Emma Russell, Multimedia Journalist at New Zealand's Herald, uncovers health investigations and writes daily news following the country's biggest health system shake up and continued repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kia ora, I'm Emma. I'm really proud of two major investigations I've uncovered since starting at the New Zealand Herald in 2018. The first exposed inequalities in cancer care in a 2019 investigation called ‘Cancer: Why can’t we get it right?’. The second was a 2022 campaign called ‘In her Head’, which uncovered serious issues with how women are treated in New Zealand’s health system, and the severe neglect that some wāhine had faced. I also write daily news including following the country’s biggest health system shakeup and continued repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Growing up, I watched people I love struggle with their mental health, with them becoming stripped of a voice and left feeling powerless. I observed the role the media has to influence positive change. This led me to study journalism, with history and English, at the University of Canterbury and through a postgraduate diploma at Auckland University of Technology. I learnt about three key staples to journalism - holding powers to account, shining a light on injustices, and giving people a voice. Many of the stories I cover are harrowing and confronting. Those stories have stayed with me, but by sharing them we provoke meaningful conversation. To me, journalism is more than a job, it’s a privilege and one I am committed to never taking for granted
![Doctors told her she was just overweight - turns out, she had ovarian cancer](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
Doctors told her she was just overweight - turns out, she had ovarian cancer
'Something needs to change, you can't just push it away as women's problems.'
!['Women let down by system': ACC pays out $27m to women harmed by health treatment](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
'Women let down by system': ACC pays out $27m to women harmed by health treatment
'There are so many areas that could be improved to better [women's] outcomes," GP says.
!['Just part of being a woman': How our health system ignores and neglects female patients - and what can be done about it](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
'Just part of being a woman': How our health system ignores and neglects female patients - and what can be done about it
'I kept thinking maybe I'm just being weak, maybe I just need to harden up...'
![Live: 'Stay away' - Aucklanders to be locked out of holiday hotspots this summer](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
Live: 'Stay away' - Aucklanders to be locked out of holiday hotspots this summer
The simple message to Aucklanders is to stay away, Ōpōtiki councillor says.
![Delta outbreak: 109 cases - new infections in Northland, Waikato; Auckland vaccine rate latest](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
Delta outbreak: 109 cases - new infections in Northland, Waikato; Auckland vaccine rate latest
There are 35 people in hospital around the country.
![Half a million eligible Aucklanders unvaccinated - how's your district tracking?](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
Half a million eligible Aucklanders unvaccinated - how's your district tracking?
The Herald can today reveal a breakdown of each district's vaccination coverage.
![The staggering amount taxpayers spend on drink-driving crashes](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
The staggering amount taxpayers spend on drink-driving crashes
'Road deaths aren't just numbers,' police boss says.
!['Treat it like it's Covid': Mum fighting for daughter's life as RSV soars](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
'Treat it like it's Covid': Mum fighting for daughter's life as RSV soars
A Napier mum is terrified of losing her four-month-old daughter who is in ICU with RSV.
!['Bold move': $36.6m to help Kiwis quit smoking by 2025](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
'Bold move': $36.6m to help Kiwis quit smoking by 2025
Advocacy groups are applauding the Government's Smokefree 2025 spend.
![Cyber attack: Waikato DHB's entire IT service down - clinical services affected](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
Cyber attack: Waikato DHB's entire IT service down - clinical services affected
The cause of the outage is being investigate, the DHB says.
!['Absolutely furious': Pay freeze pushes nurses union to strike](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
'Absolutely furious': Pay freeze pushes nurses union to strike
30,000 district health board nurses have voted to strike for 8 hours on June 9.
!['Run over by a bus': Dame Val's pandemic parenting challenge](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
'Run over by a bus': Dame Val's pandemic parenting challenge
Valerie Adams' young son was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in the middle of the pandemic.
!['Sexist' rule: 12yo league player ordered off field because she's a girl](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
'Sexist' rule: 12yo league player ordered off field because she's a girl
Girl in tears after being told she couldn't play rugby league with her male teammates.
![Harrowing video on maternal suicide leaves politicians holding back tears](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
Harrowing video on maternal suicide leaves politicians holding back tears
The film was shown to politicians to prompt action against neglected maternal care.
!['Tragic': Baby girl lost after multiple failures by DHB](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
'Tragic': Baby girl lost after multiple failures by DHB
Whānau will never 'get over' the death of their baby girl, family spokesperson says.
![New coffee business roasted over 'offensive, bizarre' name](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
New coffee business roasted over 'offensive, bizarre' name
OCD sufferers outraged by a coffee roastery's business with the same initials.
![NZ's 24th Covid death: Ashley Bloomfield's tribute to Dr Joe Williams](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
NZ's 24th Covid death: Ashley Bloomfield's tribute to Dr Joe Williams
He held many senior roles in the health sector in New Zealand.
![Covid exodus: Aucklanders flock to airport at first chance of travel](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
Covid exodus: Aucklanders flock to airport at first chance of travel
A woman was spotted smoking with mask and eloquently removing it for each drag.
![Angry travellers sent to Rotorua at last minute for quarantine](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
Angry travellers sent to Rotorua at last minute for quarantine
Rotorua has been added as a new hub for managed quarantine.
![PM v Rob Fyfe - 'Remiss of me' not to thank ex-Air NZ boss; 'job's not done yet'](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
PM v Rob Fyfe - 'Remiss of me' not to thank ex-Air NZ boss; 'job's not done yet'
'Perhaps he thought he was exiting and I didn't' - Jacinda Ardern
![Ruby Princess cluster closed, 21 days with no new Covid-19 cases](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
Ruby Princess cluster closed, 21 days with no new Covid-19 cases
The Ministry of Health has released the latest update.
![One new Covid-19 case - link to Auckland rest home cluster](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
One new Covid-19 case - link to Auckland rest home cluster
The number of new Covid-19 cases in the previous seven days has been just two.
![Back to work, school: NZ hailed in US for 'quashing Covid in 49 days'](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
Back to work, school: NZ hailed in US for 'quashing Covid in 49 days'
New Zealanders will be swapping their slippers for shoes as they head back to the office.
![This toddler almost died more than 100 times. Now the family are paying it forward.](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
This toddler almost died more than 100 times. Now the family are paying it forward.
Harry was born with an extremely rare condition where his lungs collapse without warning.
!['I'm fighting to be heard': Toxic mould in work car - man battles employer, ACC](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
'I'm fighting to be heard': Toxic mould in work car - man battles employer, ACC
"The next day I was driving the car and my vision deteriorated..." Waikato father tells.
!['Bullied' family in isolation, Kiwi officials to contact 100 passengers](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
'Bullied' family in isolation, Kiwi officials to contact 100 passengers
One hundred passengers were on board the two domestic flights taken by the infected woman.
![NZ's most popular depression pill is running out. Lives may be at risk](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
NZ's most popular depression pill is running out. Lives may be at risk
Pharmacist: "They [Pharmac] are playing with people's lives and I'm sick of it."
![Deadly tumour: 'After 8 years, one doctor listened - and saved my life'](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
Deadly tumour: 'After 8 years, one doctor listened - and saved my life'
"For 8 months I went to bed every night thinking I'd be dead in the morning," mum tells.
!['A lovely guy who will be deeply missed': Auckland judge mourned](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
'A lovely guy who will be deeply missed': Auckland judge mourned
'Ronayne will be remembered as a very kind, balanced and fair judge'.
![Burns expert: White Island victims facing months of fighting for their lives](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
Burns expert: White Island victims facing months of fighting for their lives
"Some of these injuries are more akin to blast explosion injuries," expert says.
![Whakatāne Hospital staff 'overwhelmed' with love and support since eruption](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
Whakatāne Hospital staff 'overwhelmed' with love and support since eruption
Whakatāne Hospital staff had been deeply affected by what they saw.
![Doctors order 1.2 million sq cm of skin to save White Island volcano survivors](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
Doctors order 1.2 million sq cm of skin to save White Island volcano survivors
The amount of skin needed for burn victims equates to about 60 donors.
![School principals warn new wave of inequality looms](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
School principals warn new wave of inequality looms
Govt plans to scrap school donations in some schools mean huge inequities - principals.
![Health boards fail to meet 'faster cancer treatment' target](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
Health boards fail to meet 'faster cancer treatment' target
How do DHBs rank when it comes to cancer treatment wait times?
!['Rotten care': Elderly rest home residents dying due to low level of help - union](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
'Rotten care': Elderly rest home residents dying due to low level of help - union
Reports of man dying after being too scared to report infected wound due to low staffing.
![Revealed: Just how safe is general anaesthesia on babies?](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
Revealed: Just how safe is general anaesthesia on babies?
These latest findings are the strongest evidence to date.
![Junior doctors' strike starts today: What you need to know](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
Junior doctors' strike starts today: What you need to know
From 7am tomorrow hospitals nationwide are without 3300 junior doctors for 48 hours.
![YEAR IN REVIEW: Dad pays tribute to teen daughter killed in crash](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
YEAR IN REVIEW: Dad pays tribute to teen daughter killed in crash
Father of teen lost in fatal: "when she walked in the room everyone smiled"
![ACC warns Kiwis of the odd 'preventable' Xmas injuries](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
ACC warns Kiwis of the odd 'preventable' Xmas injuries
Falling Xmas trees, flying wine corks and hang fairy lights common hazards, ACC tells
![Six months to be seen by eye specialist, now he's blind](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
Six months to be seen by eye specialist, now he's blind
Darlow feels Specsavers took too long to send referrals and DHB needed to act sooner.
![Govt announces plans to regulate vaping](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
Govt announces plans to regulate vaping
New regulations are a step in the right direction, says vaping business owner
!['Seven years of medicated hell': One in eight Kiwis prescribed antidepressants](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
'Seven years of medicated hell': One in eight Kiwis prescribed antidepressants
Kiwi teacher shares her struggle as research reveals 1 in 8 Kiwis are prescribed the drug.
![Danger at the beach: Rubbish blamed for surge in seaside injuries](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
Danger at the beach: Rubbish blamed for surge in seaside injuries
Researchers are warning rubbish is becoming a "growing hazard" at New Zealand's beaches.
!['An angel': Dad pays tribute to teen daughter killed in crash](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
'An angel': Dad pays tribute to teen daughter killed in crash
Father of teen lost in fatal: "when she walked in the room everyone smiled"
![Pay negotiations to continue after nurses' strike](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
Pay negotiations to continue after nurses' strike
New Zealand Nurses Organisation and District Health Boards head back to the table.
![$750m for restoring hospitals' urgent building needs](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=796)
$750m for restoring hospitals' urgent building needs
Funding to fix hospital buildings is "a start", but more is needed.