Kerre Woodham: The ambulances are under the pump, and it won't finish anytime soon

Today, the 111 call out and the fact that St John is absolutely under the pump and has been for quite some time and they're not expecting it to finish anytime soon. On Saturday, 2,562 calls came into the ambulance through 111 the highest number received ever in a single day. But then that was the third time the daily record had been broken in a week.

Peter Dunne: Firefighters

This coming weekend the Annual General Meeting and Conference of the United Fire Brigades Association will take place in Wellington. It will be the largest such gathering in the organisation's 145-year history, with more than 600 delegates and observers attending.

The United Fire Brigades Association represents the 86% of New Zealand's urban and rural firefighters who are volunteers. While Fire and Emergency New Zealand is the operational body responsible for the delivery of fire and emergency services, it is heavily reliant on the volunteers. Volunteer firefighters cover 93% of New Zealand’s land mass, including virtually all the area that has been at risk from recent adverse weather events.

Guy Hatchard: On the Brink of Biotechnology

In France, one young man has been deliberately shot and killed, apparently by a rogue policeman. Emmanuel Macron is contemplating whether to declare an emergency because of the widespread rioting, which is tied to police brutality against ethnic minorities. At least Macron knows he is facing an emergency.

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In New Zealand (and elsewhere, including France), not one but one hundred extra people are dying each week, but our politicians are deliberately looking the other way, and even claiming it is not happening. As a result, there is a curious sense of unreality affecting everyone. Many still argue our voting choices later this year could avert an impending disaster, but in actual fact, it has already arrived.