- Promote mental wellbeing in schools, workplaces and communities so everyone learns the tools to take care of their wellbeing and support others.
- Protect children’s mental health, including making sure schools are mentally healthy and support services are at hand.
- Protect young people’s mental health, including investing in integrated youth health hubs that provide appropriate mental health, addiction and social services all in one place.
- Increase kaupapa Māori services, so all Māori can access culturally safe and responsive specialist mental health and addiction support.
- Integrate housing and employment services with mental health and addiction support, so people have the basic needs for mental wellbeing.
- Integrate housing and employment services with mental health and addiction support, so people have their basic needs met to experience recovery and wellbeing.
- Increase specialist mental health and addiction services so people in distress can access support when they need it, before their distress escalates.
- Invest in community-led suicide prevention and postvention initiatives, so bereaved whānau and people in distress can receive compassionate support from their community and reduce the use of crisis services.
- Grow a strong, diverse workforce that reflects the people in our communities and their needs.
Election 2026
Aotearoa’s mental health system is under immense strain. Rates of distress are rising – particularly among young people – and it’s affecting our whānau, friends, workmates, and ourselves.
The 2026 General Election is on Saturday, 7 November. Now is the time to advocate for a better mental health system and effective ways to support people to stay mentally healthy where they live, learn, and work.
What the next government funds and prioritises will shape the outcomes New Zealanders experience, potentially for decades to come.
Where do the parties stand on mental health and wellbeing?
We asked all major political parties what policies they will – and won't – support if elected. See what they said on our election scorecard, coming soon.
Sign up to our Policy & Advocacy newsletter to get the scorecard first.
Want to see our full list of policy asks? Check out What works.
Explore our election hub
Coming soon: Election policy scorecard
We asked all major political parties what policies they will – and won't – support if elected. See what they said on our election scorecard, coming soon.
We are independent of government and politically neutral
The Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand is an independent charity advocating for a better mental health system and society, and we are proudly politically neutral. We do not accept money from political parties, endorse candidates, or tell you how to vote. All our advocacy work is supported by our donors across the motu – ngā mihi nui ki a koutou.
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Authorised by Shaun Robinson, Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand, Eden 3, Ground Floor, 16 Normanby Road, Mt Eden, Auckland 1024
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