Gordon Campbell: On NZ’s Silence Over Gaza, And Creeping Health Privatisation

Since last Thursday, intensified Israeli air strikes on Gaza have killed over 500 Palestinians, and a prolonged Israeli aid blockade has led to widespread starvation among the territory’s two million residents. Belatedly, Israel is letting in a token amount of food aid that UN under-secretary Tom Fletcher has called a “a drop in the ocean.” Meanwhile, two of the pre-Budget announcements in Health - $164.5M spread over 5 years for a digital health service, and $164M spread over four years for after-hours care – are supposedly going to reduce pressure on emergency departments. Fat chance!