Death of MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp brings parliament together
te ao Maori 22 minutes ago
The sudden death of MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp in the early hours of this morning has brought members from across the house together today. Flags in the capital have been flying at half mast for the Te Pati Maori MP for Tamaki Makarau, who was at parliament just yesterday. Takutai Tarsh Kemp, who recently celebrated her 50th birthday, revealed she was diagnosed with kidney disease last year. Acting political editor Craig McCulloch reports.
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RNZ News
5 hours ago
- RNZ News
Melatonin, ADHD medication and magic mushrooms - what are NZ's new changes in access to them?
Access to melatonin, psilocybin and ADHD treatment is changing. Photo: AFP / File / RNZ illustration Explainer - The government has changed regulations on several medications in the past fortnight. Here's what you need to know about melatonin, ADHD medicine and medicinal psilocybin access. Melatonin, which is used to treat sleeping problems, has up until now been tightly restricted in New Zealand, unlike many other countries. But it will soon be available over the counter at pharmacies, Associate Health Minister David Seymour said last week . It will be available in pharmacies as pills up to 5mg in packs with up to 10 days' supply, or pills up to 3mg. "Modified release doses" - pills, capsules, gels and medical devices which allow the drug to be administered over a specific period - could also be available with dosages of up to 2mg. Melatonin will remain prescription-only for children and adolescents , "following expert clinical advice to ensure proper oversight when used by younger patients," Seymour said. Melatonin is used to treat sleep disorders. Photo: Quin Tauetau/RNZ Melatonin is a hormone made by the pineal gland in your brain that helps regulate sleep cycles. It tends to decrease as we get older. Supplements are taken to help those with insomnia or other sleeping problems. "Most countries in the world allow you to buy it," Seymour said, noting Kiwis would often buy it on trips overseas and take it back home despite it being restricted here. "That makes no sense." One Auckland mother told RNZ recently that melatonin was "life saving" and a "game-changer" for her 10-year-old son with autism. Still, not everyone is convinced that it works. Studies have so far shown melatonin to be a "dud" in terms of effectiveness, Dr David Reith, an associate professor of pharmacology at the University of Otago, told RNZ last year. "The studies indicate it gets you to sleep 15 minutes quicker. But not that it keeps you asleep, improves the quality of your sleep, or increases the amount of time you sleep." Watch: David Seymour on changes to melatonin and psilocybin access It will take a little more time to see it on your chemist's shelf. Seymour said he called on the melatonin manufacturers of the world "to apply to bring their products into our country." "We are entirely dependent on the manufacturers to apply to have specific products available in New Zealand. The market dried up because it was so restricted nobody wanted to sell here. "But when we did this with pseudoephedrine it was a matter of months before the products were on the shelves and I hope we can beat that record." GPs and nurse practitioners will soon be able to diagnose and prescribe medications for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, to adults age 18 and over. The changes affect the stimulant medicines methylphenidate, dexamfetamine and lisdexamfetamine, also sold under various brand names. Medsafe and Pharmac announced the changes on Tuesday . Until now, it has required a written recommendation from a psychiatrist or paediatrician to start prescribing ADHD medications, a process which can take months. "I have heard stories of many people with ADHD who have been unable to get a diagnosis and treatment in a timely manner because of long wait items and costs associated with seeing a specialist," Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey said in announcing the change . Children and teenagers 17 and younger will be able to get prescriptions from nurse practitioners who work in mental health services as well as psychiatrists and paediatricians. Dr Anna Skinner, the Chief Clinical Advisor for Primary Care at Health New Zealand, told Checkpoint that the change would help eliminate barriers for people to get treatment. "People have been accessing private psychiatry at considerable personal costs," she said. Ritalin is one of several drugs that treat ADHD. Photo: CC 2.0 Health agencies have set the start date at 1 February 2026 to address potential supply issues related to methylphenidate or Ritalin, and to give more time for workforce preparation. However, not all GPs and nurse practitioners will be equipped to carry out the work immediately, so it will be important to talk to your physician about your options, Pharmac said. The assessments will not be done in your typical 15-minute GP visit and will possibly require multiple visits to specialised staff, Skinner said. "It's certainly not a 15-minute diagnosis so it's not something that everybody will be able to access the morning after the changes." In making the announcement Doocey said it was important to have consistency as the policy changes. "The Ministry of Health is working with sector representatives to develop a clinical principles framework for the assessment and treatment of ADHD. This will ensure there is quality and consistency for supporting patients with ADHD in New Zealand." Psilocybin, a chemical from certain mushrooms, has been used to treat depression. Photo: Pixabay Psilocybin is a chemical obtained from certain kinds of mushrooms. It's been used in spiritual rituals, recreationally and as medicine over the years - and picked up the tag "magic mushrooms". It's also become a possible treatment for depression, as psilocybin is believed to interact with serotonin receptors in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter which regulates mood and other bodily functions and is sometimes called "the happiness chemical". It will still be an unapproved medicine but available for clinical treatment for the first time outside of trials. "Psilocybin is a medicine that can treat untreatable depression," Seymour said in making the announcement. "It was first researched in the 1950s and '60s and more recently there's been extensive research and approvals by the FDA in the United States to be able to use these types of medicines." Australia made a similar move to allow prescriptions of it in clinical settings two years ago. However, initially its use will be very limited in New Zealand. Only one person at the moment in all of New Zealand - psychiatrist Dr Cameron Lacey, based in Christchurch. Speaking to RNZ recently he said it had taken "a long time, a lot of energy and perseverance" to get to the approval stage, which had taken around four years. The treatment isn't cheap in other countries, however - Dr Lacey said it could run from NZ$16,500 to NZ$40,000 for the course of psychotherapy and psilocybin sessions. He hoped it would be cheaper when it comes to New Zealand. "I'm hopeful we can work with Health New Zealand to create a funding pathway for those who have failed to respond to current standard treatments and endure significant symptoms to be able to get access to this treatment." The latest data from the New Zealand Drug Foundation shows the use of psychedelics - which includes substances such as LSD, psilocybin and ketamine - has doubled in the past six years. Dr Lacey will operate under strict reporting and record-keeping requirements, Seymour said. He hoped more psychiatrists would apply to use it. "If a doctor believes psilocybin can help, they should have the tools to try." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
1News
6 hours ago
- 1News
Five Big Things That Happened Today: Thursday, June 26
Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp has died, charges are laid for an alleged hit-and-run, and authorities bust an 'insider threat' smuggling drugs at Auckland Airport. 1 Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp dies Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp has died at 50 after revealing last year she was battling kidney disease. Her party said it was "heartbroken" to confirm news of the death of "our sister" in the early hours of this morning. Leaders across the political spectrum joined in paying tribute. ADVERTISEMENT Read More 2 Second man charged after Rotorua man's death in alleged hit-and-run A second man has been charged after a fatal alleged hit-and-run in Hamilton last week. A motorcyclist allegedly overtook a stationary vehicle and struck Paige Johnson as he was crossing Edmund Rd in Mangakakahi at around 2.15pm on June 15. Johnson, who was sight- and hearing-impaired, died in hospital on June 19. Read More 3 Auckland Airport drug syndicate: $24m meth, cocaine seized — 18 arrests ADVERTISEMENT Eighteen people were arrested following an investigation into drug smuggling at Auckland Airport with ten of those staff at the airport. Ten of those arrested worked at Auckland Airport, including nine baggage handlers. Read More 4 'Close to home': Divers disable WWII mines in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf Mines that were laid to protect Waitematā Harbour and the Hauraki Gulf from threats posed by the Japanese and German navies have been disabled. Divers used low-level explosive charges to crack the mine casings, allowing seawater to disarm the mines permanently. Read More ADVERTISEMENT 5 NATO chief Mark Rutte refers to Donald Trump as 'daddy' The leaders of NATO met in the Netherlands amidst the backdrop of war in the Middle East, with the US president recently dropping the F-bomb after lashing out at Israel and Iran's post-ceasefire strikes. The NATO Secretary General said at the military alliance meeting that "daddy has to sometimes use strong language to get [them to] stop". Read More Watch: Severe weather warnings as school holidays approach 1News meteorologist Dan Corbett said for some places the heavy rain will be "almost off the scale" as some "nasty" weather moves in. Watch Here ADVERTISEMENT ONE STUNNING PHOTO A seventeen-year-old's photo of a white-faced heron has crowned him as Tūhura Otago Museum's photographer of the year. There were more than 4450 entries from around the world, but Sam McGee's photo stood out due to its 'excellent composition and moody, almost monochromatic tones,' the judging panel said. The exhibition, Otago's Lens on the Wild World, opens from June 26 until October 12 at Tūhura Otago Museum. Entry is free. Read More
RNZ News
6 hours ago
- RNZ News
Parliament unites in grief as tributes flow for Takutai Tarsh Kemp
Takutai Moana Natasha Kemp. Photo: RNZ / Simon Rogers In her final hours, Takutai Tarsh Kemp was calling members of her community, offering her service to the kaupapa. In her final speech to Parliament - just days earlier - the Tāmaki Makaurau MP spoke of fairness and manaakitanga: "Te Pāti Māori leaves no one behind." That was how MPs remembered Kemp on Thursday : a servant leader, a beautiful soul, a champion for her people. The news broke shortly after 8am, as MPs were going about their usual business. As the justice committee closed its session at 9am, chair Andrew Bayly noted they would not reconvene due to "information we've just received". That information came as a shock to many of those who worked alongside Kemp. Kemp had been open about her battle with kidney disease , announcing it in July last year. Some at Parliament knew her health had been faltering. But Kemp was in the building just the day before, attending Question Time, and she had spoken with passion in the debating chamber the day before that. On Wednesday, she had sat and talked with Labour's Peeni Henare and his youth MP for an hour, reflecting on their relationship as both rivals and comrades. Labour MP Peeni Henare speaks at Parliament as MPs honour Takutai Tarsh Kemp. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone Te Pāti Māori's MPs were not at Parliament on Thursday, which also happened to be the first day since the end of the co-leaders three-week suspension. Instead, the caucus understandably disbanded to be with whānau. They spoke as a caucus earlier that morning; co-leader Rawiri Waititi described emotions as being raw. President John Tamihere notified others across Parliament. In the afternoon, MPs from other parties convened to pay tribute , a procedure now sadly familiar to them following the death of Fa'anānā Efeso Collins in February last year. The flags flew at half mast; a floral tribute sat at Kemp's desk in the chamber. A tribute in Parliament House after the death of Tāmaki Makaurau MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp of Te Pāti Māori on 26 June, 2025. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone As in the aftermath of Collins' passing, MPs put their differences aside, sharing their reflections and experiences. They clutched earpieces to the sides of their heads to hear the speeches translated as many spoke predominately in te reo: National's Tama Potaka, Henare, the Greens' Teanau Tuiono, and NZ First's Shane Jones. National's Tama Potaka speaks in Parliament, as MPs remember Takutai Tarsh Kemp. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone The speeches touched on her legacy - her advocacy for young people and South Auckland. Potaka dubbed Kemp "rangatira" of "rangatahi" and captain of the dance crew, a reference to her time at the top of Hip Hop International NZ. Greens' co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick spoke of her conviction: "[She] knew who she was, where she came from, and what she was fighting for." Chloe Swarbrick speaks at a tribute for Te Pati Māori MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp after her death on 26 June, 2025. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone And ACT's David Seymour echoed the sentiment: "She left no doubt about what she was here to do and who she was here to serve." A recurring theme was the unity felt in grief - the politics put aside. Temporarily forgotten was the fierce battle over the Tāmaki Makaurau seat in 2023, similarly, the serious allegations levelled over the Manurewa marae and its handling of private data. Swarbrick acknowledged how "love and integrity" could be great stabilisers at such times. Jones paid respect to Kemp's contribution. "Yes, politics is a contest, but at the base of politics is the pursuit of humanity," he said. New Zealand First MP Shane Jones speaks at a tribute for Te Pati Māori MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp after her death on 26 June, 2025. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone But it was Labour's Willie Jackson who best articulated the "special moment" as speakers put their disagreements on pause. In many ways, he said, it captured the nature of Māori politics. "We just can go to war sometimes... we can destroy each other, and then - you wouldn't think it was the same people - we'll be having a cup of tea and a kai out the back at the marae." Labour MPs (from left) Carmel Sepuloni, Willie Jackson, and Peeni Henare speak at Parliament on the death of Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp. Photo: RNZ / Sam Rillstone Jackson pointed to Henare's evident emotion - his lament - alongside the passionate Tāmaki Makaurau contest. "That's the difference with Māori politics," Jackson said. "We will always be tied by our toto, by our whakapapa, and by our identity." Kemp's death will now trigger a by-election in that Tāmaki Makaurau electorate - and MPs may well go to war once more - but that is a consideration for another day. The tributes closed with a waiata, Whakaaria Mai, the whole House on its feet, and then a moment's silence before Parliament rose early. On the floor of the House, there were hugs and hongi, Henare the most frequent recipient, as he held a tissue to his face and wiped away tears. Unity in grief. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
