Episodes

  • Ep: 73 Anne Hunt - Compulsory Care Orders

    Ep: 73 Anne Hunt - Compulsory Care Orders
    Nov 29 2025
    Yesterday I featured a documentary I made twenty-six years ago about how the State promised that people with mental disabilities would not be sent indefinitely to institutions but would be cared for in the community.Today, at least 65 mentally disabled New Zealanders are currently denied that right.Instead, they are detained in institutions and, as a recent Supreme Court case revealed, some of them are effectively doing life sentences.Why?Because they committed a crime which carried a jail sentence, but instead of being sent to prison the presiding Judge decided that because of their mental disability, the defendant would go into a care facility before being released back into society.The problem is that some of these people are not being released for reasons that are not allowed to be made public.In short there are people In our country who are being detained indefinitely for reasons that are kept secret from the public which, it seems to me, flies in the face of the principle of open justice.The ProblemLet me be clear. These are difficult cases involving difficult defendants who, because of their mental disability (not mental illness), are deemed by the Judge at their trial to be a danger to themselves or to others, and who need specialised professional help before they can return to the community.The legislation that allows all this to happen is The Intellectual Disability (Compulsory Care and Rehabilitation) Act 2003, and a section of which (S85) allows the usual 3 year maximum term for a Compulsory Care Order to be rolled over.The application of Section 85 was recently successfully challenged in case of “J, “ Compulsory Care Recipient v Attorney‑General“J” is a man with an intellectual disability (and autism) who has been detained under the IDCCR Act since 2006, on a secure compulsory-care order. His order has been repeatedly extended because his behaviour has not been deemed to have improved and so, at the time of the Supreme Court hearing this year, he had been in detention for almost 20 yearsThe Supreme Court was asked to review whether the legal test being applied to extend his compulsory care orders under s 85 of the IDCCR Act was been correctly administered — and whether J’s long detention breached his rights under the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 (e.g. right to liberty, freedom from arbitrary detention and non-discrimination).Last August the Court allowed the appeal in part, finding that the legal test lower courts had been using to decide whether to extend a compulsory care order was wrong.The Court of Appeal for example had previously found that extending a compulsory care order only required evidence of some risk. Instead the Supreme Court ruled that the right to liberty should be the starting point for a Judge’s decision to release a person under a Compulsory Care Order or not, and that the time such a person is detained should not be disproportionate to the offence they originally committed.In J’s case he had carried an axe onto a neighbour’s property and used it to break windows — including a garage and van.The offence was Wilful Damage, and if J had been deemed fit to plead he would have faced a maximum sentence of 3 months in prison.But J has been detained in secure care for nearly 20 years which raised serious proportionality and rights concerns around arbitrary detention.Frankly, I know of convicted murderers and rapists who have been freed before 20 years.The Secrecy IssueIt is in the Family Court, presided over by a Judge, that the decision to release or roll over a person’s detention is made, and the problem I have ( or any journalist has) in reporting on such a case is that it is a closed court.Unlike a Parole Board hearing, for example, where journalists can apply to observe proceedings, Family Court hearings are secret – and that very fact is, in my view, contrary to the principle of open justice.The reason I have been looking into this issue is that I recently interviewed the well-known author Anne Hunt for an episode of my podcast series Head2Head. Her grandson – Daniel - is one of the 65 people who is subject to a compulsory care order because , like J, he has a mental disability, committed some property damage and is currently now being indefinitely detained.During the interview ( which you can watch here) Anne raised a number of concerns about Daniel’s treatment and human rights abuse. So, in fairness, I decided to hold off publishing the interview until I had contacted his care provider and ask about some of the issues Anne had raised with me – such as she was not allowed to communicate with him to even wish him a happy 30 th birthday.So I emailed the management of IDEA Services, the facility where Daniel is being detained, and asked four questions1. Is it correct that Anne has been denied access to Daniel? If so, why?2. She says she understands from others that Daniel is regressing? Is this so? If so, what treatment strategy is ...
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    28 mins
  • Ep 72 : Sally Hett - The Wellbeing Economy

    Ep 72 : Sally Hett - The Wellbeing Economy
    Nov 26 2025

    The Wellbeing Economic Alliance Aotearoa (WEAll Aotearoa) isn’t a political party. It’s an independent “think and do” tank driven by the belief our economy should exist for the wellbeing of our people and the planet, and is working to make that happen.

    They take an evidence approach towards solving the economic issues that face us in order develop practical, long-term solutions for the public good.

    WEAll Aotearoa is a registered charity, funded through philanthropic grants and donations and Sally is their Knowledge and Engagement lead.

    If you find yourself feeling a bit down about the self- centred neoliberal track we’ve been headed down - have a listen to Sally.

    We can have a more caring economy ….if we want to.

    You can find out more about The Wellbeing Economic Alliance Aotearoa here:

    https://www.weall.org.nz

    This public journalism interview has been made free to listen to thanks to the support of my paid subscribers.

    For $10 a month including GST ( less than a cup of coffee a week) you can not only gain full access to all my paywalled fourth estate articles,dpcumentaries and podcasts, but you will get to comment in a chatroom of thoughtful Kiwis who care about our country and where it is going, in a troll- free social media environment.



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bryanbruce.substack.com/subscribe
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    24 mins
  • Diabetes Awareness Podcast Interview with Dr Bryan Betty

    Diabetes Awareness Podcast Interview with Dr Bryan Betty
    Nov 12 2025

    November is Diabetes Awareness Action Month in which Diabetes New Zealand is calling attention to the rise in Diabetes amongst young people.

    You can find out more here:

    https://www.diabetesactionmonth.org.nz



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bryanbruce.substack.com/subscribe
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    3 mins
  • EP 71: Head2Head Dr Bryan Betty

    EP 71: Head2Head Dr Bryan Betty
    Nov 12 2025

    In this episode I catch up with Dr Bryan Betty who is the Chair of General Practice New Zealand and is also a practicing GP in Cannons Creek Porirua, to discuss issues of concern to General Practitioners and Labour’s recent primary health proposals.

    This public journalism interview has been made free to listen to thanks to the support of my paid subscribers.

    For $10 a month including GST ( less than a cup of coffee a week) you can not only gain full access to all my paywalled fourth estate articles,dpcumentaries and podcasts, but you will get to comment in a chatroom of thoughtful Kiwis who care about our country and where it is going, in a troll- free social media environment.



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bryanbruce.substack.com/subscribe
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    21 mins
  • Ep 70 : Labour MP Kieran McAnulty

    Ep 70 : Labour MP Kieran McAnulty
    Nov 6 2025

    As part of my Head2Head series I have been interviewing politicians to find out a little about who they are and what they believe.

    Kieran McAnulty was a minister in the Ardern led government and is currently Labour’s Shadow Leader of The House and spokesperson for Housing, Infrastructure and Public Investment.

    In this wide- ranging interview we discuss the legacy of the introduction of neoliberal economics by the Fourth Labour government, how he sees Labour has changed since the Lange/ Douglas days, the role of government in relation to the marketplace, their policy on Crown ownership of assets today, the economic relationship between town and country (why does the food we produce cost us so much?) as well as Labour’s latest Health policy.

    Little wonder then that, at 45 minutes in duration, this is the longest interview in Head2Head series to date, but I hope you find it informative and I look forward to reading your comments.

    PS If you would rather read the interview rather than watch it just click on the Transcribe button.

    This public jounalism interview has been made free to listen to thanks to the support of my paid subscribers.

    For $10 a month including GST ( less than a cup of coffee a week) you can not only gain full access to all my paywalled fourth estate articles and podcasts, but you will get to comment in a chatroom of thoughtful Kiwis who care about our country and where it is going, in a troll- free social media environment.



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bryanbruce.substack.com/subscribe
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    45 mins
  • EP: 69 Ken Mair and Amokura Panoho on Rā Whakamana - day of solidarity.

    EP: 69 Ken Mair and Amokura Panoho on Rā Whakamana - day of solidarity.
    Oct 25 2025

    In this interview I talk with two of the organisers of Rā Whakamana, an event happening next Tuesday the 28th of October 2025. It is a national day of solidarity between Māori, the Unions and Tangata Tiriti allies which coincides withe the 190th anniversary of He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni (1835 Declaration of Independence)

    It is not a strike or protest, but a tikanga-led action that centres on Māori wellbeing, cultural identity, and mana motuhake throughout the motu.

    Rā Whakamana is also a response.directly to the intensifying political, legal, and cultural attacks on Māori being driven by the current coalition government.

    You can find out more about the Rā Whakamana event on their Facebook by clicking on the following link.

    https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=Ra%20Whakamana

    And on the Together.org.nz website here :

    https://www.together.org.nz/ra_whakamana

    You can support this day of solidarity by attending at the following times and locations

    28 October 2025

    Waitangi: 10am, Te Tii Marae

    Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland Central: 12pm, Okahu Bay

    Tāmaki Makaurau | South Auckland: 12pm, Māngere Bridge (meeting at corner of Waterfront Rd & Coronation Rd)

    Thames: 11.00am, Te Whariki Mana Wahine o Hauraki

    Tauranga: 11.30am, Marine Park

    Rotorua: 12pm, Lakefront

    Whanganui: 12pm, Pakaitore

    Te Whanganui-a-tara | Wellington: 12pm, Midland Park

    Ōtepoti | Dunedin: 12pm, Queens Gardens

    My public journalism work is made possible because of the generosity of my paid subscribers. If you are receiving this post as a free subscriber please consider upgrading. I post something to read, listen to, or watch every day, so right now you are probably seeing 1 item out of 9 that I produce.

    For $10 a month you will not only get access to my fourth rstate writing, podcasts and documentaries, you will be able to comment and join our vibrant chat room in which New Zealanders from all walks of life intelligently discuss the issues we are facing as a nation in a environment safe from trolls.



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bryanbruce.substack.com/subscribe
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    28 mins
  • Ep 67 : Catherine Murupaenga-Ikenn Artivist

    Ep 67 : Catherine Murupaenga-Ikenn Artivist
    Oct 11 2025

    .Catherine Murupaenga-Ikenn (Ngāti Kuri, Te Rarawa) was part of protest group Te Waka Hourua, who defaced (she says “redacted” ) Te Papa’s large wooden display panel of the English version of the Treaty of Waitangi in 2023 for which she was recently fined $1500.

    In this interview Catherine talks candidly about why she was one of those who did it - and what you hear isn’t the senseless ramblings of a vandal, but words of intelligence and reason spoken by a wahine toa.

    Head2Head interviews are free to view and listen too thanks to the generosity of my paid subscribers.

    If you are receiving this post as a free subscriber please consider upgrading. I post something to read, listen to, or watch every day, so right now you are probably seeing one item out of 12 that I produce.

    For $10 a month you will not only get access to my fourth rstate writing, podcasts and documentaries, you will be able to join our vibrant chat room in which New Zealanders from all walks of life intelligently discuss the issues we are facing as a nation in a environment safe from trolls.

    Please restack and share any posts you find useful.



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bryanbruce.substack.com/subscribe
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    31 mins
  • Ep. 66 : The Wealth Chasm - Economist Dr Ganesh Rajaram Ahirao

    Ep. 66 : The Wealth Chasm - Economist Dr Ganesh Rajaram Ahirao
    Oct 7 2025
    I recently caught up with Dr Ganesh Rajaram Ahirao who was formerly the Research Director at BERL and Chair of the now disestablished Productivity Commission ,who has been analyzing data from Stats NZ on wealth distribution in our country - and what he has uncovered is truly alarming.You can find his research on his Substack here:However I have copied his research post below in case you can’t access it and you want to read his disturbing analysis as he talks to me about what it means._______________________________________________________________In 2024 Aotearoa wealth ranged between* an average net debt of $298,000 for each of 19,9401 households* an average net wealth of $9.2 million for each of another 19,940 households.Alternatively,* 19,940 households shared total net debt of $5.9 billion* another 19,940 households shared total net wealth of $183.8 billion.The picture below illustrates the net wealth per household - across the total spectrum of the wealth distribution - with each vertical bar representing 19,940 households.2The right-hand end of the spectrum illustrates that, while relatively small in number, the net wealth of the uber-wealthy was visibly well above those only a few bars towards their left. For example, the 19,940 households in the 95th percentile (the 6th bar from the right) each with $4.1 million of net wealth is less than half that of the $9.2 million for each of those households in the 100th percentile.Adding up the ten bars at the right-hand end of this spectrum, (together representing 199,400 households), results in a combined $1,006.9 billion in net wealth. Each household in this group possesses net wealth of at least $2.5 million, with many having visibly more.However, wealth at the left-hand end of this spectrum is close to invisible. The widespread prevalence of household’s either in net debt, or possessing relatively negligible levels of net wealth, is saddeningly stark.The left-hand 50 vertical bars in the picture - together representing the net wealth of 997,000 households (that is, half of all households) - barely register any visible wealth.The following picture magnifies the previous chart, allowing the left-hand 50 vertical bars to become visible. Note, critically, that the vertical axis depicts a considerably smaller range of wealth (in $thousands and not $millions) than in the previous chart. However, each vertical bar still represents 19,940 households - with the 50 bars together totalling half of all households in Aotearoa in 2024.The numbers are sobering, if bland* the half of all households illustrated here together recorded net wealth totalling $138.2 billion* that means half of all households in Aotearoa possessed 6.7% of the total net wealth of all households* consequently, the other half of households in Aotearoa possessed 93.3% of the total net wealth of all households.I urge you to see past the blandness of the numbers and remind yourself that behind each of the 19,940 households represented by each of those vertical bars lie individuals, families, whānau, hapū, and community hopes and aspirations.The numbers in the latter chart include many people and communities still awaiting - in vain - for the hope and opportunities to be accrued from the much-promised trickle down.The chasm opensThose unfortunate to be amongst those households towards the left-hand end of this spectrum have seen their wealth struggle to register any significant improvements over the 9 years to 2024. Worse, many have seen their debts noticeably increase.What was a divide, has become a chasm.The combined total debt of the least-wealthy 10% of all households (that is, 199,400 households, being the ten bars at the left-hand end of the spectrum in the pictures above) last year totalled $8.0 billion. In 2015, that debt totalled $1.7 billion.In contrast, the combined wealth of the most-wealthy 10% (the ten bars at the right-hand end of the first picture) rose from $551.5 billion in 2015 to the aforementioned $1,006.9 billion.Yes, the nine years to 2024 saw the least-wealthy households in Aotearoa subjected to an ever worsening debt picture - with their total debt rising by $6.3 billion.That is, an average $31,640 worsening for each household.Over the same period, the most-wealthy households in Aotearoa enjoyed an increase in their total wealth of $455.3 billion.That is, an average $2.3 million improvement for each household.I know it is a cliche to talk about the rich getting richer, while the poor get poorer. But, what I do not know is when (or how) we - as a nation - have seemingly become so immune to this utter failure of our economy and the consequent dereliction of our duty to our people and communities.Many prognoses, advice, and policies centre on education as the key out of poverty. I share such a view. And, yes, I wholeheartedly encourage further education and training as this data (discussed below) provides evidence of a better wealth outcome for those with further ...
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    39 mins