NZ Health Minister receives Mental Health and Addiction inquiry report

“Given the public interest in mental health and addiction, I will release the Inquiry report publicly by the end of the year,” David Clark says.

Health Minister Dr David Clark has today formally received the report of the Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction, saying it will help shape New Zealand’s response to mental health for years to come.

Dr Clark this morning met with the Inquiry Panel in his office to thank them for their work.

“The Panel held over 400 meetings up and down New Zealand and received more than 5,200 submissions. They heard at times confronting and challenging stories from people with lived experience, family and whanau, experts and those working in mental health and addiction.

“I want to thank the Inquiry chair Ron Paterson and panel members Dr Barbara Disley, Sir Mason Durie, Dean Rangihuna, Dr Jemaima Tiatia-Seath and Josiah Tualamali’i for seeking out and honouring those voices in their report.

“The 200-page Inquiry report is a substantial and considered piece of work. It will take time for the Government to fully digest the report and its 40 recommendations.

“The Government intends to formally respond to the Inquiry report in March next year. That will allow us to take some important decisions in time for the Wellbeing Budget in 2019 – although it will clearly take more than one Budget to address all the issues raised in the report.

“Given the public interest in mental health and addiction, I will release the Inquiry report publicly by the end of the year,” David Clark says.

(With Inputs from New Zealand Government Press Release)