The Briefing

Invisible and ignored: Why indoor air quality deserves our attention

Polluted indoor air is a hidden threat, linked to illness, lost productivity, and preventable deaths. Aotearoa New Zealand needs a coordinated national strategy to make clean, safe indoor air the norm.
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Issue date

11 September 2025

Author(s)

Julie Bennett Caroline Halley Mikael Boulic Amanda Kvalsvig Michael Baker Manfred Plagmann Lucy Telfar-Barnard Lidia Morawska

Prolonged Campylobacter epidemic from chicken meat needs a strong industry and regulatory response

Chicken contaminated with Campylobacter continues to cause illness and deaths in Aotearoa, reflecting long-term regulatory failure.
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Issue date

17 July 2025

Author(s)

Michael Baker Leah Grout John Kerr Nick Wilson
Government cannot achieve “enduring freshwater policy” by siding with narrow commercial interests

The Government’s proposed changes to national freshwater policy favour the interests of narrow commercial and agricultural groups at the expense of other sectors.
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Issue date

15 July 2025

Author(s)

Marnie Prickett Mike Joy Marie Doole Simon Hales
Do people who smoke make truly informed choices?

Research suggests very few people who smoke made considered decisions, understood addiction, or fully appreciated the risks they faced when they started smoking as teenagers.
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Issue date

03 July 2025

Author(s)

Janet Hoek Jude Ball
Rebuilding Aotearoa’s statistical foundation: Toward fairer outcomes for Pacific Peoples

Pacific peoples are consistently undercounted in Aotearoa’s official statistics. Stats NZ’s shift to using existing records to replace the census threatens to deepen inequities in health, services, and resource allocation.
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Issue date

18 June 2025

Author(s)

Gerard Sonder Debbie Ryan
Major vaping reforms: Will they deliver on public health aims?

New laws coming into effect this week could mark an important step toward reducing youth vaping in Aotearoa New Zealand, but rigorous enforcement is essential.
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Issue date

16 June 2025

Author(s)

Jude Ball Janet Hoek Richard Edwards
Image: Office of the Clerk

Regulatory Standards Bill threatens the public interest, public health and Māori rights

Public policy and law experts urge New Zealanders to oppose the Regulatory Standards Bill, warning that it excludes key public values like health, wellbeing and environmental protection.
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Issue date

12 June 2025

Author(s)

Jonathan Boston Michael Baker Andrew Geddis Carwyn Jones Geoffrey Palmer
Tighter controls on vape marketing due, but gaps remain

New vaping legislation coming into effect on 17 June will tighten controls on vape product marketing and help reduce their appeal to young people, but the Government should do more to reduce vape store density, including phasing out stores near schools.
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Issue date

11 June 2025

Author(s)

Janet Hoek Jude Ball Calvin Cochran
Image: Luke Pilkinton-Ching

Prevention and treatment of mental disorders will help reduce dementia

New research adds to growing evidence showing mental health disorders significantly raise the risk of dementia in Aotearoa New Zealand. It highlights the urgent need for early, sustained, and population-level investment in mental health and wellbeing.
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Issue date

03 June 2025

Author(s)

'Etuini Ma'u Sarah Cullum Gary Cheung
Social contract needed to deliver a 'no BS' public health agenda

Government Budgets need to move beyond a financial focus toward a future-focused economic approach. This should prioritise the capacity and capability of the nation’s productive resources, including people, ecosystems, and infrastructure.
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Issue date

30 May 2025

Author(s)

Ganesh R Ahirao
Disposable vapes: An emerging environmental health threat

Waste from single-use disposable vaping devices is becoming a growing environmental and public health threat, both globally and in Aotearoa New Zealand. A dedicated system is urgently needed to manage this complex waste.
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Issue date

28 May 2025

Author(s)

Anup Bhetuwal Chris Bullen

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