TLDR: The Government has again rejected the case for a sugar tax to tackle Aotearoa-NZ’s obesity epidemic, despite a major new research review showing such taxes reduce consumption by 15%. Meanwhile, our hospitals are at breaking point due to staff shortages, Covid cases, quake-prone buildings and a surge in flu infections.
Elsewhere in the news overnight:
on the eve of the dissolution of DHBs and as winter flu cases surge, our major hospitals face staffing and building crises that is burning out staff and delaying surgeries;
the United States backed a major new trade initiative with Taiwan overnight in another push to contain China; and,
US President Joe Biden agreed to send long-range missiles and armed drones to Ukraine, which Vlodomyr Zelensky said he wouldn’t use to attack Russian territory.
My apologies for no chorus yesterday. I just got swamped with a breakfast speaking engagement in Kapiti and post-Covid tiredness. I’m back on the horse today.
Listen to this episode with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to The Kākā by Bernard Hickey to listen to this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.
