Dear Ms Ardern and Mr Lees-Galloway, On 31st October 2017, the Australian Government will close its Manus Island offshore detention centre, abandoning over 700 asylum seekers and refugees, some of whom have been held there for many years. In doing so, the Australian Government leaves these refugees in an extremely precarious situation, where local people have threatened violence against them if they remain on the island outside of the detention centre [https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/10/25/australia/png-refugees-face-unchecked-violence]. This situation is unacceptable for both local people and refugees being held on Manus. Local people on Manus Island were never consulted about the offshore detention centres and although the Papua New Guinea government has received huge payments from Australia, little of this has trickled through to local villagers - causing unrest, as their lives have been disrupted by the centres [https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/oct/27/manus-island-closure-faces-local-opposition-and-legal-challenge]. The Papua New Guinean Supreme Court ruled the detention centre illegal in 2016 because it breached the asylum seekers’ fundamental human rights [http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-26/png-court-rules-asylum-seeker-detention-manus-island-illegal/7360078], which is why it is now being closed. Refugees, who attempted to flee terrible situations in their home countries have now been thrust into a new nightmare. Some have been held in the offshore detention centre in Manus for years [https://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/getfacts/statistics/aust/asylum-stats/detention-australia-statistics/]. Conditions have been horrific in the detention centre and many experience psychological trauma due to their uncertain future. Many have taken their own lives in desperation and others have died in unclear circumstances [http://artsonline.monash.edu.au/thebordercrossingobservatory/publications/australian-border-deaths-database/]. Some have been forcibly repatriated to their home countries where they are unsafe [https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/aug/21/asylum-seeker-on-manus-forcibly-returned-to-iran-amid-court-challenge]. The Australian government, as a signatory to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, should be responsible for these refugees, regardless of how they entered Australian territory to seek asylum. Instead, the government brought them to Manus Island as part of their ‘Pacific Solution’ policy of preventing any people fleeing war or persecution reaching safety in Australia if they seek asylum by boat. It is very clear that Australia is washing their hands of these people, in the same way that they washed their hands of the refugees who tried to reach Australia on the Tampa. On 31st October, they will shut off water, electricity and sewage systems to the detention centre and give the people the choice to either be moved to Nauru, another of their offshore prisons, or to remain in a nearby town where they will be extremely unsafe [http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/food-water-power-to-be-cut-at-manus-island-centre-as-refugees-forced-to-depart-20171020-gz51r9.html]. We demand that the New Zealand government do what the Australian Government will not. We should show manaakitanga, take a strong stand for justice and welcome these desperate people to Aotearoa New Zealand immediately.

In less than two weeks Jacinda Ardern will be heading to Vietnam to try to finalise the TPPA-11 deal. As it stands, the TPPA-11 is nearly identical to the original TPPA. Both agreements have been negotiated in secret with no chance for meaningful public participation. This is not how democracy should work. If the TPPA-11 is signed, New Zealand would have to either change or freeze national laws to suit the interests of overseas investors from the other TPPA countries. It would restrict the ability of the current and future governments to respond to the needs of their citizens and the natural environment. Our ability to clean up our rivers, address climate change and fix the housing market would all be undermined. Let's encourage Jacinda to put the deal on hold until the new government can develop a fresh trade policy taking into account the views of New Zealanders. For more information on TPPA-11 see: https://itsourfuture.org.nz/tppa-1/

We ask for mental health to be an integral part of primary health care, and the following steps to be taken: - Place mental health professionals in GP clinics. This could be making available a room in a GP clinic one day a week specifically for people presenting with mental health concerns. For smaller practices the resource could be shared. - Ring fence mental health funding and increase funding for primary health care. This funding should include increasing the wider mental health workforce including community and peer support workers and health coaches. - Provide funding to upskill GPs and nurses and midwifes in mental health. - Expand funding criteria to include people with mild to moderate mental health presentations. - Provide funding that allows GPs to provide free extended consultations which would include mental health presentations. Although everyone would hope to live in good mental health, the reality for one in five New Zealanders is very different – and for them and their families, the expectation that they should be able to get help when they need it is vital.[1,2] As awareness of mental health grows there is increased demand for health services. This is putting increasing pressure on our underfunded health system. Those most in need are experiencing long waiting times for support and the country is experiencing alarmingly high levels of suicide. General practitioners are often the first point of contact for people with mental disorders, and they need specialist support to be able to recognise, manage and, where appropriate, be recommended to secondary mental health services. The more that mental health issues can be identified and addressed before the serious step of hospitalisation, the healthier our society will be and also precious secondary health care resources will be spared. Research tells us that the earlier we treat mental illnesses the faster a person will recover. If we treat people with mental distress earlier we would decrease the likelihood of long term conditions because mental wellness affects physical, emotional, family and spiritual wellbeing. The integration of mental health into primary health care is being done in various countries around the world.[3] New Zealand is a world leader in the statistics for mental health issues, and should be leading the world in finding solutions. Emphasising mental health in our primary health care and providing adequate funding will be one step forward to answer this. References 1 - https://www.mentalhealth.org.nz/assets/Uploads/MHF-Quick-facts-and-stats-FINAL.pdf; https://www.mentalhealth.org.nz/assets/A-Z/Downloads/FS2-Facts-about-young-New-Zealanders-depression.pdf 2 - https://www.peoplesmentalhealthreport.com/ 3 - Integrating mental health into primary care - A global perspective http://www.who.int/mental_health/resources/mentalhealth_PHC_2008.pdf

At least 300 people are being held in solitary confinement in a New Zealand prison right now [1]. Solitary confinement is where you are held in a cell and denied meaningful human interaction for 22-24 hours per day [2]. New Zealand doesn’t have a specific unit called a ‘solitary confinement unit’, but solitary confinement is still widely present in the prisons [3]. Although it never calls it solitary, the Department of Corrections puts people in solitary confinement about 12,000 times per year for reasons that include punishment, ‘protection’ and because they are suicidal [4]. Solitary confinement can have serious long-lasting and detrimental effects on prisoners' mental and physical health. Physiological effects of solitary can include insomnia, migraines, heart and intestinal problems and the worsening of existing health conditions. It can also have severe psychological effects, including anxiety, depression, anger and psychotic rage, paranoia, psychosis, hallucinations, and increased suicidality [5]. Almost every year a person in a New Zealand prison takes their own life in a solitary confinement cell [6]. The United Nations has declared indefinite and prolonged use of solitary confinement to be inhumane and degrading [7]. In some cases the pain and suffering inflicted through solitary confinement can amount to torture [8]. Despite these findings, there is an epidemic of solitary confinement in New Zealand. According to information released to People Against Prisons Aotearoa, a person is sent to solitary confinement around every 43 minutes [9]. The international human rights observer Sharon Shalev recently found that the use of solitary in New Zealand prisons is four times higher than in England and Wales [10]. Further, the use of solitary confinement worsens the systemic racism of the prison system. Māori and Pacific peoples are more likely to be placed in solitary, making up 62% of people put in solitary [11]. For people who are put in solitary for reason of punishment, Māori and Pacific peoples are 80% of that population [12]. This means the pain and suffering experienced in solitary is also more likely to be felt by Māori and Pacific peoples, making it a racist policy. Solitary confinement must be brought to an end. It does not keep anyone safe. People who experience it are more likely to harm themselves and, when they get out of solitary, more likely to use violence against others [13]. Solitary can cause severe pain and suffering that stays with the person long after they’ve been released [14]. There is no good reason to use solitary confinement. Its use must be ended immediately. We call upon Parliament to ban all forms of solitary confinement in New Zealand. This includes, but is not limited to, solitary confinement for the good order of the prison, for the ‘protection’ of a prisoner, for reason of population management, for reason of punishment, or because a prisoner is ‘at risk’. References: 1 - Ti Lamusse, ‘It’s time to end solitary confinement,’ (Speech, End Solitary Confinement Campaign Launch, Ellen Melville Hall, New Zealand, October 14, 2017). 2 - Sharon Shalev, ‘A Sourcebook on Solitary Confinement’ (London: Mannheim Centre for Criminology, 2008). http://solitaryconfinement.org/uploads/sourcebook_web.pdf 3 - As found in Sharon Shalev, ‘Thinking outside the Box? A review of seclusion and restraint practices in New Zealand’ (Wellington: Human Rights Commission, 2017). http://solitaryconfinement.org/uploads/Thinking_Outside_The_Box_PRINT.pdf 4 - Lamusse, ‘It’s time to end solitary confinement.’ 5 - Sharon Shalev, ‘A Sourcebook on Solitary Confinement’ (London: Mannheim Centre for Criminology, 2008). 6 - Ti Lamusse, ‘Grieving Prison Death’ (Master of Arts Thesis, University of Auckland, 2017). 7 - Juan Mendez, ‘Interim Report of the Special Rapporteur of the Human Rights Council on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment’ (Geneva: United Nations, 2011). 8 - Ibid. 9 - Lamusse, ‘It’s time to end solitary confinement’. 10 - Shalev, ‘Thinking outside the Box?’. 11 - Ibid. 12 - Ibid. 13 - Shalev, ‘A Sourcebook on Solitary Confinement’. 14 - Ibid.

Primary and secondary students receive free education in New Zealand, so why are tertiary students denied this right? According to the Ministry of Education Annual Student Loan Scheme report a whopping 731,754 people had a student loan collectively amounting to an unnerving $15.3 billion dollars in the 2015-2016 period [1]. The financial burden of student loans has become a topic of increasing concern within New Zealand society. Student loans not only affect students, but their negative impact is also shared by their families, communities and wider New Zealand society. In our increasingly volatile and changing world there is a pressing need for tertiary qualifications. New Zealanders are told more and more we need to retrain for the future work environment, however many are restricted to a cycle of low-skill and low-pay jobs due to the increasing financial burdens associated with tertiary education. The student loan system does not support the egalitarian ethos that we believe is fundamental to New Zealand culture. We need to break down the barriers that restrict many populations from pursuing tertiary education. As a country we must strive for equality of opportunities to build a stronger economy and ensure tertiary study thrives in New Zealand. We need to move forward from a low-wage and low skill economy to a progressive society, celebrating kiwi ingenuity and innovation. Many students believe that student loans will have long-term negative impacts on their livelihoods- such as their ability to buy a house, afford to have children, and save for their retirement [2]. A better future for New Zealand does not entail placing crippling debt upon future generations; rather, we should be supporting next generations to reach their potential, as they are the future of our country. European countries, such as Germany, Finland and Slovenia, successfully operate with free tertiary education for their citizens, and it is about time that New Zealand followed suit. References [1]. Ministry of Education. (2016). Student loan scheme annual report 2016(Report No. 24). Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education. [2]. NZUSA. (n.d.). We need to talk about debt. Retrieved from http://www.students.org.nz/debt

The government has recently cut funding to Growing Up in New Zealand. What is this research about, who is it for, and why does it matter? Based at the University of Auckland, Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) is the largest and most diverse longitudinal study to ever track the lives of children in Aotearoa/New Zealand. It is the only study to track them from before birth through young adulthood. This groundbreaking study represents the lives and stories of almost 7000 children and their families, providing unique insight into what shapes children’s early development and how interventions might be targeted at the earliest opportunity to give every New Zealand child the best start in life. Where previous research conducted in Aotearoa/New Zealand had much narrower frames of reference, GUiNZ is the first study specifically designed to look at outcomes for Māori, Pasifika, and Asian children. The study is an important and unique opportunity to support the children of Aotearoa/New Zealand – it tracks the socioeconomic factors that lead to inequality, while also picking up other influences such as disability and disease. The government recently cut funding to GUiNZ. These cuts will result in only having enough money to collect information from 2000 participants in the upcoming data collection wave. While some may argue that children left out of this wave can be picked up next time, if continuity is lost, the data can no longer be called truly longitudinal. Inadequate funding of GUiNZ will create holes in the data. There is a risk with such a reduced cohort size, that researchers will no longer able to identify when risk factors facing our tamariki become statistically significant. For the research to succeed (to be able to conduct good, sound, scientific analysis for as many health and wellbeing outcomes as possible) it is essential that all dots stay connected. Losing continuity is disrespectful of all the time and effort this huge group of participating whānau has donated –finding and retaining participants will become so much harder. Why has this funding been cut? The current government believes that "big data" (data collected during our everyday dealings with governmental systems like the doctor and WINZ) can tell us all we need to know. Those with any scientific training can tell you it can't, and it won't. Gathering data from people before we know what is going to happen in the lives, shows us so much more. Big data doesn’t have access to biological samples, nor does it give us the depth of information required to understand why families make the choices they do. Please sign and share our petition. Then talk about this study - to your family, to your neighbours, to your friends, to your MP and local candidates. The more people that know about this, the more likely we are to have funding restored. We believe the funding of this critical research should be a priority for the next government of New Zealand. Thank you for showing us you think this is important, too. http://www.growingup.co.nz/en/about-the-study.html http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/84054547/Is-the-future-of-the-ambitious-Growing-up-in-NZ-Study-in-doubt

A private water company is applying to build a bottling factory at Poroti Springs, a hapū-owned pure water source, near Whangarei. The plant will not only risk the purity of the spring and aquifer but also add increased activity in the local community and around Poroti Reserve. It will create a significant health and safety issue with 80 truck movements per day, right next door to Poroti School. Please use this form to make an official submission to the Whangarei District Council. Submissions are open until 5pm Wednesday 30 August. Over years the local hapū have been shut out of decision-making over the treasured spring, and the aquifer under their Reserve. For example, the Council spent $1.08 million on establishing the adjacent bore site then sold the site to private interests for $40,000 without hapū knowledge. Now the company with rights to take the water want to build a 3600-square-metre water bottling factory across the road from the Reserve. The factory will bottle up to a million litres of water a day to sell for the domestic and Chinese markets. Your submission on the risks to the spring posed by the factory, from potential groundwater contamination and the increased traffic activity, will help the Council give more consideration to the protection of the spring and aquifer. You will also be standing with the hapū and give support for their right to be heard as guardians of the springs. Make a submission today using this form. If you have local knowledge of the area and/or people you can add a personal message to support your submission. You can make a contribution to the cost of the legal fees to deal with the Zodiac objection here: https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/porotisprings Zodiac Holdings Limited - Resource Consent Application http://www.wdc.govt.nz/NewsRoom/PublicNotices/Pages/Resource-Consent-Zodiac.aspx#Expand History: The Whatitiri Māori Reserves Trust is legally responsible for administering the “Whatitiri Māori Reserves” under the Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993 and The Māori Reservations Regulations 1994. The first seven trustees of the reserves were appointed, 28th June 1940 and replaced the people who were originally vested title in the individual blocks. The 1895 Survey Map shows Poroti Springs Reserve as a “water supply” for the benefit of hapu Te Uriroroi, Te Parawhau and Te Mahurihuri subtribes of Ngapuhi’ 1960 Sept 28th Gazette Notice – further confirms Poroti Springs Reserve as a “water supply” for the benefit of hapu Te Uriroroi, Te Parawhau and Te Mahurihuri subtribes of Ngapuhi. Our hapu of Poroti will object to the proposed building of a bottling factory just across the road from our Poroti Springs. The building is huge and will have 40 in and 40 out truck movements heading to Marsden Point. Up to 2.5 million litres of water is consented daily to Zodiac Holdings Ltd to take from the Whatitiri aquifer that feeds our springs and previous WDC takes have dried us up in 1983 and 1987. This water is intended for export to Asian markets and Zodiac has been marketing the business for sale to overseas interests. This company also markets under the name of “New Zealand Spring Water Ltd”. We as a hapu find this situation to be intolerable and yet our local Governments Northland Regional Council and Whangarei District Council facilitate for our water to be plundered by people whom do not belong to our community. We cannot accept to wake up one morning to see up to 16 foreigners loading our water across the road, 16 hours per day to send overseas. "He waka eke noa" "A canoe which we are all in with no exception. We are all in this together" For more info go to https://www.facebook.com/saveporotisprings/ News media Poroti Springs hapu not happy about bottling plant consent application, NZ Herald, 8 Aug, 2017 http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11899815 Northland hapū run out of steam in water-bottling fight, RNZ, 11 August 2017 http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/337016/northland-hapu-run-out-of-steam-in-water-bottling-fight

We want to protect the whenua and make the most of the resources that we have. All plastics are given numbers by the companies that create them. Currently, only plastics 1 and 2 are collected at kerbside in Hamilton. We don't like sending our yogurt pots and other similar plastics to landfill. We would like plastics 1-7 to be collected at kerbside for recycling. There are so many awesome products that this plastic can be used for, including carpet and outdoor furniture. There are tons of benefits to recycling plastic. It stops the need for as much new plastic production, it stops plastics from ending up in our environment, especially the marine environment, and it stops plastics from being put in landfill where they last for a very long time causing environmental damage. Hamilton City Council's current recycling contract commenced in 2002 and there were limited options for recycling more than plastics 1s and 2s. This contract is now up for review, which is why this is the time to call for these changes. Auckland and Christchurch Councils recycle Plastics 1-7, so we think Hamilton City can too!! Under the current service, 27 per cent our city’s household rubbish is recycled; the remaining 73 per cent goes to landfill. We don't think this is good enough and we would like to be able to do more to protect our environment. Please extend the recycling of plastics in our city.

Over 80,000 of us signed one of two simultaneous petitions in the last week when we heard Mike Hosking would be the moderator for the upcoming election debates.[1] Mike Hosking is over-opinionated, biased, polarising and unfit to be the moderator of the Election Debates. This election event is too important to be left to TV personalities with well-known political views. When asked by media whether TVNZ would consider replacing Hosking, John Gillespie told Mediawatch no. "I'm not prepared to reconsider at the moment. I'll keep an open mind and look at what the numbers are saying, but more than a million people tuned in to our election coverage last time. I'd expect that to be similar or maybe increase so I'd weigh any number against a million," he said.[2] I believe if John knew the depth of our feelings and outrage that TVNZ is treating the Election Debate so casually he may be more open to reconsidering. TV ratings are not the aim for the 2017 Election Debates - the quality of debate, sharing of ideas, and openness to solutions is what's important. I read many of your comments on my petition and I know you’re as outraged as I am - but to effect change, TVNZ needs to know that too. The nationally televised election debates are widely viewed and have the potential to engage and influence a lot of voters. It is vital that media surrounding the election and debates is unbiased, and offers parties and their candidates fair opportunities to promote their policies. Email John Gillespie, Head of News at TVNZ now to let him know you won’t be watching the Debates as long as Hosking is moderator, and encouraging others not to also. You can also post a comment on TVNZ’s Facebook page here https://www.facebook.com/TVOneNZ/ 1 - https://our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/replace-mike-hosking-as-election-debate-presenter / https://www.change.org/p/tvnz-remove-mike-hosking-as-presenter-for-2017-election-debates 2 - Mediawatch http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/mediawatch/audio/201854325/mike-in-the-middle-of-debates

It is vital that the nationally broadcasted election debates offer an unbiased opportunity for candidates representing their political parties to debate on policies. Mike Hosking's socially irresponsible style of presenting has led to public campaigns for his removal, notably his comments on Andrew Judd in 2016. Hosking is an inappropriate choice to present the election debates in a fair, unbiased manner.

*All signed letters will be delivered to Parliament this week, so please share to your social media to help spread the word!* In 2016, over 60,000 cases went through the Family Courts, and of those, over 6,800 children were involved in cases initiated under the Domestic Violence Act.[2] After separating from abusive partners, we expect that the Family Court should provide survivors of violence against women with protection and safety, for them and their children. The experiences of our community however, reveal that this is very rarely the case, and instead the Family Court is unjustly removing children from their protective mothers, and handing them over or even forcing them back into the abusive environments that they were removed from. In May this year, the Backbone Collective undertook a survey of almost 500 women who had been involved in the Family Court system post-separation. The survey report found that their experiences of violence and abuse were not believed, were minimized, their evidence was struck out, they were blamed for the violence and abuse, silenced, or their experiences were never responded to.[3] We believe these findings are but a micro-reflection of a rising voice of thousands who are currently suffering in fear, traumatised by longterm abuse that has been sanctioned by the Family Court. For many years, complaints have been made appealing Family Court decisions and telling those in authority of the harm that the Family Court is doing. They have not listened or taken action to change what is happening. However in time, history will reveal the blood on the hands of all those who participated in these harmful Family Court practices, or who stood by passively while our children suffered this state sanctioned abuse. Not only is it your professional duty to expose and address the systemic failings of the Family Court, it is your moral and ethical duty to provide a voice to victims and to ensure a robust framework moving forward by which to protect our children of Aotearoa. We are unified in our view that the harm being done by the Family Court is the result of the interpretation, implementation of the current laws. These problems will not be fixed by legislative changes, but only by an Inquiry into the entire Family Court system. There is enough evidence before you to call for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Family Court immediately. As a community, we are distressed, grieving and fearful for the safety and lives of our loved ones who have been and are being abused by the current system. We anticipate many further social issues will result as a direct consequence of the harmful operation of the current Family Court System and urge you to take action immediately in order to prevent further abuse, crime, and tragedy in the lives of our children! 1 - Backbone Collective is a national coalition of survivors of Violence Against Women in Aotearoa New Zealand - https://www.backbone.org.nz 2 - NZ Family Violence Clearinghouse Data June 2017 - https://nzfvc.org.nz/sites/nzfvc.org.nz/files/DS3-Children-and-Youth-2017.pdf 3 - Backbone Collective 2017 reports can be viewed at https://www.backbone.org.nz/latest-activity/ 4 - Image is by Bev Short. The women in black veils represent all those women who have experienced violence and abuse but who are afraid to show their faces for fear of being punished by the Family Court for speaking out about how the system is failing to keep them and their children safe. The black veils also represent the hundred or more women who are murdered by their (ex) partners every 10 years in New Zealand. Many of the women who came together to participate in this photograph have their own story to tell; some are survivors, others are friends or family off survivors and some work on the front line with victims. Two of the women participated in memory of their loved ones who had been murdered – in one instance an Auntie and in the other a daughter – both of whom had been brutally murdered by their partners.

UPDATE: Prior to the 2017 Election, we secured promises from the Labour, New Zealand First, Greens, and ACT parties, that they intended to lift the cap if elected. We now have that new government, with Hon Chris Hipkins as Minister of Education. However, despite these assurances, unfortunately removal of the EFTS cap was not included in Budget 2018. The government has failed to live up to these expectations and we intend to hold them accountable. Hon Chris Hipkins has suggested that lifting the cap is still an intention for the government, but we need to show him that this is URGENT. We are already aware of students having to go to extreme measures, such as fundraising, to pay their fees. The longer the government waits, the more future-doctors we risk losing. Sign our petition to help us help others! Say YES to letting us finish! #LetUsFinish BACKGROUND: In 2017, NZMSA and Te Oranga conducted a survey of New Zealand medical students and identified at least 142 students affected by this cap - many of whom may be prevented from finishing their degrees. Medical degrees are at least six years long, making them the longest programme in New Zealand. Each year, approximately 30% of medical entrants are selected from a pool of applicants who have already completed a previous degree. Most of these graduate students will have used at least three of their allocated 8 EFTS in this process. Without a student loan, students will have to come up with approximately $25,000 per year to fund the remainder of their studies and living costs. Without the support of a guarantor and no source of income, it is almost impossible for students to access a private bank loan. The reality is, without an affluent background to shoulder the enormous cost of completing a medical degree, the EFTS cap negatively impacts students who are socioeconomically disadvantaged. Graduate students have completed extremely valuable study in their respective fields. These students are essential for the development of an effective and diverse health workforce in order to best address the changing health needs of our communities and health system. The previous Minister of Education Paul Goldsmith stated that he wanted students to complete their study as quickly as possible, yet also encouraged students to take time out from their programmes to save money for fees. This not only delays future doctors from taking their much-needed place in the health workforce, but also is completely out of touch with the realities of working New Zealanders. With the EFTS cap in place, some students will have to save more than $50,000 to afford the remainder of their studies. All this, whilst simultaneously having much of their paycheck deducted to service existing student loans. We know medical graduates tend to repay their loans quickly, however we can’t do this if we can’t finish. By enforcing this cap, the government is undercutting their own investment, negatively impacting our health workforce and the health of New Zealanders. How is this the best use of taxpayer dollars? Answer: It’s not. Every student that is affected by this cap is a missing doctor for New Zealand. These are hard working, dedicated people who are passionate about making a difference and improving the health of all New Zealanders. Without student loan support, we will not be able to work for the betterment of our communities, and our health system will remain overloaded and understaffed. MEDIA: RNZ: Med Students Disappointed by Broken Budget Promises https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/357727/med-students-disappointed-by-broken-budget-promise Stuff: Medical students upset Budget didn't extend student loan cap https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/104055757/medical-students-upset-budget-didnt-extend-student-loan-cap TV3: The Project: https://www.facebook.com/TheProjectNZ/videos/1066642473472405/ Newshub: Medical student debt could cost the health of New Zealanders http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2017/06/medical-student-debt-could-cost-the-health-of-new-zealanders.html Te Kāea: Māori medical students push loan caps to be lifted http://www.maoritelevision.com/news/national/maori-medical-students-push-loan-caps-be-lifted Women’s Weekly: My dream has a price https://www.pressreader.com/new-zealand/new-zealand-womans-weekly/20180115/281608125837244 Radio NZ: "I'd already need to be a doctor to save for it" https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/344614/i-d-already-need-to-be-a-doctor-to-save-for-it Radio NZ: Med Students face dropping out over loan cap https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/336713/med-students-face-dropping-out-over-loan-cap Stuff: Medical Student forced to turn to Givealittle after hitting student loan borrowing cap https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/99581590/medical-student-forced-to-turn-to-givealittle-after-hitting-student-loan-borrowing-cap