From student activist to Labour list MP
From student activist to Labour list MP
A political career which began as being the rear end of a pantomime cow in a student protest has now got Dunedin lawyer Rachel Brooking elected to Parliament.
Mike Houlahan
Incumbent’s votes double nearest rival’s
Incumbent’s votes double nearest rival’s
Rino Tirikatene made a comfortable return to Parliament in the Te Tai Tonga electorate, but said the Maori Party made the election a contest and would continue to keep Labour honest.
Crimson dawn for South
Crimson dawn for South
The South Island is now the red island, after Labour hurtled to a remarkable party vote clean sweep south of Cook Strait as part of its record-breaking election victory on Saturday.
Decision day — last chance to vote in election, referendums
Decision day — last chance to vote in election, referendums
The campaigning is over, the signs are down — all that remains of the 2020 election is election day itself.
No ground gained in mainly lacklustre event
No ground gained in mainly lacklustre event
An otherwise lacklustre final leaders’ debate last night erupted into acrimony over tax policy when Labour leader Jacinda Ardern said National rival Judith Collins was calling her a liar.
Wealth-tax attack could well persuade some
Wealth-tax attack could well persuade some
SOUTHERN SAY: Tonight TVNZ hosts the final leader’s debate between Jacinda Ardern and Judith Collins - a contest of wits in which the participants will have very different agendas.
Visiting National leader not on a roll
Visiting National leader not on a roll
Judith Collins had one publicly expressed mission on her Dunedin visit this week - to win Taieri for National.
GP contact, referrals affected by lockdown: study
GP contact, referrals affected by lockdown: study
The Covid-19 lockdown resulted in a dramatic shift in how doctors treated patients, and a potentially worrying drop-off in specialist referrals, new Dunedin research has found.
‘Dance of the desperate’ performance by Peters
‘Dance of the desperate’ performance by Peters
A feisty Winston Peters will hope a combative performance in last night’s TVNZ minor party leaders’ debate can fuel the momentum provided by a jump in the network’s latest poll.
City saturated with preening politicians
City saturated with preening politicians
Dunedin has often felt neglected by politicians, but it can't make that complaint this week. In fact, the city is pretty much the centre of the political universe at the minute.
Claim home care being cut arbitrarily
Claim home care being cut arbitrarily
Home care providers are arbitrarily and unfairly cutting the hours of help offered to people in urgent need of assistance, Grey Power says.
Testing required for years: SDHB
Testing required for years: SDHB
The Southern District Health Board expects to need to co-ordinate Covid-19 testing for about two years at least.
SDHB slammed for rejecting chapel call
SDHB slammed for rejecting chapel call
A religious leader who petitioned the Southern DHB for a separate Christian chapel to be included in the new Dunedin Hospital is furious the board has swiftly rejected that call.
‘Lot to be done’ in colonoscopy service
‘Lot to be done’ in colonoscopy service
A surgeon who wrote a report highly critical of the Southern District Health Board’s ailing colonoscopy service is to chair an oversight group charged with fixing it.
National pitches policy at both home owners and landlords
National pitches policy at both home owners and landlords
Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean has been relatively low-key in her housing portfolio — barring an embarrassing slip-up concerning state housing numbers on live TV — but that changed yesterday with the...
Doctors decry DHB colonoscopy measures
Doctors decry DHB colonoscopy measures
A group of Southland Hospital surgeons say none of the changes the SDHB has proposed in response to a highly critical report into its colonoscopy services will truly improve access for patients in need of the investigation.
‘Preparedness’ helped avert aged care Covid deaths
‘Preparedness’ helped avert aged care Covid deaths
A huge amount of work meant the southern region had "dodged a bullet" and avoided cases of Covid-19 in an aged care facility, a Southern District Health Board committee meeting was told yesterday.
Board should get maternity recommendation next month
Board should get maternity recommendation next month
The much-delayed decision on the provision of maternity services in inland Otago should not be postponed again, a Southern District Health Board committee meeting heard yesterday.
Consent process widely seen as the sticking point
Consent process widely seen as the sticking point
Housing was the major issue of the 2017 election, and the lack of progress achieved by the KiwiBuild programme means it remains firmly at the centre of political debate. Mike Houlahan reports.
Philosophical differences laid bare
Philosophical differences laid bare
Education is always a significant election issue, perhaps more so in 2020 as people laid off due to Covid-19 consider retraining. Political reporter Mike Houlahan considers the main party’s policies.