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Published: November 2025

Aotearoa New Zealand’s approach to mental health and wellbeing. Kia Manawanui was released in 2021 and it is timely for Te Hiringa Mahara - Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission to consider if the right foundations have been put in place to deliver the medium and long-term changes. The cross-government

Published: 17 September, 2021

intent. We urge the Select Committee to listen carefully to the voices of rainbow communities, including trans people, those with variations of sex characteristics (sometimes known as intersex), and non-binary people, and their calls to clarify and strengthen areas of the Bill,” says Kevin Hague

Published: 27 October, 2022

services. “As the Commission notes, the arrival of the Omicron variant has exposed long-standing, fundamental weaknesses in our health system. There is little capacity in the mental health system to cope with shocks, there are entrenched inequities in access to services and better outcomes experienced by

Published: 23 October, 2024

Government recently announced that six new Crisis Recovery Cafés will be rolled out around the country over the next two years. The benefits of this type of care model are examined in our recently released insights paper on acute options for mental health care. Our Lived Experience team prepared

Published: 11 June, 2025

same ends. An important step is for the Government’s new Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy to reflect this thinking.” “We can’t rely on small changes to improve outcomes for people – it will take commitment to changes across the board. We want to see outcomes achieved when we look back at the 10

Published: 13 December, 2023

its first ever Minister for Mental Health sitting in Cabinet is a welcome move. This dedicated role will bring a clear focus to mental health and addiction, and we are looking forward to tangible action and increased momentum over the coming term of government. But where should the new minister start

Published: 16 June, 2022

have no therapeutic value, and called for investment that will provide the choice of services needed to enhance safety for all. Karen Orsborn: Time to end coercive practices in mental health care OPINION: People in Aotearoa New Zealand experiencing significant mental distress continue to be subject

Published: January 2026

Executive of Te Hiringa Mahara. During 2020, Karen led the establishment of Te Hiringa Mahara as Head of Secretariat for the Initial Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission. Karen has held a variety of health management and leadership roles that focus on improving outcomes for people through working

Published: 30 June, 2022

, whānau, and commissioners or service providers, where power imbalances are acknowledged and minimised. Culturally safe Supports and services are experienced as safe by tāngata whaiora and whānau from diverse cultures.  Support is provided in ways that respects and values different worldviews and

Published: April 2026

that ensures information systems are integrated and enables collection of quality and timely data. Government commits to funding a planned programme of work to collect mental health and addiction prevalence data by June 2025, to enable improved services and ensure value for money.  The report