Health New Zealand has ordered an immediate hiring freeze on all non-frontline roles to manage budget overspending. Chief Executive Margie Apa communicated this directive in an email, emphasizing that the freeze will not impact patient-facing or community-facing positions. The decision aims to ensure financial efficiency while maintaining essential clinical services and patient safety.

Geoff Neal of The Facts delivers data showing public division over the Treaty debate
“We’ve really failed as a nation to foster healthy democratic discourse when we’ve got one-third of us too scared to talk about it.”