Opinion

Despite much fanfare, and a $486 million spend from the Government, Health NZ has yet to deliver any real results for Southland. As part of the restructure, the Southern District Health Board was disestablished on July 1 and our local voice, and much of the scrutiny of our health services, was lost.

Polytechnics in the South are being forced to cut millions from their budgets because the Government’s mega-merger polytechnic entity Te Pūkenga is in such a mess, National’s Tertiary Education spokesperson and Invercargill MP Penny Simmonds says. “The Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) will be

I’m deeply concerned about the future of the Southern Institute of Technology as the Government’s mega merger structure falters. I am devastated that these so-called reforms have left the sector in a far worse position than when the Education Minister began his doomed restructuring plan three years

The Government has failed Southland’s meat industry with its unrealistic immigration settings, which have created labour shortages, and are now affecting our exporting ability. The Meat Industry Association says meat exports are down a massive 11 percent this quarter, from the same time last year, a

South’s health crisis could be lost to Govt health reforms – Sapere report likely to fall on deaf ears – Simmonds Invercargill MP Penny Simmonds fears critically needed action to improve the South’s ailing health services will not be addressed with sufficient urgency as the Government’s health refor

As a local independent news media outlet whatsoninvers.nz chose not to sign up the the Govt media slush fund. Due to the strings attached. The Platform looks closer at the Public Interest Journalism Fund and exactly what mainstream media have agreed to. Read more:  How Government funding is used to

The current media landscape is concerning. On Thursday night the GroundswellNZ and the Taxpayers Union Stop Three Waters roadshow rolled into town.  It was a full house at the Working Mans Club of over 600+ people attend. Not a peep or mention from ODT, Southland Times / Stuff’d, Southland Express,

International student numbers at the Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) have decreased since Covid 19. Across the country, the pandemic has seen numbers fall from 50,920 in 2020 to 39,005 in 2021 – a decrease of 23%. International students were once New Zealand’s fifth biggest export earner, bri