A hospital site suggestion and an ED nightmare: Letters to the editor, July 11, 2026

Saturday, 11 July 2026

Waikato Hospital’s site, and some of its buildings, are no longer fit for purpose, Trevor Green writes.

Shift the hospital

Firstly I hope the people who are concerned with everything happening at Waikato Hospital do not look to blame the staff, as they operate under stressful times with utter efficiency and decorum. To fix what appears unthinkable treatment, one must look back at history to solve today’s problems.

When the 50 acres was purchased in 1888 the problems of today were never ever considered or foreseen. The current setup was formulated in the early 1950s and how has society and design services changed in the last 60+ years. The site (and some of the buildings) is no longer fit for purpose, but the staff still do excellent work.

What we need now is for Health NZ to seriously reconsider the plights of our hospital. What is needed is an area of twice the original purchase. i.e. 50 hectares and on a flatter area so as construction will not need extra demands. It needs a large helicopter base, larger ambulance area, good access from north, south, east and west, and near major routes, and good parking areas. Any car parking building must be designed as high rise to save space for future growth.

I believe that we should be looking in the area between Hamilton and Cambridge.

Health NZ has seen fit to start planning another hospital in South Auckland (Drury), its time we stood up and demanded more for the Waikato, especially as it is a major hospital within the wider NZ set up. We need to see a long term plan for all our health facilities.

Trevor Green, Matamata

Mike Arthur wrote to share information about his late wife’s ED admission in July 2025.

Want to share your thoughts? Email editor@waikatotimes.co.nz with your full name and (not for publication) address and phone number. Letters should be no longer than 250 words.

An ED nightmare

The recent news of a patient waiting in A & E for an extended period before dying is not an exception.

July 5 last year my wife an 84-year-old arrived in the ED by St John emergency ambulance following two very heavy falls the previous night. She exhibited a bruised face and shoulder, it was suspected that could have suffered a Brain Bleed, a Broken Hip, a Broken Pelvis and a Damaged Shoulder or a combination of these.

It was not until 2:30am on Sunday July 6 that she was first seen by a doctor (I had departed 15 mins earlier with my son) 10 hours after arrival. Hospital records do not show that any Xrays or Scans had been undertaken. She waited in the ED until Monday morning July 7 before a bed could be found in the Renal ward, a period of 39 hours from arriving in the ED until a bed was found. She died a few days later.

We’ll never solve NZ’s housing crisis until we get out of the way of those trying to put a roof over their head (file photo).

A response to my later complaint suggested “we could perhaps have done better”.

Mike Arthur, Matamata

Simple housing

With the saga of the $12,000 in fines to the two people that had the temerity to join two tiny houses to make a more livable space fresh in my mind I would like to say: This country will never solve its housing crisis, neither in numbers nor affordability, until it gets out of the way of people trying to put a roof over their head.

Many are more than happy to live in a small home at the back of a section without many of the trappings of modern life, when the alternative is rough sleeping. There are some non-negotiables such as access to a toilet and shower, heating, and safe electricals (if there are any). No need to fit into a building code that would befit royalty. Just a safe, warm place.

Put wheels on your dwelling and a plethora of extra regulations seem to pop out. Give the neighbours an avenue to complain and sure enough some will.

This country was originally built on the quarter-acre section so there must still be plenty with room for a moderately sized tiny home.

All the trees at Te Rapa Racecourse will go if it’s sold, Martin Toop says.

Even though you can freely build a small dwelling there are many hurdles to watch out for: It must be designed, built, or supervised by a Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP), it must fully comply with the NZ Building Code, you will need a resource consent ($5000–$15,000) if you break the local planning rules (distances, heights etc), development contributions ($2000–$10,000+), utility connections if required ($1500–$5000): plumbing, drainage, and electrical hookups must be done by a certified professional. There are some expensive ticket clippers in that list. Rough sleeping sounds much cheaper.

Nothing is allowed to be simple these days.

Geoff Orchard, Ōhaupō (abridged)

Russell Armitage, pictured, is pleased to hear buses will soon have right of way as they pull out of stops.

Keep the trees

If [Te Rapa Racecourse is] sold all these trees will be cut down. Best to keep all the land with trees on and sell the rest for factories and housing, etc.

Council does say it wants to plant more trees to keep the city cooler as our climate is getting hotter.

Martin Toop, Hamilton

Buses go first

Nick Michael Pak wants Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to sanction Israel. The PM is pictured speaking at Hamilton Boys’ High.

Excellent news that motorists will soon be required to give way to buses pulling out of stops. About time. Although courteous drivers here have always done that.

Besides, this is the case in many countries. But New Zelanders' reputation, as reported by tourists, for aggressive driving, means that some Kiwi drivers need to be required by law to show some manners.

I was pleased to see that Cr Sarah Thomson was described as having 'championed public transport in Hamilton'. In that case can I ask her to stop the planned removal of bus routes along North Victoria Street, push for a bus stop in Anglesea Street outside the PWC building and request that the Meteor bus route goes along South Victoria Street.

All these measures would add to travel convenience for passengers thus encouraging greater use and help to bring back some life to the CBD, which your article [on Tuesday] reported to be in dire straits.

Russell Armitage, Hamilton

PM on Palestine

The Prime Minister expressed the view at Hamilton Boys' High on July 2nd that, as a small nation, we rely on, and benefit from, adherence to a rules based order.

With regard to the situation in Palestine, he expressed the view that we should adhere to the opinion of the International Court of Justice.

Fred Barrett writes that Hamas is using the deaths of children as propaganda. Pictured is a boy looking out of a tent in a camp Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, in late 2024.

On 19 July 2024 the ICJ published an advisory opinion that Israel must bring an end to its presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territories as rapidly as possible.

When will Luxon's Government direct Parliament to enact the Unlawful Occupation of Palestine Sanctions Bill, which is their duty owing to Israel's flagrant violations of international law, as opined by the International Court of Justice?

Furthermore, Israel extending its war into Lebanon jeopardizes the Iran-US ceasefire agreement, therefore transit through the Strait of Hormuz, thus the global economy.

If the US is unwilling to sanction Israel's war in Lebanon then we must be.

As professed adherents to the rules based order, Luxon's Government should enact the Palestine Sanctions Bill and condemn Israel's actions. Given Iran's control of the Strait of Hormuz and our dependence on oil, it may be their least worst option.

Nick Michael Pak, Hamilton

Hamas PR

Hamas deserve congratulations for their PR coup in the Times, July 1st ‘In Depth’ article on the “overwhelming scale of children killed in Gaza”. It has not been without considerable effort however.

From the outset Hamas have fought their battle for public opinion by unashamedly seeking to maximise casualties to their children – announcing on Al Jazeera; “We will fight using the flesh of our children.”

Ishmail Haniyah (now eliminated head of Hamas) broadcast: ‘We need the blood of children.” Pictures of dead children are gold in their propaganda war, and mothers are implored to leave their children in harm’s way.

Mano Manoharan is urging Pak’nSave shoppers to check prices carefully.

The Official Palestinian Authority Daily (West Bank) agrees, reporting that “Hamas view Palestinian women purely as factories for producing babies to be slaughtered.” Extra pictures of dead children are gained by siting rocket launchers near schools and hospitals.

As for Israeli action; Hamas fighters routinely hide behind children because they consider it safer there – paying a compliment to Israeli soldiers in doing so. Using children as human shields was always going to be tough on the children!

Israel has recently (Feb) assisted in the vaccination of 603,000 children under age 10 – more than existed in this age group pre-war. These facts and figures make accusations of genocide less plausible.

The UN (the source of the Times’ report) has seriously compromised its neutrality in Gaza - released hostages report being held in multiple UN facilities, arms depots and tunnel entrances have been discovered on UN premises, Hamas members have been found on the UN payroll, and I have photos of arms being moved in UN vehicles.

Because the UN has blatantly taken a side in the conflict, we should treat their reporting with some scepticism.

Fred Barrett, Cambridge

Editor’s note: This topic is now closed for the time being.

Price check

Consumers check the prices on the website before they shop in supermarkets. Do they know that the price advertised is different from the price they pay in the shop?

Healthies Men's Multi one a day 100pk is advertised by Pak’nSave for $19.99. I went and purchased one at Mill Street Pak’nSave. They charged me $27.79 and I showed them the advertisement, and I was told that it is the Clarence Street, Pak’nSave price. I returned it and went to Clarence Street Pak’nSave and purchased one. I was charged $27.79. I showed them the website advertisement and said Mill Street Pak’nSave told me it is the Clarence Street Pak’nSave price.

Clarence Street Pak’nSave told me that whatever is advertised on the website is the online price and not the price of the products in the store. This is to advise consumers not to go by the Pak’nSave price of products advertised on the website and to check the purchase receipt for what they pay.

It is time that the Government takes action against false advertising and misleading consumers.

Mano Manoharan, Hamilton