Devious New Public Health Legislation

Recently we have been involved in writing submissions to the Health Committee with regard to the New Zealand Public Health Bill. The principles in this document change the focus from infectious disease management to addressing the huge impact of the burden of chronic disease that we are facing in this country – in fact worldwide – with the increase in non-communicable diseases which now pose a greater risk to public health than infectious diseases (i.e. obesity and associated diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes).

The Bill, along with a subsequent press release statement in 2000 made by the then Minister of Health, Annette King, set out the purposes for the Bill. These were to rebuild New Zealand’s public health service, restore community involvement and ownership, restore public and health profession confidence, achieve the best health and disability outcomes, ensure a population health focus, and replace the current commercial and collaborative model with a cooperative and collaborative approach.

The Charter is in substantial agreement with these purposes. However, it is our view that the purposes outlined above will not be achieved by the Bill. The Bill lacks detail on how these objectives are to be achieved. It appears this is left up to District Health Boards and the Director of Health.

It would also appear that the writers of this legislation with their medical mindset lack an understanding of what public health is all about and it is certainly not clear in the document how a population focus will be achieved.

A great deal of public health work is carried out by community-based, not-for-profit organisations and NGOs (non-governmental agencies), including the Charter and its members. These groups are not mentioned or protected by the shape of the current Bill. There are also numerous clauses in the Public Health Bill which are concerning to us because they appear to be too wide open and may present with downsides that could be considered as covert in nature.

We commend Green Party MP Sue Kedgley who has played a major role in initiating the serious debate over our chronic public health issues that highlight massive implications for New Zealand and the current lack of sustainability of our health system. The Charter congratulates the Government in updating fragmented and outdated legislation for public health, however this legislation document has been prepared by bureaucrats with a medical mindset and no real or practical understanding as to how to rectify the crisis that our public health system is facing.

The Health Select Committee must address existing and future shortcomings of the Public Health Bill that could see many young New Zealanders miss out on vital health services. It appears that only Medical Practitioners are acknowledged as being the appropriate health professionals to carry out a number of duties that natural health practitioners have the prerequisite skills and extensive experience to undertake.
Due to the lack of detail and focus on how objectives are to be achieved it is our view that the purposes outlined above will fail to be achieved by the Bill. Alarmingly this is left up to District Health Boards whose primary role is to ensure administrative success, which means health considerations end up coming a distant second.

Witch Hunt

Members will by now be aware that the Ministry of Health has entered into a full-scale witch-hunt against natural therapy practitioners and products. We believe that situation has occurred due to the ignominious defeat of the discredited Australia New Zealand Therapeutic Goods Agency. It has been reported that this vengeful act has had severe repercussions for member practitioners creating a serious decline in patient appointments for targeted practitioners

Unconfirmed reports from Wellington indicate that government has allocated, out of taxpayer funds, some three to six million dollars for a concerted campaign persecuting practitioners and producers.

With our overloaded waiting lists for elective surgery in public hospitals, how many chronic pain relieving hip replacements would three to six million dollars alleviate?

From the Ministry’s perspective this campaign has been very successful in limiting health, wellness and longevity options for New Zealanders who rely on Natural HealthCare practitioners and products.

The claim by a Medsafe official “that the action was undertaken to highlight the need for new legislation” was an interesting response surfacing as it did at the same time as the introduction of the New Zealand Public Health Bill; creating pandemonium to highlight a “problem” (or a bothersome) situation and at the same time conveniently offer the “ideal final solution” is a time-worn Nazi propaganda modus operandi.

The New Zealand Public Health Bill

Under the proposed New Zealand Public Health Bill the Ministry intends to incorporate strategies for the treatment of three major causes of death, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer. How this is to be achieved remains a mystery as the ever-increasing numbers of those affected by these conditions are a tribute to the present ineffectiveness of the public health system.

The New Zealand Public Health Bill continued “click here to read further”

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Take Action! Health Freedom have heard that 57 websites in total have been contacted by Medsafe for making "alarming" claims like curing cancer and arthritis. We know from those who have already made contact with us, that this is not the case. It is most urgent that we get in contact with all remaining website owners who have received warning letters from Medsafe.

The Minister of Health has indicated that he intends to engage in dialogue with the industry. He has stated in the house that he expects Medsafe to be proportionate, appropriate, and well understood. He also encourages those affected by the current
enforcement drive to request a meeting with Medsafe to gain clarity on what is currently a confusing situation. For example, we know of one website owner who has actually had statements approved by TAPPS and Medsafe yet now they are overnight illegal.

We are calling an urgent meeting with all of these website owners, many of whom may be understandably reluctant to engage in discussions on their own. We need to know who they all are and so far we have only been contacted by 10.

Please pass this on to your databases, urge anyone you know who has been contacted to come forward so we can gain strength in numbers to deal with the issue.

Please email me at nicolagraceme@yahoo.com and cc it to info@healthfreedom.co.nz

Thank you. Nicola Grace Spokesperson for Health Freedom NZ

SPECIAL UNCENSORED EDITION ON MEDSAFE.

IMPORTANT Please click on the link below to read more on David Child's GUIDE FOR NATURAL HEALTH PRACTITIONERS AND OTHERS WHO HAVE RECEIVED THE MEDSAFE VISIT Many thanks! Jon Eisen -Editor.

http://uncensored.co.nz/2008/04/09/uncensored-special-health-issue/

CANADA IS HARMONIZED WITH AUSTRALIA

Originally published April 28 2008
Canada's C-51 Law May Outlaw 60% of Natural Health Products; Big Pharma Pushing to Criminalize Supplements
by Mike Adams (see all articles by this author)

(Natural News) A new law being pushed in Canada by Big Pharma seeks to outlaw up to 60 percent of natural health products currently sold in Canada, even while criminalizing parents who give herbs or supplements to their children. The law, known as C-51, was introduced by the Canadian Minister of Health on April 8th, 2008, and it proposes sweeping changes to Canada's Food and Drugs Act that could have devastating consequences on the health products industry.

Among the changes proposed by the bill are radical alterations to key terminology, including replacing the word "drug" with "therapeutic product" throughout the Act, thereby giving the Canadian government broad-reaching powers to regulate the sale of all herbs, vitamins, supplements and other items. With this single language change, anything that is "therapeutic" automatically falls under the Food and Drug Act. This would include bottled water, blueberries, dandelion greens and essentially all plant-derived substances.

The Act also changes the definition of the word "sell" to include anyone who gives such therapeutic products to someone else. So a mother giving an herb to her child, under the proposed new language, could be arrested for engaging in the sale of unregulated, unapproved "therapeutic substances." Learn about more of these freedom-squashing changes to the law at the Stop51.com website: http://www.stopc51.com

New enforcement powers allow Canadian government to seize your home or business
At the same time that C-51 is outlawing herbs, supplements and vitamins, it would grant alarming new "enforcement" powers to the enforcement agents who claim to be "protecting" the public from dangerous unapproved "therapeutic agents" like, say, dandelion greens. As explained on the www.Educate-Yourself.org website, the C-51 law would allow the Canadian government's enforcement agents to:

• Raid your home or business without a warrant
• Seize your bank accounts
• Levy fines up to $5 million and a jail terms up to 2 years for merely selling an herb
• Confiscate your property, then charge you storage fees for the expense involved in storing all the products they stole from you

C-51 would even criminalize the simple drying of herbs in your kitchen to be used in an herbal product, by the way. That would now be categorized as a "controlled activity," and anyone caught engaging in such "controlled activities" would be arrested, fined and potentially jailed. Other "controlled activities" include labeling bottles, harvesting plants on a farm, collecting herbs from your back yard, or even testing herbal products on yourself! (Yes, virtually every activity involving herbs or supplements would be criminalized...)

There's more, too. C-51 is the Canadian government's "final solution" for the health products industry. It's a desperate effort to destroy this industry that's threatening the profits and viability of conventional medicine. Natural medicine works so well -- and is becoming so widely used -- that both the Canadian and American governments have decided to "nuke" the industries by passing new laws that effectively criminalize anyone selling such products. They simply cannot tolerate allowing consumers to have continued access to natural products. To do so will ultimately spell the destruction of Big Pharma and the outdated, corrupt and criminally-operated pharmaceutical industry that these criminally-operated governments are trying to protect.



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Charter Membership Renewals:
The Charter would like to remind all Charter members, Associate members, Student members and Affiliates that renewal of Invoices have been posted. Members – are your fees paid? Please send in your payments as soon as possible!

Affiliates need to ensure their fees are paid as each Affiliate must be a financial member of the charter to ensure their members receive full insurance cover!

We value your ongoing support.!

NZ Charter Registration Board report:
To all Affiliates and Charter Representatives The Combined Governing Council Meeting that was held on Sunday 10th February had an Item whereby it was voted unanimously that the Combined Governing Council meetings have been changed and will only be twice yearly as an “Affiliate gathering” and the following dates are -will be 28th June (AGM) and 9th November. More information will be available in the Governing Council minutes of last meeting 10th February which has been emailed to all Affiliates and Charter Representatives.

Office Management/Natural Healthcare Modality Co-ordinator
An interesting and challenging position is available for the above role. As a pre-requisite the successful applicant will be required to have an understanding of natural healthcare philosophy as well as documented experience in the following:

Data Entry (Access) Xcel, Microsoft, Desktop Publishing, Accounting (MYOB), preparing Letters and Documentation, Events Planning and co-ordination, facilitating Executive Meetings.

Please respond by 16th May 4pm - email your Curriculum Vitae to the CEO NZCHP email@healthcharter.org.nz References required.

Healthy Options and Rainbow News
LATEST ISSUES OUT NOW!

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Enquiries welcome for advertising in our Charter E-zine

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Chi Nei Tsang Abdominal Healing Workshops Auckland

TAO WORKSHOPS & CNT RETREATS present:

Auckland, Sat 17 May ‘Organs of Emotion’ One Day Workshop

This workshop will cover the Five Elements, the Five Intelligences in the body and how positive and negative emotions affect the Five major organs systems of the body.

Auckland, 3-5 June ‘Relax and Unwind’ Retreat – 3 day Retreat

Relax, unwind and rejuvenate with ancient Taoist Healing practices at Aio Wira Retreat Centre. Come for all 3 days or just the weekend. Delicious vegetarian food and plenty of time for bushwalks and relaxation in the spa and sauna.

Christchurch, 28-29 June Healing Tao Basics and Introduction to Chi Nei Tsang – 2 x one day workshops

Learn the basic practices of the Universal Healing Tao including the Inner Smile Meditation, Six Healing Sounds and selfcare Chi Nei Tsang. Come for 1 or both days. See the website for details of introductory talk prior to workshops.

Wellington, 12-13 July Healing Tao Basics and Introduction to Chi Nei Tsang – 2 x one day workshops

Learn the basic practices of the Universal Healing Tao including the Inner Smile Meditation, Six Healing Sounds and selfcare Chi Nei Tsang. Come for 1 or both days. See the website for details of introductory talk prior to workshops.

Nelson, 26-27 July Healing Tao Basics and Introduction to Chi Nei Tsang – 2 x one day workshops

Learn the basic practices of the Universal Healing Tao including the Inner Smile Meditation, Six Healing Sounds and selfcare Chi Nei Tsang. Come for 1 or both days.
Kaiteriteri, Nelson, 8-12 Sept Fusion of the Five Elements Silent Meditation Retreat – 5 days

Learn how to transform negative emotional energy and use it to nurture your Spirit body. Heal deep emotional issues and learn Dreaming Chi Kung.

Kaiteriteri, Nelson, 13-14 Sept Sexual Chi Kung / Space and Boundaries Weekend Workshop – 2 days

Learn how to circulate your sexual life force energy in your body for healing and learn how to define your energetic boundaries with partner, friends or clients

Kaiteriteri, Nelson, 15-19 Sept Chi Nei Tsang Fundamentals Abdominal Healing Retreat – 5 days

Learn how to detoxify your body and clear emotional charges from your internal organs. Come for your own healing or as part of practitioner training. More>>

See website for EARLYBIRD SPECIALS AND DISCOUNTS. For more information on any of the above, plus more events and registration see www.taoworkshops.co.nz or contact Kim Knight (09) 833 6553 or 021 410 633 email: info@taoworkshops.co.nz

Announcing the EVENT OF THE YEAR!
The New Zealand Health Industry Awards and Benefit Show will be held this year at Sky City Auckland Convention Centre on Saturday 11th October 2008.

An exciting evening is planned with a sumptuous buffet dinner followed by the Awards presentation and spectacular entertainment provided by an impressive line up of local and international artists that will take your breath away – guaranteed to saturate your senses.

Please diary this date immediately - you will want to be there!

An opportunity to nominate people for the Awards will be in place in due course so put your thinking caps on.

For further information and enquiries contact: Jenny Hammond 09 414 5517 or email jenny@synergygroupnz.co.nz

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