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Ian Powell
Otaihanga Second Opinion is a regular health systems blog in New Zealand.
Ian Powell is the editor of the health systems blog 'Otaihanga Second Opinion.' He is also a columnist for New Zealand Doctor, occasional columnist for the Sunday Star Times, and contributor to the Victoria University hosted Democracy Project. For over 30 years , until December 2019, he was the Executive Director of Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, the union representing senior doctors and dentists in New Zealand.
Ian Powell - Latest News [Page 3]
What’s The Difference Between Private Management Of Public Hospitals And A ‘Perfumed Turd’?
Sunday, 23 November 2025, 1:18 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the pitch by Serco to run public hospitals, including new builds and public private partnerships, in New Zealand. More >>
Gaza Doctor Speaks Truth To Genocidal Power; New Zealand Government Needs To Listen, Learn And Act
Thursday, 20 November 2025, 2:00 pm | Ian Powell
The message of Dylan’s song is relevant to New Zealand’s National-ACT-NZ First government’s pro-Israeli occupation approach to this genocide. More >>
General Practices And Primary Health Organisations Fighting Back Against Corporate Threat
Sunday, 9 November 2025, 2:09 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the response of general practices and Primary Health Organisations to increasing corporate power in general practice ownership, including private equity investors. More >>
Far-Right Cannibalising The Mainstream Right-Wing; Implications For New Zealand
Monday, 3 November 2025, 7:23 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell Discusses Whether The Trend Of The Far Right Cannibalising The Mainstream Rightwing In Europe Might Follow Into New Zealand In The Context Of Uneven And Combined Development. More >>
Private Health Insurance A Symptom, Not A Cause, Of New Zealand’s Public Health System Crisis
Thursday, 30 October 2025, 2:20 pm | Ian Powell
‘Pay-as-you-go’ remains a threat to private health insurance but the greater threat is now the rundown of public hospitals due to the political leaderships of successive governments. More >>
Health Minister Unethical Over Medical Ethics
Sunday, 26 October 2025, 6:11 am | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses, with a bit of help from Hippocrates, Health Minister Simeon Brown’s accusation that senior doctors taking strike action were crossing an ethical line. More >>
The Ignoble Nobel: From Hitler To Kissinger To Machado
Sunday, 19 October 2025, 6:08 am | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the controversy over the awarding of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. More >>
Politics, Ideology And Health Targets
Wednesday, 15 October 2025, 7:09 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses how health targets have evolved to the point of shifting from a policy to a legislative requirement. More >>
Corporate Ownership Of General Practices Extends Power Into Primary Care Organisations
Sunday, 12 October 2025, 7:05 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the extension of corporate ownership of general practices into Primary Care Organisations in New Zealand’s health system. More >>
A Sinking Heart Over Palestine Non-Recognition Decision
Wednesday, 1 October 2025, 8:29 am | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the decision of, and reaction to, the New Zealand government not to recognise the state of Palestine. More >>
Rhyming Holocausts From The Herero In Early 20th Century To Gaza Today
Tuesday, 30 September 2025, 11:17 am | Ian Powell
If Jews and Palestinians were to have “equal rights and dignity” as proposed then, according to the logic of his argument, ethnic cleansing would not have occurred. More >>
When The Privatising Rubber Hits The Climate Change Denial Roads
Monday, 29 September 2025, 8:16 am | Ian Powell
Just as Christopher Luxon’s government has become increasingly known for its indifference to climate change, it also has become increasingly known for its ideological preference for privatising functions of public utilities. More >>
Growing Corporate Power And General Practice
Saturday, 27 September 2025, 5:18 am | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the growing power of corporate ownership of general practices in New Zealand’s health system. More >>
Pae Ora Act Amendments And Māori Healthcare
Wednesday, 24 September 2025, 7:17 am | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses proposed amendments to New Zealand’s health system legislation that directly affect Maori healthcare, including functions and the Iwi Maori Partnership Boards. More >>
The Misrepresentation Of Luddism
Saturday, 20 September 2025, 5:17 am | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses Luddism as a positive and popular force including in a historical and contemporary context in New Zealand. More >>
Health Alert: Health Minister Threatens Patient Safety
Tuesday, 16 September 2025, 7:18 am | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the threat to patient safety by proposed amendments to New Zealand legislation governing health regulatory authorities. More >>
‘For The Love Of God’; Why Say So Much When Saying So Little?
Saturday, 6 September 2025, 8:01 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell critiques the NZ Medical Journal editorial by the Chair of Health New Zealand on the precarious state of our health system More >>
Has Netanyahu Lost The Plot Over Israel's War Against Palestinians
Friday, 29 August 2025, 12:54 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses whether Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was right to claim Benjamin Netanyahu has lost the plot over Gaza and the West Bank. More >>
Grog’s Own Country Or Grog’s Own Health System?
Thursday, 21 August 2025, 6:13 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the secretive attempts by the alcohol industry to influence health policy on alcohol harm in New Zealand. More >>
When The Privatising Rubber Hits The Climate Change Denial Roads
Tuesday, 19 August 2025, 7:12 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the New Zealand government’s road user charges announcement in the context of climate change indifference (and denial) and privatisation. More >>
