The MHF wrote to the Minister of Police and Minister for Mental Health on 13 May 2025 to tell them we received 16,059 signatures of support for this petition, from a range of concerned New Zealanders.
Together with our signees, we ask:
- For Hon. Mark Mitchell as the Minister of Police to stop the Police’s hasty withdrawal from mental health responses until a fully-funded and operational alternative service is in place nationwide.
- For Hon. Matt Doocey as the Minister for Mental Health to show the public a fully developed and costed health plan to support the short- and long-term Police transition away from mental health responses, created in consultation with the people most affected and with adequate funding allocated in Budget 2025.
- The Government to roll out and test their replacement crisis response service before the Police step away, to ensure New Zealanders will continue to receive the mental health support they need, and deserve, throughout this transition.
MHF letter Health not Haste (pdf)