Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says there are some very big challenges ahead for New Zealand as the coalition Government marks its first 100 days in office.

Delegates from the three unions representing care and support workers are today - on International Women’s Day - delivering an open letter to the head of Te Whatu Ora demanding urgent action on their pay equity claim.

Health Coalition Aotearoa has today launched a petition to stop the Government cutting the free school lunches programme – Ka Ora, Ka Ako.

David Seymour and Health Coalition Aotearoa co-chair Professor Lisa Te Morenga are confident the personal insults they’ve exchanged won’t disrupt constructive debate over the Government’s free school lunches programme.

Confirmation that the government-funded school lunch programme is under review has sparked serious concern from health charities and principals.

A coalition of health charities has slammed the Government’s decision to give ministerial responsibility for free school lunches to David Seymour after the Act leader campaigned for the programme to be abolished.

Food poverty has contributed to New Zealand’s poor performance in an international educational achievement test for 15-year-olds, reigniting calls for broader access to free healthy school lunches.

New Zealand girls and young women, as well as nonbinary persons who bleed every month, have a limited understanding of menstruation. This lack of knowledge about their own bodies is affecting their overall health and wellbeing.

The human and economic costs of Māori health inequities are significant, according to Te Aka Whai Ora, the now-defunct Māori Health Authority.