Politics blog ‘Political Bytes’ discusses the hypocrisy of complaint against Otago University Vice Chancellor Grant Robertson by the Free Speech Union in an email to university students on wellbeing. politicalbytes.blog/2026/06/06/h...

Health systems blog ‘Otaihanga Second Opinion’ discusses the wider implications and risks of the decision to tender for proposals to privatise eyecare services currently provided in New Zealand’s public health system. otaihangasecondopinion.wpcomstaging.com/2026/06/03/t...

Politics blog ‘Political Bytes’ discusses, in the context of the German historical word Gleichschaltung, the far right political momentum internationally and its lessons for politics in New Zealand. politicalbytes.blog/2026/06/01/g...

Health systems blog ‘Otaihanga Second Opinion’ discusses the risks to rural general practices threatened by a pending decision by Health New Zealand’s intention to use a blunt instrument to determine eligibility for funding contracts. otaihangasecondopinion.wpcomstaging.com/2026/05/26/u...

Health systems blog ‘Otaihanga Second Opinion’ discusses the public exposure of unreported unmet need through an ethically challenging hidden waiting list of general practitioner referrals to hospital specialists in New Zealand. otaihangasecondopinion.wordpress.com/2026/05/15/h...

This post of politics blog ‘Political Bytes’ discusses the humanitarian crisis in Cuba caused by the escalation of economic warfare by the United States. politicalbytes.blog/2026/05/09/i...

Health systems blog ‘Otaihanga Second Opinion’ discusses the revelation of baby deaths (and near misses) in New Zealand’s maternity system including hospitals that are linked to workforce shortages, in this case midwifes. otaihangasecondopinion.wordpress.com/2026/05/05/t...

This post of politics blog ‘Political Bytes’ discusses the recent Wellington floods in the context of climate change, wealth accumulation and ‘suicidal capitalism’. politicalbytes.blog/2026/05/02/d...

Below is the link to my recently published column in ‘Newsroom’ discussing the unexpected resignation of Health New Zealand Chair Lester Levy, including the role of the ninth floor of the Beehive in both his original appointment and subsequent ‘disappointment’. newsroom.co.nz/2026/04/24/h...

Health systems blog ‘Otaihanga Second Opinion’ discusses a revealing opinion piece by a medical specialist on the failure to implement a plan on addressing chronic kidney disease as symptomatic of a wider crisis in New Zealand’s health system. otaihangasecondopinion.wordpress.com/2026/04/19/f...

Health systems blog ‘Otaihanga Second Opinion’ calls out Health New Zealand for its intimidation of nurses at Whangarei Hospital. Intimidation has no place in health systems. otaihangasecondopinion.wordpress.com/2026/04/11/c...

Newsroom’ has published my opinion piece on the move by Health New Zealand on behalf of the Government to privatise public hospital ophthalmology. newsroom.co.nz/2026/04/09/p...

This post of health systems blog ‘Otaihanga Second Opinion’ discusses the Cuban health system and how New Zealand’s system might learn from it. otaihangasecondopinion.wordpress.com/2026/04/06/u...

Health systems blog ‘Otaihanga Second Opinion’ discusses the encouraging formation of a new healthcare advocacy organisation formed in part to oppose the drift towards privatising New Zealand’s universal public health system. otaihangasecondopinion.wordpress.com/2026/03/29/k...

Politics blog ‘Political Bytes’ discusses what is really behind the United States over 60-year economic war against Cuba, including its current rapid and brutal escalation. politicalbytes.blog/2026/03/25/w...

Health systems blog ‘Otaihanga Second Opinion’ discusses the relationship between the ethics of convictions and the ethics of responsibilities in the context of health system restructuring in New Zealand’s health system. otaihangasecondopinion.wordpress.com/2026/03/22/e...

My politics blog ‘Political Bytes’ discusses what is behind the United States and Israel war against Iran and the response of New Zealand’s government. politicalbytes.blog/2026/03/19/i...

Health systems blog discusses the implications of recent child poverty data in New Zealand to its health system including external social determinants of health and narrow balance sheet thinking by decision-makers. otaihangasecondopinion.wordpress.com/2026/03/09/c...

This post of politics blog ‘Political Bytes’ discusses the retrograde Employment Relations Amendment Act in a historical context in respect of level playing fields and employer-worker relationship imbalance. politicalbytes.blog/2026/03/03/c...

Health systems blog ‘Otaihanga Second Opinion’ discusses the problem when government’s base decision-making on balance sheet snapshots. otaihangasecondopinion.wordpress.com/2026/02/25/w...

‘Newsroom’ has published my column on the implications and risks arising out of the General Practice Owners Association proposal to establish its own primary care organisation (PHO) in the context of PHOs trying to function in a six-year policy vacuum. newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/20/h...

Health systems blog ‘Otaihanga Second Opinion discusses the threat to public safety of planned political interference in the regulatory authorities for New Zealand’s health system. otaihangasecondopinion.wordpress.com/2026/02/11/p...

@bsky.app Health systems blog ‘Otaihanga Second Opinion’ discusses the huge ‘Manage My Health’ security breach of patient health records in the context of private ownership (and operation) and the need to restore Health Ministry IT capacity. otaihangasecondopinion.wordpress.com/2026/02/06/m...

With an eye on the policy of the New Zealand government to Israel’s genocide in Gaza, politics blog ‘Political Bytes’ discusses the courageous unbreakable Nelson Mandela-like spirit of a Palestinian leader. politicalbytes.blog/2026/02/02/c...

This morning (29 January) I was interviewed live by Mike Hosking on Newstalk ZB on the reported significant increase in ambulances taking patients to hospitals. I argued that this mirrored what was happening in acute patient hospital demand. www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-...

Health systems blog ‘Otaihanga Second Opinion’ discusses recent comments by Finance Minister Nicola Willis on why Health New Zealand is ‘failing’ and her solution. In doing so she fails to put diagnosis before treatment. otaihangasecondopinion.wordpress.com/2026/01/27/n...

Politics blog ‘Political Bytes’ discusses with an overdose of cynicism why Donald Trump should have been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. politicalbytes.blog/2026/01/24/t...

On 15 January local Kapiti Coast online publication ‘KC News’ published my opinion piece on the apparent demise of a promising well-developed and publicly supported health polyclinic initiative. www.kcnews.co.nz/2026/01/15/h...

Health systems blog ‘Otaihanga Second Opinion’ discusses the High Court injunction on the puberty blocker ban in New Zealand and the opportunity for Cabinet to reconsider the issue as a clinical rather than political one. otaihangasecondopinion.wordpress.com/2026/01/19/h...

Politics blog ‘Political Bytes’ discusses the mass terrorist slaughter at Bondi Beach and the shameful attempt to use it to smear opponents of genocide in Gaza. politicalbytes.blog/2026/01/15/b...

Health system blog ‘Otaihanga Second Opinion’ discusses when systems failure leads to unsafe staffing which in turn causes tragic outcomes in the context of a Health & Disability Commissioner decision contributing to a stillborn baby. otaihangasecondopinion.wordpress.com/2026/01/12/c...

My politics blog ‘Political Bytes’ discusses the implications of the US military attack on and political abductions in Venezuela including fabrications and agendas. Also refers to New Zealand implications. politicalbytes.blog/2026/01/09/n...

After reading an interesting article on free speech, politics blog ‘Political Bytes’ discusses the issue in the context of the ethics of conviction and the ethics of responsibility including neo-liberalism in the United Kingdom and New Zealand. politicalbytes.blog/2025/12/19/f...

This post of health systems blog ‘Otaihanga Second Opinion’ is the second of a two-part series on how New Zealand’s health system got into its current poop and how it might get out of it. otaihangasecondopinion.wordpress.com/2025/12/18/g...

Yesterday ‘Newsroom’ published my column on the Labour Party’s recently announced loans policy to support GPs becoming general practice owners, partly in response to corporate ownership expansion. newsroom.co.nz/2025/12/09/l...

Health systems blog discusses how New Zealand’s health system got into the mess that it is now in. otaihangasecondopinion.wordpress.com/2025/12/08/h...

Health systems blog ‘Otaihanga Second Opinion’ discusses the Government’s decision to ignore clinical expert advice and ban puberty blockers for young people suffering gender dysphoria. otaihangasecondopinion.wordpress.com/2025/12/06/p...

Politics blog ‘Political Bytes’ discusses the public fall-out between fellow far right-wingers Tucker Carlson and Donald Trump and the insights it might provide for New Zealand politics. politicalbytes.blog/2025/11/30/t...

Health systems blog ‘Otaihanga Second Opinion’ discusses the pitch by Serco to run public hospitals, including new builds and public private partnerships, in New Zealand, otaihangasecondopinion.wordpress.com/2025/11/22/w...

Politics blog ‘Political Bytes’ discusses the genocide in Gaza through a doctor’s eyes and what the New Zealand government should learn from this. politicalbytescom.wordpress.com/wp-admin/pos...

Newsroom has published my column (link below) discussing the key issues and risks arising out of the Government’s intention to introduce for the first time a health target on access to general practitioners in New Zealand’s primary healthcare system. newsroom.co.nz/2025/11/14/h...

Health systems blog ‘Otaihanga Second Opinion’ discusses the response of general practices and Primary Health Organisations to increasing corporate power in general practice ownership, including private equity investors. otaihangasecondopinion.wordpress.com/2025/11/09/g...

Politics blog ‘Political Bytes’ discusses whether the trend of the far right cannibalising the mainstream rightwing in Europe might follow into New Zealand in the context of uneven and combined development. politicalbytes.blog/2025/11/03/f...

Health systems blog discusses where private health insurance fits in with the crisis in New Zealand’s public health system, particularly the rundown of public hospitals. otaihangasecondopinion.wordpress.com/2025/10/30/p...

Health systems blog ‘Otaihanga Second Opinion’ discusses, with a bit of help from Hippocrates, Health Minister Simeon Brown’s accusation that senior doctors taking strike action were crossing an ethical line: otaihangasecondopinion.wordpress.com/2025/10/25/h...

Politics blog ‘Political Bytes’ discusses the controversy over the awarding of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize: politicalbytes.blog/2025/10/18/t...

Health systems blog ‘Otaihanga Second Opinion’ discusses how health targets have evolved to the point of shifting from a policy to a legislative requirement: otaihangasecondopinion.wordpress.com/2025/10/15/p...

@bsky.app Health systems blog ‘Otaihanga Second Opinion’ discusses the extension of corporate ownership of general practices into Primary Care Organisations in New Zealand’s health system: otaihangasecondopinion.wordpress.com/2025/10/12/c...

Politics blog ‘Political Bytes’ discusses the decision of, and reaction to, the New Zealand government not to recognise the state of Palestine. politicalbytes.blog/2025/10/01/a...