PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION BULLETIN 87
FRIDAY, 19 OCTOBER 2007
NEWS
Why you are receiving the Bulletin as a link
We have just completed a major project updating the PHA membership database.
This means all members should now receive all communications. However, we
have encountered a slight hitch - it seems the software package supporting the
database is stripping out the formatting of the Bulletin, as it is sent.
While we find away around this, we will be putting the Bulletin on the PHA
Website, and linking to it. Thank you for your patience.
Drugs focus of Two Nations, Ten Cultures?” conference
4-7 November 2007, Auckland
The Combined Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs
(APSAD) and Cutting Edge Addiction Conference represents the coming together
of the main treatment-orientated addiction conferences in Australia and New
Zealand. The Combined Conference, present a unique opportunity for comparing
and contrasting national understandings and solutions to modern human
problems such as addiction.
The main theme of The Combined Conference is “Two Nations, Ten Cultures?” We
know which are the two nations, but what is “culture”? Understanding culture is
fundamental to understanding human behaviour, including aberrant human
behaviour such as that found in addiction, as well as understanding behavioural
change required for recovery from addiction.
An important sub-theme of the conference is based on the word “combined”. The
conference will investigate combinations such as medications and psychological
interventions in alcohol dependence, treating individuals and families together,
treatment of polysubstance dependence. Combining spirituality (ancient and
modern) with neurobiological advances is also a current challenge for the field in
understanding the nature of addiction.
For more information see: http://www.twonationstencultures.co.nz/
Injury prevention conference: Weaving the Strands 2007
Monday 29 October - Wednesday 31 October, Napier
This will be the first Injury Prevention Network of Aotearoa New Zealand
(IPNANZ) conference outside Wellington. It will be a place where we can explore
injury prevention issues, think outside the square and look for solutions with
fresh eyes.
Keynote speakers include:


David Engwicht, Social innovator and author, Australia, a significant
international leader of efforts to reduce the negative impacts of motor
vehicle traffic on cities and towns, and author of several books
Jim Tully, Head of Communication and Journalism, School of Political
Science and Communication, University of Canterbury, a member of the
first Canterbury diploma course in 1969, winning the Robert Bell Travelling
Scholarship. While Pacific Affairs Writer for the Auckland Star

Mereana Pitman, National Māori Chairperson of Women's Refuge. Mereana
was born and raised on the East Coast and has worked in the field of
Family Violence for over 25 years; in the last twenty years more
specifically with her own peoples.
Pio Terei, an accomplished film, television and theatre actor, comedian and host,
will be Master of Ceremonies.
For more information see: http://www.ipnanz.org.nz/page.php?p=62
Minimum wage must rise to combat child poverty says Green Party
An urgent increase in the minimum wage is needed if New Zealand is seriously
going to address issues of poverty within this country, Green Party Social
Development Spokesperson Sue Bradford says.
World Poverty Day was marked this week, and Ms Bradford says it is
unacceptable that while 20 percent of New Zealand children live in poverty, the
minimum wage remains far too low for peoples' real needs.
The Green Party also joins the Child Poverty Action Group and the Children’s
Commissioner in calling on the Government to end the discrimination built into
Working for Families, which sees the children of beneficiaries miss out just
because of parental employment status.
Asthma prevalence may be in decline
Phase three of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood
(ISAAC) has found the rise in prevalence of asthma symptoms in Englishspeaking countries such as the United Kingdom and New Zealand has peaked and
may even be in decline.
Director of the Centre for Public Health Research, Professor Neil Pearce, is the
lead author of a paper from the ISAAC phase three study. The study found that
although fewer people are reporting asthma symptoms in English speaking
countries, in other parts of the world there are marked increases in reported
asthma symptoms. These include Latin American countries such as Costa Rica,
Panama, Chile, Mexico and Argentina.
DHB Elections see changes to all Boards
New Zealand’s 21 District Health Boards will have between one and five new
elected members when boards take office in two months time. Results for all the
District Health Board (DHB) elections were released on Sunday after voting closed
at midday on Saturday.
Of the seven elected positions available on each board about two-thirds are
incumbents (either currently elected or appointed to their boards).
There were12 Maori and two Pacific candidates elected around the country and
we saw a continuing move to gender equality (around 45 percent of members are
women).
Health Minister Pete Hodgson will now appoint up to another four members to
each DHB board to balance any gaps in skills, experience and/or representation.
He will also appoint chairs and deputy chairs from amongst the elected and
appointed members.
Results are available on the www.localgovt.co.nz website by clicking on the 'vote'
logo. Final results for the DHB elections are expected to be confirmed early next
week and the new boards take office on 10 December 2007.
Health Innovation Award winners announced
A programme which tackles obesity in Auckland’s Mangere town centre has won
the Supreme Award at the 2007 New Zealand Health Innovation Awards (HIA).
Since the Mangere Healthy Kai programme began in 2003, retailers have been
selling more filled rolls, sandwiches, grilled fish and stir fry – at the expense of
high fat food. The programme has been changing eating habits in Auckland’s
Mangere town centre to help combat obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular
disease.
The Healthy Kai programme, from Auckland Regional Public Health Service, is
supported by Auckland District Health Board, Mangere Community Health Trust,
National Heart Foundation of New Zealand, Bader Drive Healthcare, Te Kupenga
O Hoturoa, Procare Network Manukau, Manukau City Council and Otara Health
Incorporated.
You can find more information about these initiatives on the Health Innovations
Awards website http://www.healthinnovationawards.co.nz
NOHSAC report urges change for NZ health and safety system
A report released by the National Occupational Health and Safety Advisory
Committee (NOHSAC) highlights a critical lack of occupational safety and health
resources and expertise in New Zealand – and calls for a single lead agency,
more and better OSH specialists and improvements to existing OSH programmes.
“The report reveals that demand for service delivery has increased dramatically in
the past two decades, yet overall funding for OSH services has declined. Many of
the government agencies responsible are now seriously under-resourced to meet
the challenges of growing and more diverse workplaces and workforces.” says
NOHSAC Chair Professor Neil Pearce.
For more information, see the NOHSAC website.
JOBS
Health Protection Unit Manager/Principal Health Protection Officer ,
Taranaki District Health Board Vacancy No. 105
An experienced Health Protection Officer is sought to manage the Health
Protection Unit and act as Principal Designated Officer for the Taranaki District
Health Board.
For further information please email sandra.boardman@tdhb.org.nz
November
Closes 16
Medicine Specialist, Taranaki District Health Board Vacancy No 108
A Public Health Medicine Specialist is sought to provide professional leadership to
the DHB’s Public Health Unit and to ensure the DHB maximises opportunities to
influence the wider determinants of health in all activities across the organisation.
As Medical Officer of Health you will carry out statutory responsibilities and
participate in rostered on-call duties with specialists from neighbouring DHB’s.
As part of your wider population health role you will advise and collaborate with
Planning and Funding and Maori Health teams including leading health impact
assessment activities for the DHB.
Please apply online or for further information contact Charles Hunt, Recruitment
Manager, charles.hunt@tdhb.org.nz. To apply online go to www.tdhb.org.nz
Closes 16 November.
Health Promoter - Te Kupenga o Hoturoa
This Maori-led Primary Health Organisation in South Auckland provides services
and support to its health providers and an enrolled population of 33,000 patients.
A person is required who has a strong understanding of public health and in
particular, health promotion concepts and approaches, an experienced and selfmotivated individual to fill a full-time role to be shared between the PHO and
Turuki Health Care, one of its providers.
For more information please contact Dallas by emailing accounts@tkoh.co.nz for
an application pack and job description. Closes 1 November.
Professional Advisor & Technical Officer (Health Protection), Position No.
50710-22377 and Health Promotion Advisor Position No. 50710-22376
Public Health & Health Promotion Services, Waikato DHB
Due to a recent review and refocusing of Public Health and Health Promotion
Services Waikato DHB has unique opportunities in its progressive service.
•
•
Are you committed, dynamic and an innovative individual?
Are you a respected team player?
If you are willing and able to work autonomously to move the department
forward in this exciting and progressive health arena, apply online
www.waikatodhb.govt.nz or phone 07 839 8949. Quote position numbers when
applying. Close 30 November.
CONFERENCES
Conferences are listed in the Bulletin for two weeks and are then transferred to
the PHA website. The listings below in bold are new this week.
Injury prevention conference:
Monday 29 October - Wednesday 31
October, Napier
For more information see:
http://www.ipnanz.org.nz/page.php?p
=62.
Weaving the Strands 2007
This will be the first Injury
Prevention Network of
Aotearoa New Zealand
(IPNANZ) conference outside
of Wellington. It will be a
place where we can explore
injury prevention issues, think
outside the square and look
for solutions with fresh eyes.
The Combined The Australasian
Professional Society on Alcohol and
other Drugs (APSAD) and Cutting Edge
Addiction Conference 4-7 November
2007, Auckland
For more information see:
Two Nations, Ten Cultures?”
The Combined Conference,
present a unique opportunity
for comparing and contrasting
national understandings and
solutions to modern human
http://www.twonationstencultures.co.n
z/.
problems such as addiction.
We have sent you this bulletin because it is one of the benefits of PHA
membership. If you do not wish to receive these bulletins in future, please e-mail
Jason@pha.org.nz to be removed from the mailing list.
Gay Keating
Liz Price
Jason Zhao
Director
Communications
Manager
Office Manager
pha.gay@pha.org.nz
pha.media@pha.org.nz
027 341 4708
0276 957 744
Jason@pha.org.nz
04 472 3060