Public Health Communication Centre
Promoting research, analysis and commentary for a healthier Aotearoa.
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www.phcc.org.nz
- How is NZ doing on alcohol policy? Not great. We ranked last in a new international comparison of #alcohol control policies, revealing shortcomings in efforts to protect people from alcohol-related harm. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/int...
- You can hear more about the research from lead author Prof Sally Casswell on RNZ's Morning Report 📻 www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
- New polling shows public support for action on alcohol availability, affordability, and advertising, with a clear call to protect policy from industry influence. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/new...
- If everyone lived like New Zealanders, we’d use up a year’s worth of Earth’s resources by the end of April. But smarter choices in how we build, eat and move can push that date back. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/ear...
- Reflecting on NZ’s largely successful pandemic response, it’s worth exploring—and learning from—how things might have unfolded differently had the country taken another path. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/imp...
- Free vape starter kits may help some smokers quit, but new analysis shows they’re unlikely to get Aotearoa anywhere near the Smokefree 2025 goal. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/wha...
- Children under 5 in rural NZ with private water supplies are nearly 4x more likely to get sick from Campylobacter than urban kids. Researchers say it's time to close the regulatory gap. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/uns...
- A new study finds Campylobacter infection rates are twice as high in rural NZ residents using private water supplies. The risk is worst in dairy farming regions where runoff contaminates drinking water. #PublicHealth www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/uns...
- Australia’s innovative new policies are designed to cut smoking rates – here are 6 ideas NZ could borrow @janethoek.bsky.social theconversation.com/australias-i...
- Recent contract changes to Whānau Ora risk disrupting established relationships and weakening its proven effectiveness in improving child health equity in Aotearoa New Zealand. waateanews.com/2025/04/04/k...
- Read Assoc Prof KaarenMathias' Briefing... phcc.org.nz/briefing/pro...
- Recent contract changes risk undermining Whānau Ora—one of Aotearoa’s most effective child health equity programmes. New research shows long-term, relationship-based care is key to improving outcomes. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/pro...
- "Given that 27% of children in New Zealand live in households where food runs out often or sometimes, the very low energy content of the School Lunch Collective meals is especially worrying." #KaOraKaAko www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/aot...
- New analysis reveals that School Lunch Collective meals under the #KaOraKaAko programme fail to meet critical nutrition standards, and many don’t provide enough energy for growing kids. Urgent action is needed. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/aot...
- Govt vetting of advice from medical officers of health "will be risk averse and potentially politicised" and will "ultimately reduce the ability of our system to respond to public health issues,” warns PHCC Director Prof Michael Baker. www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360...
- Aotearoa NZ should follow Australia in raising the social media access age—but it’s only part of the solution www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/soc...
- Social media use is harming our children and young people. As part of a multipronged strategy, NZ should follow Australia's lead and raise the access age to 16. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/soc...
- Bowel screening change ‘totally unethical’. Excellent explanation about why the government scrapping the Māori and Pacific age extension in the national bowel cancer screening programme goes against the science. e-tangata.co.nz/comment-and-...
- The risk of #LongCovid after infection is around 10%. To reduce its burden, NZ needs a coordinated response—including prevention, treatment, and better vaccine access. University's Professor John Potter spoke to Corin Dann about our latest Briefing. www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...
- Check out our latest Briefing with the latest evidence on Long Covid. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/lon...
- With an estimated 250,000+ people in NZ affected by #LongCovid, experts warn of major health & economic costs. Urgent government action is needed to prevent infections & support those already suffering. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/lon...
- Australia has banned engineered stone—why hasn’t NZ? Kiwi workers remain at risk of deadly silica exposure. We need urgent action, including a ban and worker health protections. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/bea...
- After 5 years, #Covid still isn't going anywhere. NZ needs a national plan, incl surveillance, vaccinations, and improved measures such as indoor air quality, free RAT testing, and mask-wearing in high-risk indoor settings. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/fiv...
- Youth vaping in NZ remains high despite a slight decline. More action is needed to address addiction & health impacts. #youthvaping #tobaccocontrol @janethoek.bsky.social www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/sli...
- Youth vaping rates in NZ have declined slightly but remain high among Māori and Pasifika students, and exceed rates in Canada, the US, and England. Read more in our latest Briefing. @janethoek.bsky.social www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/sli...
- Public health experts and the food industry are calling on the government to urgently fund a new National Nutrition Survey to better understand New Zealanders eating habits and to help shape public policy. Listen to Prof Cliona Ni Mhurchu on #RNZ #middayreport www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...
- Preventable diet-related diseases cost NZ billions. Investing in updated nutrition data can help save lives AND money. A new survey costs $15M—less than one roundabout. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/dec...
- What are New Zealanders eating? We don’t really know. Our last national nutrition survey is decades old. Time for the Govt to step up and fund a new one. #nzfood&grocery council #healthdata www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/dec...
- The NZ Arms Act rewrite ..."fails to provide an overall assessment of the effectiveness of individual and multiple combined measures designed to limit the public health harms from firearms." tinyurl.com/yvjskx69
- Public health experts say good gun laws require multiple layers of legislation... a risk management approach is needed. #rnz #morningreport Hear about our latest Briefing. www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...
- Risk management "Swiss cheese" model works for gun control. Current consultation on NZ Arms Act rewrite is flawed and fails to recognise a layered approach needed. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/goo...
- Public health experts say good gun laws require multiple layers of legislation... a risk management approach is needed. #rnz #morningreport Hear about our latest Briefing. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/goo...
- And check out the Briefing - The current public consultation on the rewriting of the Arms Act fails to recognise the importance of layering multiple firearm protections. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/goo...
- Aotearoa NZ's water systems are leaking at a rate (22%) far higher than in leading European countries, posing risks to public health and wasting around $122 million each year. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/plu...
- A new NZ study has found that using micronutrients can help reduce birth complications in pregnant women with depression. @juliarucklidge.bsky.social www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/nou...
- Upcycling surplus food can create jobs, save costs, and cut waste—but it also has downsides. Premium products may exclude lower-income families, and food banks could be affected. Balancing these impacts is key. #Sustainability #FoodWaste www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/not...
- Globally, we waste 40% of the food we produce. Upcycling unwanted food sounds like a win-win, but is it truly sustainable? Our latest Briefing examines both the benefits and risks of upcycled food. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/not...
- The Bill threatens to erase the Tiriti guarantee of tino rangatiratanga, prioritise formal equality over equity, and dismantle a key legal framework that upholds Māori rights and pro-equity policies, including in health. @ahikaroa.bsky.social www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/tre...
- "This Bill actively damages Aotearoa New Zealand’s ability to advance as a cohesive, progressive society committed to using human rights principles and evidence to find practical ways to improve health and achieve equity." @ahikaroa.bsky.social #nzpol #publichealth www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/tre...
- The Government's new Smokefree Plan lacks vision, accountability, and effective measures, falling short of the Smokefree 2025 goal and placing blame on individuals rather than addressing systemic issues and inequities. @predwards.bsky.social @janethoek.bsky.social www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/wil...
- NZ’s lack of #misinformation monitoring leaves the country vulnerable to harmful false narratives and inaccurate information. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/nat...
- Aotearoa New Zealand’s first reported outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a free-range egg farm in Otago underscores the importance of continued vigilance and investment in viral surveillance. #publichealth #H7N6 www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/aot...
- It's 50 years since the Accident Compensation Corporation was launched. It’s time to modernise the way we approach injury prevention according to experts. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/acc...
- "Pierse estimated the [Health Home]initiative saved the healthcare system about $300 million in the first five years after intervention, providing a five-year return investment of 507%." www.1news.co.nz/2024/11/29/t...
- Vaping is most prevalent among 18-24 year olds, Māori and Pacific peoples, and people living in the most deprived neighbourhoods. Read @predwards.bsky.social @janethoek.bsky.social and co-authors' analysis of the NZHS data. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/vap...
- "Well if they don't [appoint a minister in charge of pandemic planning] then this will just be another big report that sits there and does nothing." Prof Michael Baker on Morning Report. tinyurl.com/4u8p54au
- “Implementing the recommendations will be the big challenge. In that regard, recommendation 39 is critical. This calls for assigning a minister to lead the implementation process." Prof Michael Baker www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2024/11/28/l...
- "Housing needs to be viewed as a human right. At a minimum, we need political changes such as greater enforcement of the Healthy Homes Standards and improvements to the Tenancy Tribunal process." www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/tac...
- "These interview findings paint a grim picture. The respondents were intimately aware of how their personal experiences were political experiences." #LGBTIQ+ www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/tac...
- LGBTIQ+ people are disproportionately impacted by homelessness. Our latest Briefing reports the findings and implications of a study focused on #LGBTIQ+ people’s experiences of housing instability. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/tac...
