This is as important as anything I’ve ever written on Substack. A 1 hour interview with Pat Brittenden on the #BHN podcast last night in response to Act politician David Seymour calling public health doctors ‘muppets who should be put back in their box.’
I talk about Simeon Brown’s assault on public health docs who are doing the job they are trained to do, the job they are mandated by law to do, and the job they have dedicated their careers to doing: preventing disease and making our communities healthier and safer.
I talk about Shane Reti’s gutting of the Public Health Service, with 25% of them fired, disestablished or eliminated.
Why the disgusting, unprofessional, and sustained attack on Public Health?
Because public health doctors (sometimes) stand in the way of Maximising Corporate Profits.
And if there is one thing this current government has looked out for, it’s not the health of communities, or the economic well-being of the country, its Corporate Profits.
Watch the video. If it makes sense, please share it widely. Please subscribe. Please talk with your friends, and please act to stop this “Corporate Profit” government.
People must protest, patients must make their needs heard, and people must realise we are not fighting culture wars, we are simply trying to keep communities, society, democratic government, and public services alive, and healthy…
And safe from these political vandals.
-Gary Payinda
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. This government seems to have absolutely no filter - abusive, name-calling, racist, just vile. They called Labour MPs out for much less. But this is almost the last straw. Regardless of which side you're on, most sane people believe in having a reliable, functioning health care system. Thank you to people like you and Ayesha Verrall for sticking your heads above the parapet.
I can't thank you enough for your insight , warnings and efforts to keep health care free in NZ. In the 90s nurses were frightened to speak out after hospitals became Crown Health Enterprises, when health care was driven by competition between hospitals to provide the cheapest service. There were cut backs in staffing and if nurses spoke out they were instantly made "redundant" . My job in public health went when I spoke out about the lack of ENT services, but I have no regrets. Speaking out is vital if we are to save our health service. There is no option people.