A senior health leader warns our hospitals are in Code Blue territory as Kiwi nurses go jobless, while Luxon backs CBD move-on orders and Labour makes its pitch to govern.
Today’s episode hits hard on the issue that’s had our inbox full all weekend. A senior health professional has come forward describing New Zealand’s hospitals as being so overwhelmed they’d qualify for Code Blue. It’s a blunt assessment, and it lands even harder when paired with the reality that hundreds of Kiwi-trained nurses are sitting at home without work while overseas staff are welcomed in. Our own graduates are being offered tiny 0.6 FTE roles, barely enough to live on, and many are simply heading for Australia instead.
The panel also tackles Chris Luxon’s decision to approve move-on orders for Auckland’s homeless population ahead of summer. Rawdon and Ashley argue the CBD has become too important to leave as-is, while Duncan questions how the policy can work without somewhere for people to go. The tension between practicality and compassion is on full display.
We also look at Labour’s annual conference, their “ready for government” messaging, and why their policy announcements still feel light on detail. Between pay equity promises with no funding and a GP start-up scheme that barely touches the scale of the problem, there’s plenty for the panel to pick apart.
Duncan closes the show with a genuine opportunity: a privately funded nursing role in Hamilton caring for an elderly woman at home. For nurses needing work now, it’s well worth a look.