2026-08-31 - Patients going blind, 36,000 overdue for tests amid high demand and 9 more stories
This episode includes 10 news blocks. The Ophthalmology NZ chair says there's a "tsunami" of increased demand from an ageing population, poor IT systems, and staff shortages. The United States and Taiwan governments have accused China of trying to use a travel advisory notice to undermine Palau on the eve of the Pacific Island Forum leaders summit in Koror. Economists are predicting the Reserve Bank to increase the official cash rate this week. "If he couldn’t get the benefit, I probably would’…