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Health News – Tobacco Industry’s Manipulation of Grassroots Campaigns: An Assault on Democracy – Hapai Te Hauora

Source: Hapai Te Hauora

The campaign by big tobacco calls upon New Zealanders to rally behind small dairy owners facing the alleged threats posed by the Smokefree 2025 Act. The campaign’s website features testimonials from individuals who appear to be dairy owners, expressing their concerns about the potential impact on their livelihoods. But, as Farah’s investigative efforts have revealed, these messages of support for the campaign’s goals are far from impartial. The fine print at the bottom of the page acknowledges the campaign’s funding and support from tobacco giants BAT New Zealand and Imperial Brands.
“The tobacco industry’s involvement in campaigns like these highlight their manipulation of public sentiment for their own profit,” says Jason Alexander, Interim CEO of Hāpai Te Hauora. “It is concerning to witness tobacco companies exploiting the concerns of small business owners to further their agenda, which ultimately endangers public health. “The influence of tobacco companies on initiatives like the ‘Save Our Stores’ campaign risks, exacerbating existing health disparities. 
Alexander says “The Smokefree 2025 Act and similar policies have the potential to improve Māori health outcomes by reducing smoking rates, campaigns like this undermine these efforts. Whānau māori, already burdened by higher smoking rates and associated health issues, are particularly vulnerable to the tobacco industry’s deceptive practices, that attempt to maintain the status quo”
The tactics employed by the campaign, including the distribution of posters featuring alarming messages such as “This dairy is under threat of closure,” paint a picture of desperation and fear, overshadowing the core issue at hand – the long-term health and well-being of New Zealanders. 
British American Tobacco and Imperial Brands chose to remain silent on certain questions, and claimed to be “supporting the voice of New Zealand’s small convenience store owners being pushed out of business,” yet their reluctance to address funding sources and misleading claims is an indication of their intentions. 
“The tobacco industry’s actions are an assault on democracy,” states Alexander. “The fact that they can influence public discourse and government policies through misleading campaigns demonstrates a dire need for stronger regulations to prevent such manipulative practices.” 
The campaign’s use of misleading statistics and fear-mongering tactics is reminiscent of strategies employed by tobacco companies in the past. As mentioned in Hancock’s article, University of Otago Health Professor Janet Hoek remarks, “These advertisements show us just how deeply hypocritical tobacco companies are. They are advocating for change while simultaneously supporting the continued sales of harmful tobacco products.” 
This campaign is not an isolated incident; similar tactics have been observed globally. History reveals that tobacco companies have consistently utilised such tactics to obstruct and subvert policies aimed at reducing smoking rates and improving public health.
Alexander says, “As New Zealand moves towards its Smokefree 2025 goal, it is of utmost importance that the voices of public health experts, community leaders, and concerned communities resonate louder than those of tobacco companies. The future of a healthier New Zealand lies in the balance, it is essential we recognise and call out the deceptive strategies employed by tobacco corporations who continue to value profit over people, livelihoods over the lives of whānau. 
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Maritime NZ announces safer boating funding for 2023

Source: Maritime New Zealand

Maritime NZ has announced recipients of its annual Community Grant funding for safety programmes to help reduce fatalities and injuries to people out on the water in recreational craft.
In total, 21 projects and initiatives around the country will share $876,680 worth of funding. In 2022, 24 projects shared $853,000.
In 2022 there were 17 deaths (spread across 16 incidents) related to recreational craft. The number of fatalities has remained relatively consistent over the last decade, despite significant efforts from recreational craft safety-focussed organisations.
For Maritime NZ Director, Kirstie Hewlett, these fatalities and the substantial number of preventable harm incidents are of significant concern for her and the rest of Maritime NZ.
“With nearly two million people in New Zealand undertaking activities on the water, we know it is very important to get the right safety messages out to a wide range of people, from different backgrounds, all over Aotearoa.
“At Maritime NZ, we will be looking for opportunities to promote the work of other organisations to reduce harm, and are keen to see collaborative approaches to safety across the sector.
“No one organisation has the answer or the ability to reach everyone. This is why it is important to work together to increase water users’ knowledge on how to be safe on the water, and ultimately bring down instances of harm.
A key part of the funding allocation decision was looking at how to reach at-risk groups.
“There are several initiatives that are targeted to supporting different ethnic groups, including Pasifika, Asian and Māori communities.
“Across New Zealand, we know there are differing levels of safety knowledge, safety equipment owned by water users and language barriers for some communities. It is hugely important we keep up our previous momentum with supporting these communities and have them prioritising safety.
“Everyone should go home safely from a day out on the water.
“It is vital water users understand the rules and know how to keep themselves safe,” Ms Hewlett says.
The funding is split across local and national initiatives, with recipients located all around New Zealand.
Among the initiatives that have secured funding are Coastguard’s Old4New lifejacket upgrade programme, which includes Second Life Lifejackets and received $100,000; Northland Regional Council’s Nobody’s Stronger Than Tangaroa campaign, which received $85,000; and $70,000 for Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s Kia marutau ki te wai and Safety is Our Wai scheme.
Beneficiary organisations include the Kayak Association of Sea Kayakers, Watersafe Auckland (Drowning Prevention Auckland), New Zealand Stand Up Paddling, Jet Boating NZ, and several regional councils.
A key purpose of the fund is to support campaigns and collaboration led by the members of New Zealand’s Safer Boating Forum, a coalition of organisations dedicated to improving safety in the recreational boating sector.
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Politics News – ESSENTIAL LAUNCHES MONTHLY NEW ZEALAND POLL

Source: Essential Media Communications

9 August 2023 – Essential has launched a new monthly poll tracking voting intention and public attitudes to political and social issues in New Zealand.

The Essential Report Aotearoa New Zealand will be published on the second Wednesday of every month at essentialreport.co.nz.

Questions will be discussed with the Guardian. They will change from month to month and include emerging and topical issues.

New Zealand civil society organisations will can also check in with Kiwis by purchasing their own private questions in the poll.

“In our inaugural New Zealand poll, we’ve heard loud and clear that Kiwis think New Zealand is on the wrong track. While National are ahead, voters aren’t feeling great love for either Mr Luxon or Mr Hipkins,” Essential’s Managing Director Peter Stahel said.

“It’s clear that cost of living issues are biting hard. People across age groups, gender and geography are seeking policies to address the rising cost of living on groceries, housing and job security.

“Essential will seek to avoid fuelling the polling horse race, by publishing figures that represent voters who are unsure of their final vote. It is important to note that the seat projections are based on an assumption that these voters will either not vote, or vote in line with those who have already made up their mind.

While Essential is an Australian company, our Kiwi poll will be conducted by our Auckland-based researcher, who has over 20 years of experience conducting social research and political polling in New Zealand.

“We’ve been helping Australians keep their finger on the pulse through our Essential Report for over two decades. We’re thrilled to be extending this offering into New Zealand,” Mr Stahel said.

The Essential Report New Zealand will survey approximately 1,100 Kiwis every month, asking questions about everything from understanding of the big political announcements to awareness of pop culture trends.

“While we don’t expect our poll to get to the bottom of who can rightly claim ownership of pavlova, Russell Crowe or Quade Cooper, we do expect to have some fun with it along the way,” Mr Stahel said.

Read Peter Stahel’s analysis in the Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/09/most-say-new-zealand-is-on-the-wrong-track-can-it-avoid-a-drift-to-populism

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Economy News – Investor risk eases in Europe during Q1 2023, but challenges remain, reports GlobalData

:start Source: GlobalData

Despite global challenges, the European economy shows resilience, driven by lower energy prices, reduced supply constraints, improved consumer sentiment, and a strong labor market. During the first quarter (Q1) of 2023, the EU expanded by 0.1% on a quarterly basis following a contraction of 0.2% in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2022. Based on all these factors, the region’s risk score decreased from 33 in Q4 2022 to 32.9 in Q1 2023 out of 100, reveals GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

In the 20th update version of GlobalData’s “Global Risk Report Quarterly Update – Q1 2023,” among the 41 countries evaluated in the European region, 17 countries were identified in the very low-risk zone, 13 countries in the low-risk zone, 10 countries under manageable risk, one country under high risk.

EU’s overall inflation rate eased to 7.1% in May 2023 from a peak of 11.5% in October 2022. Food inflation declined to 15% in May 2023 from a high of 19.5% in March 2023, while energy inflation dropped to (-)0.3% in May 2023 from its previous peak of 41.1% in June 2022.

Consumer confidence in the EU was bolstered by lower inflation, resulting in nine consecutive months of improvement in the consumer confidence index until June 2023, according to OECD data. However, business confidence remained weak due to high financing costs and decreased external demand, leading to five consecutive months of decline in the index until June 2023. Despite this, the labor markets in Europe remained robust, with unemployment reaching a record low of 5.9% in May 2023.

Maheshwari Bandari, Economic Research Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Although few indicators highlight economic green shoots in Europe, economic recovery is uneven, with varying performance among countries. The region must continue its stride on tackling high core inflation, sustain growth, and ensure financial stability. If only Eurozone is considered, the region was in a technical recession with real GDP contraction in Q4 2022 and Q1 2023 and tightening monetary policy further adding to financial risks. However, factors like lower energy prices and a strong labor market offer hope for gradual improvement in 2023.”

Germany saw the swiftest rise in ranking in the Q1 2023 GCRI due to the easing semiconductor shortage, decreased energy prices, and increased demand from China. Conversely, Russia experienced a notable decline, falling three places since the last update, as the impact of extensive sanctions became evident.

Several European countries (Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Germany) are on the list of the top 15 lowest-risk countries out of 153 nations in the Q1 2023 GCRI update. Meanwhile, Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Moldova, were the nations having the highest risk in the European region in the same update.

The migration crisis in the European Union (EU) continues into 2023, with a significant number of irregular border crossings and asylum applications remaining at high levels. According to the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), there was a notable increase of 64% in irregular border crossings and a 46% rise in asylum applications in 2022 among EU member states. This trend is anticipated to persist, placing continued pressure on destination countries to effectively handle the influx of refugees and irregular migrants.

Bandari concludes: “Europe is currently experiencing a slow recovery after a substantial downturn. Though there is a slight improvement in growth, financial conditions remain difficult. Achieving the 2% inflation target is still a distant goal. The energy crisis initially raised concerns, but it has also prompted positive outcomes, such as a shift towards green energy with increased efficiency and accelerated green policies.”

Notes

  • Quotes provided by Maheshwari Bandari, Economic Research Analyst at GlobalData
  • The information is based on GlobalData’s Macroeconomic database.
  • The Country Risk Index (GCRI) model analyses several political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental factors and calculates the amount of risk an investor accepts when doing business in each country and region worldwide. This is then represented by an overall ‘score’.

About GlobalData

4,000 of the world’s largest companies, including over 70% of FTSE 100 and 60% of Fortune 100 companies, make more timely and better business decisions thanks to GlobalData’s unique data, expert analysis and innovative solutions, all in one platform. GlobalData’s mission is to help our clients decode the future to be more successful and innovative across a range of industries, including the healthcare, consumer, retail, financial, technology and professional services sectors.

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University Research – Why do some politicians cling to power after electoral defeat? – UoA

Source: University of Auckland

As Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election are examined in court, a recent paper sheds light on why some political leaders fight back after losing an election.

A paper published in the Journal of Conflict Resolution looks at why, following an election, a losing incumbent may be reluctant to depart gracefully and highlights the vital role of electoral integrity in ensuring the smooth transition of power in democracies.

The study by University of Auckland economics academics, Dr Chanelle Duley and Professor Prasanna Gai, shows how the threat of protest by citizens, clarity around election results, and transparent electoral processes interact to determine whether an incumbent might try to retain power.

Examples of disputed elections in Kyrgyzstan, Kenya, The Gambia, and the US are referenced in the paper, which uses game theory to explore strategic behaviour by citizens and politicians to establish conditions that may see an incumbent refuse to cede office.

Dr Duley and Professor Gai say that once there’s genuine uncertainty about election results (as was seen following the 2020 US presidential election), incumbents in advanced democracies may be reluctant to step aside.

Also according to the paper, the ability of people to coordinate and threaten an incumbent with mass protests plays an important role in ensuring compliance with electoral rules. However, uncertainty about the process behind election results hinders people’s ability to coordinate protests, and citizens may be unsure about the actual popularity of an incumbent and about what others believe.

With less common knowledge about where their sentiment sits in relation to other people, Duley says a person is less able to accurately predict the size of protests.

“By diminishing peoples’ ability to threaten costly, large-scale protests, concern over electoral probity may embolden an incumbent to ignore electoral rules.”

Meanwhile, if an election result is so strong that a politician is certain that protests will be minimal, they are less likely to step down, according to the authors, who note that shadows cast over an election result due to gerrymandering, social media campaigns, foreign interference or litigation over electoral processes weaken the role of protest and embolden incumbents to subvert electoral rules.

Duley and Gai say the link between the informativeness of an election result and the enforceability of electoral rules highlights the critical role of transparency and trust in the electoral process.

“If there’s mistrust in electoral institutions, concerns about voting arrangements, or meddling by foreign powers, then citizens may doubt the integrity of the electoral process,” says Duley, “and if doubt over electoral integrity prevails, office-seeking incumbents quite deliberately reject electoral rules.”

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Business News – Policies for business in the spotlight – BusinessNZ

Source: BusinessNZ

Deloitte and Chapman Tripp Election Conference hosted by BusinessNZ
Registrations for the 2023 Deloitte and Chapman Tripp Election Conference, hosted by BusinessNZ, are now available.
Widely regarded as the most anticipated event in election year, the conference on Tuesday 5 September at Wellington’s Te Papa allows politicians to pitch their election policies to business.
Chaired by MC Ryan Bridge, this year’s conference will feature a leader’s address by all main party leaders as well as panel sessions featuring Ministers and MPs with business-related portfolios.
The results of the Deloitte and Chapman Tripp Election Survey will also be revealed on the day. The survey, conducted by BusinessNZ, questioned 880 businesses and organisations about key business issues including the economy, infrastructure, sustainability and the workforce.
Deloitte New Zealand Chief Executive Mike Horne says the business community has a strong interest in the policies being promoted for the October election, and will want to know which parties might offer the most balanced approach that will enable economic growth, as well as address the rising cost of sustainable business practices.
“As we work through the effects of Covid-19 and more recently, climate and weather-related events in our country, respondents are again looking to the Government for a coordinated plan of action for New Zealand’s economic performance. We are increasingly seeing ‘economic wellbeing’ and ‘addressing key structural issues’ as the highest priorities from any future government,” Mr Horne said.
Chapman Tripp Chief Executive Partner Pip England says the 2023 election will have a significant impact on New Zealand’s prospects for business development and job growth, given the wide range of policy positions held by the parties contesting this year’s election.
“This election comes at a particularly difficult time for New Zealand. Covid is still amongst us as we battle through the social and economic legacy of the 2020 and, in Auckland’s case, 2021, lockdowns, and the effects of the Auckland floods and Cyclone Gabrielle. All of these events have put pressure on household budgets and on the Government’s fiscal position, meaning that the next Government is going to face some very difficult choices,” Mr England said.
BusinessNZ Chief Executive Kirk Hope says the Election Conference will be of interest not only to businesses, but also Wellington’s policy professionals and commentators working on business and economic issues.
“Policy development works best when based on feedback from informed stakeholders, with platforms for engagement such as this Election Conference. Businesses are looking forward to informed debate on the policies that matter most to them and their communities,” Mr Hope said.
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Employment and Banking – Westpac workers will walk off the job

Source: First Union

  • Almost 900 FIRST Union members who work at Westpac will take strike action on Wednesday 8th August, with a nationwide 2-hour strike from 12:00-14:00 accompanied by full-day industrial action in certain stores around the country.
  • Westpac workers have been in pay negotiations with the bank for five months and are seeking meaningful wage increases above the cost of living, but they say progress has stalled and the bank’s position has not improved.
  • Workers voted to hold a national strike for two hours, as well as a social media strike and other walkouts in individual workplaces. A picket will be held outside Westpac’s head office building on Takutai Square in Auckland.
WHEN AND WHERE:
  • National withdrawal of labour – Wednesday 9th August, 12:00-14:00, nationwide
    • All FIRST Union members at Westpac branches across Aotearoa will participate in the 2-hour strike.
  • Picket action – Wednesday 9th August, 1400-1600, Outside Westpac Head Office, Takutai Square, Britomart, Auckland
    • Media are invited to attend the picket
  • Individual Westpac branches will take further industrial action including full-day withdrawals of labour as voted on by local FIRST Union members in the Bay of Plenty, Palmerston North, Christchurch and more.
Bill Bradford, FIRST Union organiser, said Westpac workers had not received wage increases commensurate with increased profits and workloads in the business for a long time.
“Westpac will likely make another billion dollars in profit this year but workers’ wages have stagnated for the last decade and negotiations with the bank have been drawn-out and unsuccessful,” said Mr Bradford.
“After five months, workers have voted to strike because they believe that Wespac is no longer engaging with the bargaining and a message must be sent.”
“These are difficult and stressful jobs that generate a lot of profit for Westpac, but in private, many of these workers are struggling to make ends meet and keep up with the rising cost of living.”
“We have to demand more from our banks – they are some of the richest organisations in the country but do not support the communities they make so much money from.”
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Animal Welfare – Klook ushers in new animal welfare policy, as Air New Zealand lags behind

Source: World Animal Protection

Klook, one of the leading online travel companies, has launched an animal welfare policy to end the sale of circus-style performances involving elephants, dolphins and tigers.
As global attitudes shift towards more ethical wildlife experiences, there are calls for Air New Zealand to stop selling cruel venues like Mason Elephant Lodge which offers elephant riding.
Klook’s new policy will come into effect by the end of October 2023, ramping up pressure for more travel companies to follow suit as travellers seek more cruelty-free travel options.
World Animal Protection Head of Campaigns ANZ, Suzanne Milthorpe said:
“We welcome Klook’s progress, and what is a good first step in implementing an animal welfare policy. We hope to see the company move towards eliminating all cruel wildlife attractions from its platform, and work towards a fully responsible tourism future to give their customers peace of mind when booking with them.
“We urge all tourism industry players to take responsibility for the activities and venues they promote, and work with us towards a future where tourism is responsible, sustainable, and does not contribute to wildlife cruelty.”
World Animal Protection’s 2023 Holidays that Harm report found that over 1,300 wild animals, including elephants, tigers, and dolphins, are being exploited for tourist entertainment in inadequate conditions across Bali and Lombok. The report also found that the majority of the wildlife entertainment venues investigated didn’t even meet the basic needs of the wild animals being kept there.
Elephant riding and bathing, wildlife selfies with orangutans, swimming with dolphins in artificial pools, and tiger shows were found to be some of the cruellest wildlife attractions offered to tourists.
World Animal Protection’s recent Real Responsible Traveller report also found that despite increasing demand for responsible tourism options, many of the world’s largest tourism operators including GetYourGuide, Traveloka, Trip.com, TUI/Musement and Klook were selling low-welfare wildlife venues and did not have policies to ensure they were not profiting from animal cruelty at the venues and attractions they sell.
Suzanne Milthorpe added: “Unlike Klook, who have started working to end the demand for cruel wildlife practices, GetYourGuide, Traveloka, Trip.com and TUI/Musement are continuing to support and sustain these practices. These companies are choosing to profit from wildlife suffering and are not keeping pace with other global travel companies like Virgin Holidays, Airbnb, Booking.com and now Klook who are taking steps to protect wild animals caught up in tourism.
“We are seeing a global shift in attitudes towards wildlife in entertainment, with most travellers wanting to do the right thing, and book holidays free from animal cruelty.
“More and more, we’re seeing travel companies following the demand for cruelty-free travel, with companies like Airbnb. Booking.com, Intrepid and World Expeditions, and over 130 others globally end sales to cruel captive performances. We will continue to encourage Klook to remove other close interactions with elephants such as bathing and feeding, and truly become a wildlife-friendly travel company.”
In addition to the companies named above that are directly selling cruel wildlife practices, some companies, such as Tripadvisor, Expedia and Air New Zealand, continue to sell accommodation at low-welfare and cruel wildlife venues, fuelling demand for wildlife exploitation and suffering.
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Greenpeace – Greenpeace calls for caution over BlackRock investment in NZ electricity generation

Source: Greenpeace

Greenpeace is calling for caution in response to today’s announcement that the Government has partnered with BlackRock to increase finance for renewable energy.
“It’s good to see the Government finally showing some ambition for real climate action,” says Greenpeace spokesperson Amanda Larsson.
“Building a significant amount of new renewables is essential if we’re going to replace climate-polluting fossil fuels, especially in the transport and industrial sectors. But how you do renewables also matters.”
Greenpeace is concerned about the heavy reliance on private finance to achieve 100% renewable energy goals.
“This announcement hasn’t been balanced with meaningful policies to support household solar or community energy, as has been done in most other countries that are leading the charge on renewables, like Denmark and Germany. Even in the US and Australia, there is much more support for household and community energy,” says Larsson.
“What we’ve seen in countries that have done renewable energy rollouts well is that local ownership is essential for generating buy-in to new renewables and ensuring that local people and communities benefit. That kind of public buy-in speeds the roll-out of renewables.
“The Government announced a deal today that puts renewable energy into the hands of overseas private investors. Alongside yesterday’s announcement that the Government wants the fast-track consenting process to be a key vehicle for new renewables, we have very real concerns that these projects will be forced through without local buy-in. Doing renewables badly is ultimately bad news for the climate.”
Larsson also says that, when it comes to climate change, it’s not all about renewables.
“Here in New Zealand, the major sources of climate pollution are cars and cows. Any political party that is serious about climate change needs to come to the table with ambitious policies to address big dairy and transport emissions.”
In June, Greenpeace, alongside more than forty other organisations, launched a ten-point plan for climate action, called Climate Shift. The plan calls for urgent climate action from all political parties in the lead-up to the 2023 election.
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Health News – Canterbury charity’s ice-bath challenge named one of NZ’s best events

Source: Bone Marrow Cancer Trust

 

Two-time leukaemia survivor Josh Komen is celebrating another milestone, as the charity he froze for is named a finalist in the 2023 New Zealand Event Awards.

 

Josh Komen, the first ever ambassador for Rānui House, was the brains and bravery behind the Take the Challenge, Embrace the Cold event, which saw Josh set New Zealand’s ‘unofficial’ ice-bath record on prime-time TV.  

 

The event, held on 29 March 2023, has just been named as finalist in the Best Community or Not-for-profit Event (under 3,000) category at the 2023 New Zealand Events Association annual awards. The Awards, which received a record-number of entries, will be announced at a Gala Evening at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre on 9 November 2023.

 

To set NZ’s ‘unofficial’ ice-bath record, Josh Komen spent 21 minutes in the ice bath, supported by 38 others who took turns having a dip in the freezing water. Many more kiwis supported Josh from home by taking part in the Two-Week Cold Shower Challenge. The Take the Challenge, Embrace the Cold event raised the profile of Rānui House and the Bone Marrow Cancer Trust, and raised $100,795 for the charity.

 

“All I wanted to do was to give back to Rānui House, which gave me a home and hope during my darkest days. To have raised over $100k in the process, and for the event to now be recognised nationally, is just incredible. I’m over the moon,” says Josh. 

 

Rānui House, owned and managed by the Bone Marrow Cancer Trust, provides accommodation for patients and families undergoing life-saving medical treatment at Christchurch hospitals. Josh and his family stayed for 474 nights at Rānui House while he was battling Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, a type of cancer of the blood. He came up with the idea for the record-setting attempt earlier this year as a way of giving back to Rānui House, which he says was a “saving grace” for him and his family during his epic health battle – a battle he helped overcome after discovering the physical and mental benefits of ice therapy. 

 

Bone Marrow Cancer Trust CEO Mandy Kennedy says for the last 30 years, the Trust has been a quiet achiever, but Josh’s unique idea gave them a chance to change that.

 

“Having a man of such unquestionable character, passion and drive gift his time to sharing his story and telling ours through the Take the Challenge, Embrace the Cold event was very special. Thanks to Josh and his unwavering commitment to our cause, we raised awareness of Rānui House and celebrated the brave kiwis who have called our house home while raising much-needed funds.

 

“The Take the Challenge, Embrace the Cold event was more successful than we ever dreamed. It’s an honour to have the work of Josh and the incredible volunteers who made it happen recognised through the New Zealand Events Association awards,” says Mandy. 

 

The Bone Marrow Cancer Trust fundraised for and gifted to New Zealand its first Bone Marrow Cancer Unit in 1991. Two years later, the Trust built Rānui House and since then accommodates up to 26 families every day and has provided more than 150,000 accommodation nights to patients and families in need.

 

The funds raised through the Take the Challenge, Embrace the Cold event will go towards the refurbishment of Little Rānui, the original nine apartments at Rānui House. With demand increasing for the unique blend of accommodation, compassion and care the House provides, the Bone Marrow Cancer Trust is expanding its offering with a new 43-apartment complex in central Christchurch due to open in 2024.

 

More information about Josh’s journey and story can be found here: https://bmct.org.nz/story/former-kiwi-athlete-and-two-time-leukaemia-survivor-josh-komen-announced-as-the-first-ever-ambassador-for-the-bone-marrow-cancer-trust/

About Rānui House and the Bone Marrow Cancer Trust 

 

The Bone Marrow Cancer Trust developed Rānui House.

 

The Trust was established to raise $1.1 million to establish New Zealand’s first Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at Christchurch Hospital, but the Trustees knew the challenge was greater than that. They had to provide patients and their families somewhere to stay for the intense and ongoing treatments they were facing. They knew that if families can stay together, they can heal faster.

 

Rānui House opened on 12 February 1993 with six apartments, which was increased to nine apartments two years later. Demand soon outstripped supply and in 2008, the House was extended to offer the 26 semi or fully self-contained apartments that are there today. Rānui House supports patients and their families no matter their age or medical treatment type, providing accommodation, support, and meals, where required. Patients can be hospital inpatients or outpatients and can stay at Rānui House as long as they need.  

 

In the year to December 2022, stays at Rānui House were for haematology (31%), oncology (15%), cardiology (7%), general surgery (12%), and nephrology (9%), with the remainder covering gastro, ENT, ICU, orthopaedic, NICU, vascular and respiratory. 33% of families are from Canterbury, with 24% from Nelson/Tasman/Marlborough, 23% from the West Coast, 15% from Otago/Southland, and the remainder from the North Island or the Chatham Islands. 

The Trust also funds life-saving and world-class cancer research through its annual grants programme via the Bone Marrow Cancer Research Trust.