This week a cancer patient, who did not want to be identified, told Radio New Zealand she had to pay for a medical certificate every month to prove she was not fit to work.

This week Nasa announced its evidence of liquid water on Mars and coincidentally, Matt Damon's action flick, The Martian, hits cinemas here. The timing is uncanny.

A tax on our saltiest, fattiest foods and cutting the price of fruit and vegetables would encourage people to choose healthy options, writes Dylan Throne.