A Palmerston North sheep farmer, Alasdair Donald Currie, has been disqualified indefinitely and fined $13,000 for failing to treat flystrike and meet welfare needs of hundreds of sheep, leading to the death or euthanasia of 48 sheep. MPI inspectors found 118 sheep affected by flystrike out of a mob of 450, with at least 70 in unnecessary pain and distress due to Currie’s failure to act. MPI urges the public to report animal ill-treatment or cruelty to their animal welfare complaints freephone.
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Bowel cancer screening changes ‘driven by ideology, not facts’
Sir Collin Tukuitonga criticizes the government for delaying bowel cancer screening for Māori and Pacific people from 50 to 58, calling the policy change unsophisticated and deeply flawed based on data showing higher incidence rates in these groups. Otago University researcher Dr. Viliami Puloka warns that the delay could lead to thousands of lives lost, as early detection is crucial, while Bowel Cancer New Zealand board member Rachel Afeaki emphasizes the importance of tailored screening...
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