Penny Simmonds MP

There’s no doubt that the past couple of years have been tough for Southlanders. From postponed weddings, to funerals where the numbers were limited, cancelled school and community events and business owners under financial pressure. Local people have done the right thing for a long time – but I now

Invercargill MP Penny Simmonds says she believes the Southern District Health Board is using its new orthopaedic outpatient programme as a way to hide the huge numbers of Southland people needing surgery. “As part of the orthopaedic programme physiotherapists are running outreach clinics to reduce t

It’s frightening that in the middle of a pandemic we are facing a nursing shortage in Southland. Actually there are huge nurse shortages right across the country. Data recently released to the National Party shows that there are currently 2200 vacant nursing positions around New Zealand – including

It’s 2022 – let’s hope this year brings us better things. Over the past 18 months, Southland’s economy has been hammered by Covid-19. Businesses have suffered and events have been cancelled. The closure of the border slashed $20 billion from NZ’s economy almost overnight with the loss of internation