 2017. Melbourne, Australia.
|
|
|
|
