Most Kiwis support government action on catastrophic risks — from nuclear conflict to pandemics and runaway AI. Yet NZ remains underprepared, with gaps in energy and food security. #Resilience #RiskPreparedness www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/maj...

Aotearoa needs stronger gun controls and targeted prevention to keep suicide rates falling and reverse the rise in firearm assault.

The Government cannot afford to ignore the Public Health Advisory Committee’s new report, which lays out a roadmap for improving health and equity in Aotearoa New Zealand. Leading public health experts urge the Government to act on its recommendations. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/cho...

Poor indoor air costs NZ around $1 billion a year in healthcare and lost productivity. Investing in clean air is good for health and the economy. #indoorairquality www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/inv...

Strong public health outcomes depend on councils having the resources to act. Funding reform for local government is a national priority. #localelectionsnz www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/loc...

"The changes announced will give power back to the alcohol industry and undermine the democracy that New Zealanders value. These changes will limit communities’ abilities to object to alcohol licences, and also undermine the ability of Local Alcohol Policies to enact change."

Local decision-making impacts health inequities. Policies on housing, transport, alcohol outlet density, and public spaces matter. Vote for candidates who prioritise public health. #localelectionsnz @lucytelbar.bsky.social www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/loc...

Public health starts local. Your vote in the 2025 elections can support candidates who protect community health and wellbeing. #localelectionsnz www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/loc...

Alcohol is NZ’s most harmful drug, costing $9.1b a year. Restricting alcohol availability is one of the most effective harm reduction tools. Without reliable outlet data, NZ is missing its strongest lever. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/inv...

New Briefing: The Govt’s alcohol licence database is riddled with errors. It’s missing over 1000 bars & restaurants + nearly 600 bottle stores & supermarkets nationwide. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/inv...

Rheumatic fever drives inequitable health outcomes in NZ. A trial shows a new approach with fewer, longer-lasting penicillin injections is effective and preferred. What’s needed to make it standard care? www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/kin...

Rheumatic fever disproportionately affects Māori and Pacific children. A new approach could improve equity by reducing treatment barriers. What’s needed to make it available? #PublicHealth www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/kin...

A new report from the Public Health Advisory Committee has revealed stark inequities in health outcomes, with Māori and Pasifika continuing to have much shorter life expectancies than Pākehā. Chair Kevin Hague talks to Waatea News. waateanews.com/2025/08/25/k...

Alternative drinking water sources are being sought by councils as nitrate pollution worsens - but one academic warns authorities they cannot “engineer their way” out of a looming crisis. #drinkingwater @ www.thepress.co.nz/environment/...

The NZ Govt’s new hazard plan is a step forward – but it misses the biggest global risks. AI, nuclear war, volcanic winters & extreme pandemics could overwhelm NZ’s ability to respond. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/new...

"New Zealand has the tools, talent, technology and networks to lead in antimicrobial surveillance and response. But we must act decisively... Let’s treat antibiotics like the critical infrastructure they are...." theconversation.com/antibiotic-u...

Aotearoa hasn’t updated tobacco warning images since 2018. Fresh images + hopeful, practical messages could give smokers the support they need. #SmokefreeNZ www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/bal...

Graphic warnings tell you why to quit. Efficacy labels tell you how. Both together = stronger support for going smokefree - new Aotearoa research. @janethoek.bsky.social #publichealth #tobaccocontrol www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/bal...

Food for staff and visitors in NZ’s public hospitals is getting healthier. A new national policy now makes nutrition standards mandatory, following an evaluation that showed patchy uptake when it was voluntary. #publichealth www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/eva...

From voluntary to mandatory: NZ’s public hospitals must now meet healthy food standards for staff and visitors. Magda Rosin and colleagues show how strong evaluation + practical tools paved the way. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/eva...

Even though it's not legal to sell nicotine pouches in NZ, young people say Zyn is everywhere. New NZ research shows youth are seeing it, trying it, and saying don’t legalise it. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/nic...

New NZ data: Awareness of nicotine pouches is rising fast among youth. But most say: don’t legalise them. They’re concerned about addiction and marketing targeting young people. @judeball.bsky.social www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/nic...

Thousands of internal JUUL documents reveal how tobacco companies sought to influence NZ public health policy, including supplying draft policies and talking points. Public health researchers say it's time for a formal inquiry. @janethoek.bsky.social #JUULGATE tinyurl.com/34b3z75h

Our latest @phcc.bsky.social Briefing, led by @janethoek.bsky.social highlights apparent breaches of FCTC article 5.3 and calls for a public inquiry. 'Friendly' engagement between politicians and the tobacco industry are not OK!! #JUULGATE | PHCC share.google/wkTRP088Gs9L...

In our latest Briefing - a call for social media platforms to introduce enforced age limits, to help protect young people from harm. www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

📱📱📱📱📱📱 :( Evidence is mounting: social media use is linked to increased depression, anxiety, and sleep disruption in young people. Delaying access through age limits can reduce the harm. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/evi...

What worked best in the pandemic❔ New research shows early, decisive action paid off for island nations like NZ and Australia. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/com...

Fresh chicken meat remains NZ’s biggest foodborne health risk, responsible for 77% of Campylobacter cases. Regulation halved rates once before. It’s time to act again. #Campylobacter #FoodSafety www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/pro...

Are we doing enough to protect people against Campylobacter in NZ? Our latest Briefing has new analysis that suggests we could do more. www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...

The Government is proposing to remove protections for drinking water in its proposed national freshwater plan. The proposals align with the demands of polluting industries over communities. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/gov...

Te Mana o te Wai puts people and ecosystems before polluters. The Government wants to scrap it to satisfy narrow commercial interests. What’s wrong with the Government’s Freshwater National Direction proposals? #publichealth www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/gov...

The World Health Organization @who.int has launched a major new initiative urging countries to raise real prices on tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks by at least 50% by 2035 through health taxes in a move designed to curb chronic diseases and generate critical public revenue. tinyurl.com/4dvrhnfj

Can people who smoke make truly informed choices? @janethoek.bsky.social @judeball.bsky.social @newsroom.co.nz #tobaccocontrol #publichealth newsroom.co.nz/2025/07/03/c...

News out today that the traditional census in Aotearoa is to be scrapped. But will using existing data be equitable, especially for the undercounted and underserved Pacific peoples? #publichealth #pacifichealth #equity www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/reb...

Pacific peoples are consistently undercounted in NZ’s population data, distorting funding services and health outcomes. The shift to using existing records to replace the census risks deepening these inequities. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/reb...

New laws coming into effect tomorrow in #NZ could mark a critical step toward reducing youth vaping; however, a comprehensive approach would include supporting young people to quit and limiting vape stores, especially near schools. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/maj...

"If these measures are going to work, the Government needs to implement robust enforcement and monitoring to ensure the law delivers on its promise.” @judeball.bsky.social @janethoek.bsky.social @predwards.bsky.social www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/3607...

If passed, the Regulatory Standards Bill risks undermining core government functions: protecting public health, minimising harm, promoting sustainability, and acting in the public interest. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/reg...

The Regulatory Standards Bill would lock in a narrow, libertarian view of “good legislation”, sidelining public health, environmental protection & Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Submissions close 23 June. #StopRSB www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/reg...

Promotions like giveaways, games & referral rewards have helped normalise vaping among young people. From 17 June, new rules clamp down on marketing but vape companies are already exploiting loopholes. We need stronger action. @janethoek.bsky.social www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/tig...

"One of the Coalition’s most dangerous proposals is to remove the existing prioritisation of the health of waterways and protection of people’s drinking water." #publichealth www.thepost.co.nz/business/360...

"One of the Coalition’s most dangerous proposals is to remove the existing prioritisation of the health of waterways and protection of people’s drinking water." #[publichealth www.thepost.co.nz/business/360...

Depression and anxiety increase dementia risk by 30-40 percent, study finds. . www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

New NZ research @aucklanduni.bsky.social shows depression, anxiety & bipolar disorder significantly raise dementia risk. Policy focus on prevention & access to care is urgently needed. #HealthPolicy #DementiaPrevention www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/pre...

New research shows mental health disorders like depression, anxiety & bipolar disorder significantly raise dementia risk, yet unmet mental health need in NZ keeps rising. Prevention & treatment now can protect brain health later. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/pre...

Time to rethink the Government Budget. It's not just about money—it's about how we use people, infrastructure, and ecosystems to build a better future. @ganeshahirao.bsky.social #PublicHealth www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/soc...

“There’s no money” isn’t economics, it’s accounting. A real Budget debate asks: are we investing our limited resources in what truly matters for future generations? #NZBudget #PublicHealth @ganeshahirao.bsky.social www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/soc...

Noticed discarded vapes on the streets of Aotearoa? They're complex waste. Producer responsibility and strong recycling systems are needed. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/dis...

In case you missed it. Watch the Post-Budget Breakfast: Leading us where? St Peter’s on Willis Social Justice Group, Child Poverty Action Group, and PHA Wellington Branch. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y32i...

Big business, big influence. New analysis reveals how lobbying and corporate pressure are undermining health policy in Aotearoa NZ and what must change to protect public health. #CDoH www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/ris...