Public Health Communication Centre

Evidence supports urgent law reform to reduce dog-related injuries in Aotearoa New Zealand The number of dog-related injuries is rising in Aotearoa New Zealand, highlighting the need for stronger prevention through amendments to the Dog Control Act.

Dog-related injuries are rising in Aotearoa New Zealand, with more than 29,000 ACC claims and over 1000 hospitalisations each year. Stronger laws are needed to prevent harm.
New Briefing: evidence for reform of the Dog Control Act 1996.
www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/evi...

Covid-19 Inquiry: Swift government action on recommendations is now needed The critical next step is the NZ Government’s response. Aotearoa needs to be ready when the next pandemic hits.

The just-released Phase Two report of NZ's COVID-19 Royal Commission of Inquiry highlights the need to prepare now for the next pandemic.

In a new Briefing, Prof Michael Baker and colleagues outline key steps to strengthen New Zealand’s pandemic preparedness. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/cov...

Fire smoke and public health: From delayed warnings to real-time action As fires increase in frequency and severity in Aotearoa New Zealand, real-time air quality monitoring, coordinated agency response and wider access to indoor filtration have the potential to better pr...

Smoke from landscape and urban fires contains fine particles and toxic gases that harm respiratory and cardiovascular health. It requires real-time air quality monitoring and coordinated response. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/fir...

Fire smoke and public health: From delayed warnings to real-time action As fires increase in frequency and severity in Aotearoa New Zealand, real-time air quality monitoring, coordinated agency response and wider access to indoor filtration have the potential to better pr...

Landscape and urban fires are increasing in frequency and severity in NZ. Real-time monitoring and coordinated response systems are needed to better protect communities during fast-moving fire events. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/fir...

Fun, confidence and better health: Inside a year on an e-bike Providing free e-bikes with training and social support helps people keep riding and improves their physical and mental health, supporting the case for wider access to grow active transport in Aotearo...

Providing free #e-bikes with training and social support helps people keep riding and improves their physical and mental health, supporting the case for wider access to grow active transport in Aotearoa New Zealand. 🚲⚡ www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/fun...

Safer Drug Laws for Aotearoa: Why our 50-year-old drug legislation needs to go Evidence shows that health-based approaches to drug policy achieve better outcomes than punitive models.

You can read our full Briefing on www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/saf...

Should recreational drugs be legalised for personal use? | Herald NOW Public health lecturer Dr Rose Crossin is calling for an overhaul of NZ's drug laws. Video / Ryan Bridge Today

Evidence from international and local research shows health-based approaches to drug policy achieve better outcomes than punitive models and do not increase overall drug use when properly implemented. Watch Dr Rose Crossin on @nzherald.bsky.social LIVE
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/should-re...

Safer Drug Laws for Aotearoa: Why our 50-year-old drug legislation needs to go Evidence shows that health-based approaches to drug policy achieve better outcomes than punitive models.

Over five decades NZ’s drug laws have coincided with increased drug availability, falling prices and rising indicators of harm.

Jacek Kolodziej and co-authors call on politicians to work across party lines to replace the outdated Misuse of Drugs Act. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/saf...

Media release: Drinking water source protection downgraded in proposed RMA replacement Protection for Aotearoa New Zealand’s drinking water sources would be significantly weakened under the Government’s proposed replacement of the Resource Management Act, based on the Natural Environmen...

Protection for NZ’s drinking water sources will be significantly weakened under the proposed replacement of the RMA. 🚱 www.phcc.org.nz/news/media-r...

High sunburn rates in Aotearoa: We need more investment in skin cancer prevention The 2025 National Skin Cancer Survey shows that despite a broad awareness of skin cancer risk, sunburn remains widespread in Aotearoa New Zealand, particularly among young adults.

Sunburn remains particularly common among young adults in NZ, with most 18–24-year-olds reporting at least one sunburn and many experiencing multiple or severe sunburns in a single summer.

www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/hig...

New analysis shows the Global Health Security (GHS) Index predicted Covid-19 mortality for non-island jurisdictions, but not for island nations. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/glo...

Public support for investing in urban cycleways outweighs opposition – National Survey While more New Zealanders support increasing investment in urban cycleways than oppose it, there remains a substantial proportion of people who are unsure or unengaged on this issue.

Urban cycleways deliver well-documented safety, health, environmental and economic benefits. Evidence from NZ and overseas shows active transport investments often return benefits that far exceed their costs.
www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/pub...

Public support for investing in urban cycleways outweighs opposition – National Survey While more New Zealanders support increasing investment in urban cycleways than oppose it, there remains a substantial proportion of people who are unsure or unengaged on this issue.

A national survey of 1000+ New Zealanders found more support than opposition for increased investment in urban cycleways (41% vs 35%), with 24% neutral. #PublicHealth www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/pub...

Asbestos-contaminated children’s play sand: Assessing, mitigating and preventing the risk Asbestos contamination of children’s play sand calls for a robust risk assessment and stronger product testing at the border.

Asbestos in children’s play sand is a first for NZ and the health risk is still unclear. Experts say exposed children need long-term monitoring. #PublicHealth
www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/asb...

Seasonal rises in alcohol-related harm and violence against women Alcohol’s role in intensifying violence against women in Aotearoa is outlined in this Briefing, which calls for gender-responsive, Te Tiriti-grounded alcohol harm-reduction to support safer and more e...

Alcohol is involved in 46% of male-perpetrated intimate partner homicides. Reducing availability is an evidence-based way to prevent violent victimisation.
www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/sea...

Alcohol plays a major role in violence against women in Aotearoa, contributing to more than half of physical and sexual assaults and a third of family violence cases. Gender-responsive alcohol harm reduction is needed to support safer environments.
www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/sea...

Vaping prevalence and trends: Findings from the 2024-25 NZ Health Survey Daily vaping remained high in 2024–25, particularly among young people, Māori, Pacific peoples and those in more deprived areas. The effects of recent regulations will require monitoring.

NZ Health Survey shows more than 500,000 daily vapers with persistent inequities by age and deprivation. More evaluation and enforcement of recent regulatory changes is needed. @predwards.bsky.social
www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/vap...

Worried about how big $$ influences alcohol policy? You should be.

Check out our briefing @phcc.bsky.social today that shows:
▶️ alcohol more harmful than we thought
▶️ low-risk advice needs to be reviewed
▶️ #BigAlcohol lobbying is influencing our policy makers

Vaping prevalence and trends: Findings from the 2024-25 NZ Health Survey Daily vaping remained high in 2024–25, particularly among young people, Māori, Pacific peoples and those in more deprived areas. The effects of recent regulations will require monitoring.

Over half a million New Zealanders were vaping daily in 2024–25, and vaping remained highest among young people, Māori, Pacific peoples, and those in more deprived areas. @predwards.bsky.social www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/vap...

Reconsidering our low-risk alcohol advice: The dark influence of the alcohol industry Aotearoa’s low-risk drinking guidelines are under review, but the process is at risk of alcohol industry influence that could undermine the growing evidence showing harm even at low levels of consumpt...

Aotearoa NZ’s low-risk drinking advice has not been updated since 2011. Researchers say the current review must be protected from vested interests to ensure it reflects current evidence. #alcoholawareness www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/rec...

Reconsidering our low-risk alcohol advice: The dark influence of the alcohol industry Aotearoa’s low-risk drinking guidelines are under review, but the process is at risk of alcohol industry influence that could undermine the growing evidence showing harm even at low levels of consumpt...

Researchers warn New Zealand’s review of its low-risk drinking advice is vulnerable to alcohol industry influence. Strong safeguards are needed to ensure the process reflects independent evidence. #alcoholawareness
www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/rec...

Smoking prevalence and trends: Important findings from the 2024-25 New Zealand Health Survey Daily smoking rates in Aotearoa have stalled at about 6.8% for three years, with persistent inequities and widening gender gaps indicating the Smokefree 2025 goal will not be met.

Smoking quit rates stall in NZ. @janethoek.bsky.social @predwards.bsky.social
#PublicHealth #TobaccoControl

www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/smo...

Problematic social media use common among NZ teens as government examines age limits New survey findings show that problematic social media use is common among NZ teens and many support setting a minimum access age of 16 years.

Most NZ teens start social media between ages 10 and 13, a period critical for brain development and emotional regulation. #publichealth www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/pro...

Problematic social media use common among NZ teens as government examines age limits New survey findings show that problematic social media use is common among NZ teens and many support setting a minimum access age of 16 years.

Nearly 1 in 4 NZ teens meet criteria for problematic social media use and over a third fall into a risky category according to new survey. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/pro...

Fifteen years after Pike River: Time for leadership on workplace health and safety Aotearoa’s workplace health and safety record has seen little improvement since Pike River. We need stronger leadership and better enforcement to reduce harm and improve outcomes.

You can read more in our Briefing by Dr Chris Peace and co-authors. www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/fif...

NZ is still killing too many workers - The Front Page 15 years ago, 29 men went to work and never returned home. The Pike River mine explosion shocked New Zealand and the world, prompting three inquiries, a new regulator and new laws. But new research ...

"Will this government listen? Will they realise we are killing too many people at work, and making too many people sick because of work, and it's costing us $5.5 billion a year."

omny.fm/shows/the-fr...

Reframing the narrative: A call for a human rights-centred food system in Aotearoa Aotearoa’s food system must be redesigned to prioritise health, equity, and access to nutritious food.

Diet-related disease is rising in NZ and the food system plays a major role. The Briefing sets out how better policy settings could create healthier food environments. #foodsystems www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/ref...

Reframing the narrative: A call for a human rights-centred food system in Aotearoa Aotearoa’s food system must be redesigned to prioritise health, equity, and access to nutritious food.

NZ produces high-quality food yet many households still struggle to afford healthy options. This Briefing examines how trade-driven settings shape our diets and what systemic changes could strengthen food security. #foodsecurity
www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/ref...

Fifteen years after Pike River: Time for leadership on workplace health and safety Aotearoa’s workplace health and safety record has seen little improvement since Pike River. We need stronger leadership and better enforcement to reduce harm and improve outcomes.

"We should follow ...other countries to better protect the lives and wellbeing of our workers and also boost productivity. We owe the 29 Pike River miners this much." www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/fif...

Fifteen years after Pike River: Time for leadership on workplace health and safety Aotearoa’s workplace health and safety record has seen little improvement since Pike River. We need stronger leadership and better enforcement to reduce harm and improve outcomes.

Read our latest Briefing from workplace health & safety experts who say we are still failing workers 15 years on from Pike River.
www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/fif...