NZ Government Research Articles

Health Digital Indicators’ Juxtaposition

A study is discussed the comparison of main health performance indicators in two different countries: New Zealand and Republic of Cyprus, and globally by approaches from the particular to the general, and multi-dimensional measures of global health indication. The objective was to establish the content validity, the reliability and sensitivity, and the validity of rank order comparisons. This study analyzed 2021-2023 annual reports World Health Organization, European Union Commission, and NZ government. The finding of this work is synopsis of Health Digital Indicators. The result of synopsis has shown that there are so many different kinds of Health Indicators that unite by digital technology to collect data for them. Author juxtaposed regional (European and Pacific) and global health indicators counted for health goals.

The COVID-19 “Vaccines”: What is the truth?

The following is being published as if it were a “Letter to the Editor”[1] of the IJVTPR. It was written in response to a request to the Editorial Board from Charles Tortise on behalf of the de jure Sovereign Wakaminenga Maori Government (WMG) of Nui Tireni New Zealand. He called on the journal editors and authors to supply up to the minute information to be used in helping to shape nationwide policy in New Zealand during the COVID-19 Aftermath. Whereas the leader of the de facto Wellington government, the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, recently relaxed certain “mandates” — ones that Blaylock refers to as “draconian” — concerning the COVID-19 masks and injections, her whole de facto NZ government, which draws authority from the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi has always been legally subordinated to the de jure Sovereign Wakaminenga, in accordance with the 1835 He Wakaputanga, a Declaration of Independence by the Confederation of the Chiefs of the United Maori tribes. By law, the subordinate NZ government headed up now by Ardern, must be authorized each year by the agreement of the direct descendants of those Chiefs, meeting in Congress, known as the National Wakaminenga, to continue as the de facto government. This being the case, it is the declared intention of the WMG to learn as much as possible about the COVID-19 injectables, and about the world-wide genetic experiments that are underway. Such information is needed in order for the de jure WMG to decide wisely about whether the policies and regulations put in place as the COVID-19 response of the de facto NZ government in Wellington were as “safe and effective” as has been said and review their performance accordingly. Maori are defined as people who “aspire to purity without blemish”, and the jurisdiction they have is, as far as we know, unique in all the world. Therefore, the discussion underway there, incorporating the information in this letter, written by Russell Blaylock, MD and retired neurosurgeon, is addressed not only to the WMG through Charles G. Tortise, but also the whole world. It is written on behalf of a group of people hardly known to much of the rest of the world but who are, in the estimation of the editors of this journal, about to make world-wide history in respect to the COVID Aftermath. It was after consultation among several members of our Editorial Board that we decided to call on Russell Blaylock, to write the initial position paper, as it were, to be presented to the WMG. He won’t say it but we will: he is eminently well qualified and credentialed to write the opinion letter that follows. This is his position paper for the WMG.
 
 [1] This letter has been reviewed by three other members of the Editorial Board for the IJVTPR and is published here because of the importance of the issues at stake not only to all New Zealand, but to the whole world. In the opinion of the editors, the policies being challenged by the sovereign Wakaminenga Maori Government (WMG) of New Zealand — for reasons detailed by Russell Blaylock, MD — are of critical importance to the whole world. The WMG is led by Arikinui Ripekatangi also known by her English name as Georgina Job. The term “Wakaminenga” in Te reo, the Maori language, means “assembly”. The Maori people are from different tribes called “iwi” and smaller groups known as “hapu”. Leaders of the northern tribes began meeting from about 1808 in a formal assembly to discuss laws and policy concerning the increasing interactions with foreigners, especially the British that followed soon after James Cook landed there during one of his voyages of exploration. The assembly was known as “Te Wakaminenga o Ngā Hapū o Nu Tīreni” [the General Assembly of the Tribal Nations]. The WMG is the administrative arm of the current National Assembly, website here. Of note Arikinui Ripekatangi issued a statement dated August 16, 2022 outlining the background leading to this article. The website address for the WMG news releases is here.

Investigating the transmission risk of infectious disease outbreaks through the Aotearoa Co-incidence Network (ACN): a population-based study

SummaryBackgroundThe emergence and re-emergence of infectious diseases presents a significant challenge to public health and broader society. This study utilises novel nationwide data to calculate the transmission risk and potential inequity of infectious disease outbreaks through use of network analysis.MethodsNationwide employment and education microdata (∼4.7 million individuals in Aotearoa New Zealand) were used to develop the Aotearoa Co-incidence Network (ACN). The ACN considers connections generated when individuals are employed at the same workplaces or enrolled at the same schools. Through forms of network analysis, connections between geospatial areas can be established and provide proxy measures of infectious disease transmission risk. The ACN was also overlayed with nationwide population vulnerability data based on the number of older adults (>65 years) and individuals with long-term health conditions.FindingsWe identify areas that have both high potential transmission risk (i.e., highly connected) and high vulnerability to infectious diseases. Community detection identified geographic boundaries that can be relevant to the application of regional restrictions for limiting infectious disease transmission.InterpretationIntegrating novel network science and geospatial analytics provides a simple way to study infectious disease transmission risk and population vulnerability to outbreaks. Our replicable method has utility for researchers globally with access to such data. It can help inform equitable preparation for, and responses to infectious disease outbreaks.FundingThis project was funded by the Health Research Council of New Zealand (20/1442) and from the NZ Government via Ministry for Business Innovation and Employment and Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Under the stars of Matariki...

Under the stars of Matariki...

Using Coronial Records to Provide Novel In-Depth Insights into Work-Related Fatal Injury

IntroductionNew Zealand’s (NZ) workplace fatality record is very poor compared to similar OECD countries. The reasons for NZ’s poor performance are highly debated yet inadequately informed due to a lack of high quality fatality data. Due to incomplete official data on work fatalities in NZ, it is not currently possible to use routine official data collections to reliably report: i) who is fatally injured due to work activities, and ii) what groups should be prioritised for action.
 Objectives and ApproachThis study uses coronial records to overcome the limitations of existing official data collections to provide the most complete and detailed evidence platform for occupational safety policy and action in NZ. A work-related fatal injury dataset spanning the period 2005-2014 was created by: 1) identifying possible cases aged 0-84 years from the Mortality Collection using selected external cause of injury codes, 2) linking these to Coronial records and 3) identifying and coding work-related cases.
 ResultsOf 7,730 injury fatalities with corresponding Coronial records retrieved and reviewed, 1,924 (24%) were work-related, of which 955 were workers. Fifty-nine per cent more worker deaths were identified compared to available official NZ Government estimates from notification and compensation data. Workers killed on public roads were the main additional group identified. Official data do not provide occupation-based fatality rates; our study found ‘Miners and drillers’, ‘deckhands and fishermen’ and ‘loggers’ had the highest rates of fatal injury.
 Conclusion / ImplicationsCoronial records offer a rich source of population data on work-related fatal injury deaths, providing better estimates of work-traffic fatalities and high risk occupations than are otherwise available as well as evidence for establishing prevention strategies in NZ.

Smoking Cessation Interventions Amongst New Zealand Dental Students: A Survey

Introduction:The NZ Government has set the goal of a smoke-free country by 2025. Research has shown that NZ dentists engage little in promotion of smoking cessation amongst their patients. The knowledge of, and attitudes towards, smoking cessation interventions of NZ dental students has not previously been reported.Aims:To investigate smoking cessation intervention practices of clinical dental students and explore perceived barriers to their delivery.Methods:A survey was conducted of all students in the three clinical years of the 5-year New Zealand dental training programme.Results:The response rate was 73.7%. At least half of the participants did not recall the inclusion of smoking cessation intervention information in the curriculum. The majority (70.9%) used a routine protocol to identify smokers. Almost two-thirds felt that smoking cessation interventions are important, whilst two-fifths felt it is their duty as a health professional. Lack of knowledge and time were the most common barriers.Conclusions:Although most dental students identify patients who smoke, the majority provide no cessation intervention services. This appears to be due to a lack of knowledge about available organisations and referral procedures. As future health professionals, dental students need better education in this area.

NZ Government plans upgrade of therapeutic products regulation

NZ Government plans upgrade of therapeutic products regulation

The life cycle, achievements and transformation of the New Zealand Mental Health Commission: opportunities and risks

PurposeThe aim of the paper is to describe the “organisational lifecycle” of the New Zealand Mental Health Commission (NZ MHC) including factors that led to it being established, the evolving phases of the work it undertook and its key achievements, the critical success factors, the rationale behind its disestablishment and transfer of its core functions to another entity.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology is a review of relevant documents and interviews of previous Commissioners, and insights of the final two Chair Commissioners and authors.FindingsThe NZ MHC was established to provide government with independent advice on how to develop the capacity and capability of mental health and addictions services for those people with the highest and most complex needs, estimated to be approximately 3 percent of the population. Having successfully led changes to achieve this goal as set out in The Blueprint of 1998 it is now influencing government policy and services to achieve better mental health and well‐being for the whole population as per Blueprint II, published in 2012. The NZ Government clearly values the role of Mental Health Commissioner which has been transferred to the Office of the Health and Disability Commissioner from July 2012 at the time the Commission is disestablished.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper relies on insights of those in Commission leadership roles.Practical implicationsOther Commissions may gain insight into their own evolutionary pathways and proactively manage them.Social implicationsOptimal mental health and wellbeing for society requires policy that simultaneously takes a “whole of society” approach and focuses on responding to people with the highest needs.Originality/valueThe paper shows that there are significant concerns about the disestablishment of the Mental Health Commission in New Zealand and little understanding of the underlying rationale for the organisational changes.

Examining naturalistic decision making in outdoor adventure contexts by computer simulation

Participation rates in outdoor adventure activities have reached all-time high levels, with increasing numbers of adventure tourists and students in programmes which feature risk and adventure (McGillivray & Frew, 2007; New Zealand Department of Labour, 2010). More people are undertaking outdoor adventures such as hiking and mountain biking with friends and family groups as part of their leisure lives (Sport & Recreation New Zealand (SPARC), 2008). In New Zealand, all school children are engaged in outdoor education activities through the school curriculum and many tertiary institutions offer courses in outdoor recreation. Consequently, numerous students are receiving outdoor adventure experiences through formalised programmes. There are a worrying number of incidents and fatalities across outdoor adventure in both tourism and educational contexts (New Zealand Department of Labour, 2010). For instance, there have been over 20 fatalities in formal education and tourism adventure recreation in NZ in the last two years (2009-10). Of these, over half have been a consequence of decision errors (e.g. Devonport, 2010). Undoubtedly, decisions made by leaders in outdoor adventure activities affect safety and the quality of leisure experiences for participants. The New Zealand Department of Labour Report (2010) to the NZ Government identifies that a skilled, qualified and experienced workforce is extremely important to the outdoors. They suggest that the outdoors is a dynamic and uncontrolled workplace where weather conditions and the risks presented by height, water and speed compound safety management scenarios and call for "quick decisions and excellent judgment" (p. 36). The outdoor leadership literature identifies decision making as an essential component (Berman & Davis-Berman, 2009; Galloway, 2007; Martin, Schmid, & Parker, 2009; Tozer, Fazey, & Fazey, 2007). While there are numerous theories of decision making, this paper adopts the perspective of macrocognition, broadly defined as understanding how people actually make decisions in complex, naturalistic environments (Schraagen, Klein, & Hoffman, 2008). More specifically, naturalistic decision making (NDM) informs the work, where decisions by experts are guided by prior experiences to understand a situation, identify a course of action and implement it. Increasingly, NDM has attracted the attention of outdoor recreation researchers (see Galloway, 2002, 2007). Little is formally known about how an outdoor leader makes a decision in an outdoor adventure environment (Galloway, 2002). In particular, what information is recognised and how it is interpreted, how options for action are thought through and selected, and how decisions are enacted in the field. In a broader sense a cohesive curriculum for training decision making does not exist; decision making is difficult to assess in leadership qualifications, there are few teaching resources and it is difficult to teach because of the need for a strong base in experience. There are also challenges to NDM. One of these has been the lack of experimental work to counterbalance the vast amount of descriptive material (Ericsson, 2005). Other limitations are the applicability of NDM where the leaders are less experienced, or where there are unfamiliar tasks or goal conflict (Klein, Orasanu, Calderwood & Zsambok, 1993). Mosier and Fischer (2009) question the role of tacit knowledge, emotion and the affective domain. Flach (2008), and Kahneman and Klein (2009) identify the gaps between the view of cognition that shapes experimental paradigms and that derived from ethological studies of human performance. The two positions have also been identified as microcognition (how cognition takes place in the human mind, hence the building blocks of decision making (DM)) and macrocognition (the broader picture of human performance in actual working conditions). The present work goes some way to bridging the two perspectives. …

Electricity use trends in New Zealand office buildings, 1990‐2008

PurposeThis paper aims to determine trends in office building electricity use in New Zealand.Design/methodology/approachThe research examined Property Council of New Zealand annual operating expense survey data for the period 1990‐2008 and identified trends in both electricity expense and consumption per square metre.FindingsElectricity consumption was surprisingly stable over the study period and electricity expenditure per square metre decreased in real terms until very recently. There were some significant differences in the level of consumption between different quality buildings and different locations but the trends were the same.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings revealed major problems in the accuracy and extent of electricity use data collected.Social implicationsGlobally the built environment has been assessed as accounting for 40 per cent of energy consumption. While New Zealand generates most of its electricity from sustainable hydroelectric sources, there are limited opportunities to expand such generation. As a result, the NZ government has been promoting energy efficiency as a means to reduce growth in electricity demand. Efficiency policies relating to office buildings have recently been proposed, but few benchmark figures are available on which to base such policies.Originality/valueLittle research of this nature has occurred in New Zealand previously and it is necessary to establish benchmarks against which improvements in the sustainability of buildings can be measured. It is also important to identify problems in data collection so that benchmarks are robust.

Islets transplantation: New Zealand experience

Xenotransplantation might alleviate the problem of donor organ shortage for the treatment of life threatening conditions. In 2009 the New Zealand Government approved a phase I/IIa clinical trial using porcine islet cells. That was the conclusion of 14 years of regulatory work on xenotransplantation in New Zealand. In 1995 Diatranz received an approval for a pilot study on islet xenotransplantation. Four subjects with and two without microencapsulation of neonatal porcine islets were transplanted. In 1997 the pilot study was voluntary stopped by the company due to the theoretical threat of PERV transmission to a human recipient. The company initiated a project on Xenovirology including intensive PERV study. The company also initiated a dialogue with the Ministry of Health regarding future clinical trials using porcine islets. The recommendation from New Zealand Regulatory Authority, Medsafe, was to follow the FDA guidelines on xenotransplantation. The Ministry also pointed out the need to have a nationwide consultation on xenotransplantation. In 2005 the Bioethics Council of New Zealand held a nationwide consultation where cultural, ethical and spiritual aspects of animal-to-human transplantation were discussed. The recommendation from the Council included that xenotransplantation should be allowed to be developed in the country, and that the government should develop a regulatory and decision-making framework, set a monitoring body and a national register for xenotransplant recipients.The Ministry of Health also pointed out that there should be certain prerequisites for any xenotrial application, namely a donor herd free from all detectable viruses and harmful bacteria, that the Sponsor should have a GMP facility for product manufacturing, and an IANZ accredited diagnostic laboratory with the exhaustive virology program for patients’ follow-up. LCT received a GMP license in 2001 and IANZ accreditation in 2007. An elaborate program on Xenovirology has been under development and implementation since 1997 (1–6). This program allowed LCT to allocate one specific herd of pigs that was free from all conventional pathogens and was also qualified as “null” pigs or pigs that do not have a transmittable PERV. These pigs are the animal-founders for a DPF donor herd. Compliance with the requirements from NZ government allowed LCT to successfully complete its application for a clinical trial using porcine islets. In October 2009 the first New Zealand patient was transplanted with DIABECELL®. The primary objectives for the phase I/IIa clinical trial is safety and improvement in blood glucose level reflected in a decrease of HbA1c (%) level. The secondary objectives include glucose lability, reduction of insulin dose and decrease in hypoglycaemia frequency. To date LCT reports that the trial is meeting objectives for safety. A reduction in the number of unaware hypoglycaemic episodes is also reported in transplanted patients. Prolonged insulin dose reduction for up to 30% is also reported. Safety data shows the absence of evidence of pig viruses’ transmission to the recipients. Data relating to all other endpoints will be reported once the trial has completed and is unblinded.

Epidemiological Studies on Mental Health Needs of Asian Population in New Zealand

New Zealand has recently experienced a massive and rapid influx of Asian migrants. The Asian population has doubled in 10 years and is now the third-largest ethnic group. Databases reviewed include Medline, NZ government reports and NZ media releases. Despite the significant growth in the Asian population, most of whom are in a vulnerable age group for mental morbidity and are exposed to adverse experiences, accurate and systematically obtained information on the mental health of Asians is lacking. This paper argues for a need to conduct a well-designed epidemiological study on the mental health needs of Asians in New Zealand. Recommendations on how to pursue this epidemiological study are provided.

THE EAST COAST BASIN OF NEW ZEALAND, AN EMERGING PETROLEUM PROVINCE

More than 300 oil and gas seeps are known in the onshore East Coast Basin of North Island, New Zealand. Spectacular geological structures have been explored by more than 40 wells, only three of which have been offshore. Results are tantalising, with 70% of wells yielding oil or gas shows. Westech’s two gas discoveries onshore at Kauhauroa and Tuhara in northern Hawkes Bay remain un-developed at present.Strong gas shows were encountered in both open-file wells drilled offshore and elevated gas readings were recorded in the recent Tawatawa–1 well, but reservoir quality was poor.Nevertheless, good reservoir facies are abundant in the East Coast Basin. A wide range of Miocene and Pliocene sands and limestones, with porosities of 20% and above are known from outcrop and wells. But, modern, good quality seismic data are essential to allow sequence stratigraphic interpretation and a reasonable likelihood of predicting the distribution of reservoir facies. As part of its program to stimulate exploration in New Zealand, the NZ government is commissioning a new 4,000 km, highquality 2D seismic data set with the intention of making it freely available to interested exploration companies by mid-2005.The very thick sedimentary succession, the presence of direct hydrocarbon indicators on seismic data, the strong gas shows in wells drilled offshore and the reasonable expectation of oil generation and expulsion into numerous large structures with good reservoir facies combine to make the offshore East Coast Basin an attractive exploration venue.

Drug spending by NZ government up markedly since 1991

Drug spending by NZ government up markedly since 1991

Country survey XVII: New zealand's defence policy

New Zealand's current defence strategy, first expressed in NZ Government (1991), is one of "self-reliance in partnership". We outline the country's defence policy in historical context, examine its current defence expenditure and capabilities, and document the genesis of recent major changes in security policy. We pay particular attention to the role of explicit economic analysis and advice in the formation of these policy changes.

New Zealand Government Departments and the Capital Charge Regime

The financial management reform (FMR) of the New Zealand public sector was implemented to change the way the public sector was managed (Horner, 1992). In support of the FMR an project was introduced with a view to provide incentives for improving government departmental performance. As a result the capital charge regime was implemented as one part of the incentives project. The capital charge regime was introduced in New Zealand government departments in July 1991. It provided a mechanism for the Crown to require a return on the funds invested in New Zealand (hereafter NZ) government departments. This return is determined by applying a capital charge rate to a department's Taxpayers Funds. The main objective of this study is to provide an overview of what has happened in terms of the capital charge rates that government departments have been burdened with since its implementation. In addition it also raises questions about the appropriateness of the models used to derive the capital charge rate for the NZ government departments. The level of the capital charge rate is important because a high rate would result in either a department having to charge prices similar to the market for what is deemed to be public goods and services. The other alternative for them would be to withdraw the availability of the goods or services they have been created and funded (via taxpayers) to provide. In contrast a too low rate may be an ineffective incentive for an efficient and effective use of taxpayers funds. The models used to determine the capital charge rate for departments have remained the same since its inception (that is, July 1991) and they are primarily determined by using the private sector models. When these models and their variables (as determined by The Treasury) are applied to companies listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange (NZSE) the results show very little difference between the default required rate of return (hereafter capital charge) expected of a government department e.g. Work and Income New Zealand and that of a NZSE 40 stock e.g. Telecom. During the 1992/93 financial year the NZSE generated a required rate of return that was 1.5% lower than that of government departments. This strongly indicated that the models used to determine the capital charge did not fairly reflect the lower risk faced by government departments in comparison to their private sector counterparts. In addition it also showed a need to alter (or change) the models to cater for this fact. The following section looks at the developments that took place since the implementation of the capital charge regime NZ government departments and the changes that were made to the model(s) to ensure that the capital charge rate (calculated by using these models) reflect the differences in financial risk faced by a public and a private sector organisation.

Applying evaluation criteria to New Zealand government websites

Criteria for the evaluation of Government web sites were adapted from Eschenfelder, Beachboard, McClure, and Wyman ((1997) Gov. Inform. Quart. 14(2), 173) and applied to a sample of five websites of NZ government entities. Issues that arose in applying the criteria are examined, and lessons for designers of government websites explored. In particular, it is important that websites provide orientation information, that conditions for re-use of information be made clear, that privacy concerns be addressed, that print materials be properly adapted to the web environment, that materials be kept current, that contact details be available, that metadata be used effectively, that external links be made appropriately, that pages be accessible to users with disabilities, and that help information on search engines and other facilities be made available to users.

Conflict between NZ government and drug industry widens

Conflict between NZ government and drug industry widens

Recurrent limb pain in schoolchildren.

To determine the prevalence, causes and clinical features of short lasting recurrent limb pain (recurrent limb pain) in children. Population-based study in two stages, with an initial screening questionnaire followed by clinical interviews and physical examination of symptomatic children. 67 primary and secondary schools in the city of Aberdeen. 2165 children representing a random 10% sample of all schoolchildren aged between 5-15 years. (a) The causes of limb pain in children, (b) the prevalence of recurrent limb pain in schoolchildren, (c) the relationship of recurrent limb pain to childhood migraine. Sports and playground injuries were the most common cause of limb pain, affecting 9% of all children. The prevalence rate of recurrent limb pain was 2.6% (95% confidence interval 1.9 to 3.4). Episodes of recurrent limb pain had similar trigger factors, associated symptoms, and relieving factors to episodes of headache in children with migraine. Recurrent limb pain is a common cause of limb pain, with a prevalence rate of 2.6%. The close clinical and epidemiological similarities between recurrent limb pain and childhood migraine suggest a common pathogenesis.