Emma Russell
Multimedia Journalist
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
Check out Emma’s latest content
Life-threatening endometriosis delays, surgery wait times up to three years
On average, women in NZ wait 8.7 years from onset symptoms to be formally diagnosed.
'We live in a man's world': NZ lags behind other countries in women's health
"When we look at systems of all sorts around the world we see inequality for women."
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
'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
'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
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
There are 35 people in hospital around the country.
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
'Road deaths aren't just numbers,' police boss says.
'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
Advocacy groups are applauding the Government's Smokefree 2025 spend.
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
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
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
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
The film was shown to politicians to prompt action against neglected maternal care.
'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
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
He held many senior roles in the health sector in New Zealand.
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
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'
'Perhaps he thought he was exiting and I didn't' - Jacinda Ardern
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
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'
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.
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
"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
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
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'
"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
'Ronayne will be remembered as a very kind, balanced and fair judge'.
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
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
The amount of skin needed for burn victims equates to about 60 donors.
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
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
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?
These latest findings are the strongest evidence to date.
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
Father of teen lost in fatal: "when she walked in the room everyone smiled"
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
Darlow feels Specsavers took too long to send referrals and DHB needed to act sooner.
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
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
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
Father of teen lost in fatal: "when she walked in the room everyone smiled"
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
Funding to fix hospital buildings is "a start", but more is needed.