The Cabinet Office has issued a directive emphasizing the prioritization of public services based on need rather than race, sparking controversy over the exclusion of ethnicity as an evidence-based marker of health need, particularly in New Zealand where disparities are prominent. Public health physician Belinda Loring argues that ethnicity is a strong predictor of health need due to systemic racism and marginalization, leading to poorer outcomes for certain ethnic groups. The directive requires agencies to justify any use of ethnicity data for targeted services, raising concerns about potential misinterpretations and limitations on addressing health inequities.
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Announcing the Vince Geddes In-Depth Journalism Fund
The Vince Geddes In-Depth Journalism Fund, supported by the Auckland Radio Trust, aims to provide financial and editorial support to freelance journalists for producing high-quality, in-depth journalism. The fund will allocate $30,000 in 2025 through two intakes, offering three grants of $5,000 each, with applicants required to submit a one-page pitch outlining their proposed project. A panel of senior editors from The Spinoff will assess submissions based on criteria like originality, relevance, and feasibility, providing...
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