The Kākā by Bernard Hickey

The Kākā by Bernard Hickey

Choruses

Bernard's Picks 'n' Mixes for Thursday, May 15

Brown hid advice that outsourcing was dangerous & expensive; Test missed on patients at high risk of getting bowel cancer; Bishop refuses Christchurch plea for density delay; Wagstaff leaving CTU

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Bernard Hickey
May 14, 2025
∙ Paid

Briefly in the news from Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, May 15:

  1. Staffing shortages mean 60 patients in Palmerston North deemed high risk of getting bowel cancer have not been tested because of staffing shortages last year, Isaac Davison reports this morning for NZ Herald-$. See more in my Top Pick ‘n Mix Six below.

  2. Nicholas Jones has started a five-part investigative series via Stuff on CAR T-cell cancer therapy, which is not easily available for New Zealanders. See more in my Top Pick ‘n Mix Six below.

  3. Phil Pennington had the scoop about Health Minister Simeon Brown’s redactions of official advice yesterday morning for RNZ, which has generated more detail, analysis and followups today. See more in top topics of the day below.

  4. Record-high numbers of New Zealanders emigrated in the year to March. Meanwhile, infrastructure shortages are hitting Southland’s hospitals as population growth runs ahead of forecasts. See more in topics of the day.

  5. Chris Bishop has refused a Christchurch Council request to delay tougher housing density rules. See more in housing news below.

  6. Richard Wagstaff is stepping down as the head of the CTu. See more in my Top Pick ‘n Mix Six below.

(There’s a much more comprehensive selection of links below for paying subscribers. Join us and support this work by subscribing.)

My Top ‘Pick ’n’ Mix’ Six of deep-dives & scoops

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