NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Gisborne doctors on second 24-hour strike this month for funding and worker rights

By Wynsley Wrigley
Central government, local government and health reporter·Gisborne Herald·
26 May, 2025 02:38 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Striking Gisborne Hospital senior doctors, nurses, other health workers and members of the public at Heipipi/Endeavour Park on May 1 for the Fight Back for Health hīkoi and public meeting. Senior doctors will strike for another 24 hours on Wednesday.

Striking Gisborne Hospital senior doctors, nurses, other health workers and members of the public at Heipipi/Endeavour Park on May 1 for the Fight Back for Health hīkoi and public meeting. Senior doctors will strike for another 24 hours on Wednesday.

  • Senior doctors at Gisborne Hospital will strike for another 24 hours on Wednesday.
  • They cite the level of vacancies and describe the hospital as “on the brink of collapse”.
  • Health NZ described the strike action as “extremely concerning” and believes it goes against expectations of good faith bargaining.

Senior doctors at Gisborne Hospital will strike for another 24 hours this Wednesday following a march earlier this month for better health funding and worker’s rights.

The region’s senior medical staff had a 24-hour strike on May 1 along with a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/gisborne-herald/news/fight-back-for-health-gisborne-hikoi/BNPCBZNQW7SODZ6ZLO33XVI2KA/" target="_self" rel="" title="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/gisborne-herald/news/fight-back-for-health-gisborne-hikoi/BNPCBZNQW7SODZ6ZLO33XVI2KA/">Fight Back for Health hīkoi and public meeting, and two strikes for two hours on earlier occasions.

Collectively they have written twice to the Government to express concern about senior doctor vacancies in Tairāwhiti, describing Gisborne Hospital as “being on the brink of collapse”.

Senior doctors and Health NZ are also in the midst of wage negotiations.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Cath Cronin, deputy chief executive at Te Manawa Taki Health New Zealand (HNZ)/ Te Whatu Ora, said it was “extremely concerning” the strike action was being taken while HNZ was in facilitation with the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) to resolve outstanding issues and avoid further disruption to patients.

NZH believed the strike notice went against bargaining in good faith expectations, Cronin said.

“We value our doctors, but we are also concerned about the impacts of strike action on our patients,” she said.

“We believe we have made a fair and reasonable offer given the budget constraints we have and the current economic environment.”

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

She said HNZ recognised the concerns raised by Tairāwhiti union members around workforce shortages and it was committed to growing its permanent medical workforce.

“In our offer to senior doctors, we offered an allowance of $25,000 for hard-to-recruit districts, including Tairāwhiti, to assist in attracting and retaining senior doctors.”

ASMS industrial officer Jane Lawless said senior doctors at Tairāwhiti were deeply disappointed at the lack of any tangible progress over the issues they raised with the Minister of Health more than nine months ago.

“When Health New Zealand says they are committed to growing their permanent medical workforce, in the last nine months, there has actually been a net loss in the permanent workforce at Tairāwhiti,” Lawless said.

“The failure to implement any concrete solutions leaves the doctors with nowhere to go.

“Our members are concerned by the reference to budget constraints, when it should be obvious to everyone that investment has to be part of the solution.”

Gisborne senior doctors claimed 37% of senior medical officer roles at Gisborne Hospital were vacant in July 2024 and that had increased at the time of their second letter, in March of this year, to 44%.

At the time, Health NZ Te Whatu Ora said the rate was 37% as of February this year.

ASMS communication adviser Matt Shand said the hospital was “held together by the goodwill of doctors”.

“As part of the strike, doctors are using the time to generate donations for the Tairāwhiti Supergrans – a strike for good," Shand said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“We have already raised $2000 to donate to the cause.”

Cronin said Gisborne Hospital would remain open should the strike action go ahead and other clinical staff, including doctors, will still be available to ensure the continued availability of health services for those who need them.

Lawless said ASMS members would ensure life-preserving services were maintained on the day of the strike.

“Doctors understand the strike will still cause some disruption, but the ongoing situation at Gisborne Hospital results in cancellations, delays and an inability to do follow-up every single day.”

Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

Premium
Opinion

Ex England rugby captain: Why girls are walking away from sport

01 Jun 06:00 PM
Royals

Rural community well represented in King's Birthday Honours

01 Jun 05:05 PM
Retail

'Pretty special': Sistema founder's surprise at receiving knighthood

01 Jun 05:02 PM

‘No regrets’ for Rotorua Retiree

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Premium
Ex England rugby captain: Why girls are walking away from sport

Ex England rugby captain: Why girls are walking away from sport

01 Jun 06:00 PM

Bias, cost and access still limit many girls’ chances to play sport.

Rural community well represented in King's Birthday Honours

Rural community well represented in King's Birthday Honours

01 Jun 05:05 PM
'Pretty special': Sistema founder's surprise at receiving knighthood

'Pretty special': Sistema founder's surprise at receiving knighthood

01 Jun 05:02 PM
The art of composting with Andrea Coleman

The art of composting with Andrea Coleman

01 Jun 05:00 PM
Why Cambridge is the new home of future-focused design
sponsored

Why Cambridge is the new home of future-focused design

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP