Money Wont Solve Problems - A belief that throwing more money at the health system is not going to improve the wellbeing
of children in south Auckland. A Counties Manukau Health Council report shows that south Auckland children are suffering
from a high rates of disease, poor nutrition and low immunisation rates. Jenny Shipley says the Government has worked
hard in these areas and that it is up to parents to take more responsibility. But Pacific Islands health researcher
Colin Tukuiotonga says these are not the kind of problems solved by more surgical operations. Gains occur through
intervention outside of the health sector, for example better housing, better information and education, and most of all
better income and a more even distribution of income within a society.
Nurse Shortage Due To Poor Govt. Initiative - The Nurses Organisation blames a lack of Government initiative for a
nationwide nursing shortage. Rotorua Hospital is the latest to suffer difficulties and is having to close half a medical
ward. The Nurses Organisation chief executing Brenda Wilson says this follows problems in Wellington, Christchurch and
Auckland where these hospitals have had to bus in nurses from other regions or find staff from overseas. She says the
problem has been apparent for some time but the Government has done nothing to help.
TVNZ Story A Mock-up - TVNZ is trying to find out what lead to an apparent blunder in its internet department. A story
appeared on the TVNZ website this morning saying a 747 jet had crashed in Auckland’s Manukau Harbour. The story was
quickly deleted after the mistake was spotted. TVNZ’s internet department says the story was part of a mock up it had
used in the early stages in setting up the website. It is trying to work out how it got up on the website today. TVNZ
says it must have something to do with problems with the database.