Dr Gary Payinda has spent nearly two decades working as an emergency doctor in Northland — one of the most under-served regions in New Zealand. In this powerful episode, he shares his deepening alarm about the direction of our public health system and why he sees the Regulatory Standards Bill (RSB) as a dangerous turning point.

From privatised surgeries and telehealth replacing GPs, to unsafe workplaces and corporate interference in medical standards, Gary draws on frontline experience to explain how the RSB could worsen already-dire conditions for patients and providers alike. He warns that the Bill’s so-called “principles” — like cost-efficiency and minimal restriction on private interests — mask a far-reaching agenda to prioritise corporate profits over public health and safety.

We talk about:

• What healthcare looks like in rural, underfunded communities — and how it’s changing
• Why the RSB could undermine public health interventions and weaken medical regulation
• How the Bill empowers unelected boards to delay or obstruct laws
• The risk of losing safety standards in areas like workplace protections, smokefree laws, and medicine regulation
• Why doctors, nurses and patients alike should be raising the alarm

Gary doesn’t hold back — calling the RSB a “Trojan horse” for corporate power and making the case for direct public resistance. This is a must-listen for anyone who cares about the future of our health system. Dr Gary also writes regularly on health issues on Substack.

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This is part of a series of in-depth conversations with experts across sectors on the real-world impacts of the Regulatory Standards Bill. If you value independent political analysis, subscribe to my Substack for more interviews, writing, and updates. Free subscribers get regular content. Paid subscriptions really help keep this work going.

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