Protecting communities from harm

The MHF supports this Bill as an interim measure to strengthen community input into local alcohol licensing decisions. We also strongly support further reform to thoroughly review the Act in line with the recommendations of He Ara Oranga and other evidence. 

Limiting access to lethal methods (or ‘means restriction’) is one of the most effective strategies for suicide prevention. This MHF submission endorses evidence-based multi-pronged approaches to effectively reducing suicide deaths by firearms, such as shorter licence periods, effective gun storage and inspection, and face-to-face in person vetting processes when applying for or renewing licences, including speaking to family members. Our submission maintains that primary legislation should not use mental illness as a proxy measure for risk, but instead be precise about the risk factors of concern (for example, currently or recently exhibiting behaviour and/or cognitive and/or physical functioning that might adversely affect a person’s ability to safely possess firearms). This approach would avoid discrimination on the basis of mental illness and make it clear that it is the behaviour and functioning, rather than the diagnosis, that is important to consider in permitting access to firearms.

Submission to the Social Services and Community Committee on the Oversight of Oranga Tamariki System and Children and Young People’s Commission Bill. This Bill proposes new structures to monitor our care and protection system. The MHF opposes the Bill as currently drafted and suggests ways to strengthen the independence, and powers of the new Monitor, and pushes for more Māori leadership, collaboration and partnership throughout the system.

Directly and indirectly, alcohol has an extensive influence on poor mental wellbeing, mental distress, and suicide. Much of this harm is preventable through evidence-based public health policy, and there are already many Aotearoa New Zealand-based recommendations to guide progress - including those provided in He Ara Oranga, Te Tiriti o Waitangi and alcohol law, the 2014 Ministerial Forum on Alcohol Advertising and Sponsorship, the 2014 Ministry of Justice report on the effectiveness of alcohol pricing, and the 2010 Law Commission report on the review of regulatory framework for the sale and supply of liquor. Our principal recommendation is for the government to progress the well-overdue review of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 to fully embed these policy measures. 

This Bill was withdrawn from Parliament consideration and will not be progressing into law as of 8 February 2023. The MHF will engage with the Law Commission as they review the laws related to hate speech and how to protect communities, including the religious communities, in Aotearoa and continue to advocate towards protecting individuals, groups and whānau from hate speech and discrimination.

The MHF supports the intent of the Human Rights (Incitement on Ground of Religious Belief) Amendment Bill to improve protections for faith-based groups under the provisions of the Human Rights Act. We also urge the Government to progress other work to minimise and eliminate discrimination and hate speech as real progress will only be successful if social change happens alongside legislative change.

The MHF recommends strengthening pokies regulations to minimise the harm these cause and to put the wellbeing of individuals, whānau and communities first. We urge the government to listen to experts on this kaupapa, tāngata Māori and taiohi Māori.

Our submission focuses on our expertise and concerns related to our work in suicide prevention and postvention, antibullying, and preventing mental health related stigma and discrimination. The MHF believes it is timely and necessary to update Aotearoa’s approach to regulating media and online content, to ensure our approach is applied consistently, better protect users and audiences from harm, and make it easier for the public to protect themselves and access effective reporting and complaints processes. We recommend the new system embed Te Tiriti o Waitangi and representative advisory and decision-making processes, fully define unsafe and harmful content and the communities most affected, ensure there are effective prevention and takedown measures and incentives for compliance, and better educate consumers, creators and platforms on potential harms from content and how to manage them.

Perinatal mental distress can affect women and birthing parents significantly with Māori, Pacific and women of Asian descent being disproportionately affected. The MHF supports this Amendment Bill as it will provide new mothers and birthing parents an opportunity to rest and recover after having a baby which will support positive mental health outcomes for new parents and their wider whānau. The MHF recommends that the infrastructure to support this law change be applied and that workforce pressures in the maternity sector are addressed to ensure this law change can be implemented. The MHF also recommends that this Bill includes options for the same level of care to be provided for women and birthing parents after late pregnancy loss and still birth.

The MHF are pleased the government is planning to implement a social cohesion strategy and appreciate the work already underway to support our diverse communities, tackle harmful behaviour and discrimination and keep New Zealanders safe. We recommend a targeted and focussed approach to social cohesion is adopted so the government can deliver outcomes to priority groups that are at heightened risk of exclusion.  

This Review is held every five years and assesses New Zealand’s progress on a broad range of human rights issues. Our submissions focus on Aotearoa New Zealand’s progress on mental health and wellbeing-related human rights issues.

The MHF sincerely thanks the whānau who shared their stories and experiences with us to inform the October 2023 submission to the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Our May 2024 submission to the Ministry of Justice is a response to their targeted stakeholder engagement to support the Government’s consideration of the recommendations resulting from the UPR.