The Green Party in government will fund free counselling for all New Zealanders aged 25 and under as part of a $260 million youth mental health package. “Free counselling for any young person who wants to talk about the ups and downs they are experiencing with a trained professional will make a huge difference to people’s wellbeing,” Green Party leader James Shaw said today. “Everyone goes through ups and downs and as a society we can do more to recognise...

The record-high annual suicide statistics released today shows why the Government must urgently initiate a nationwide mental health inquiry, the Green Party said today. The provisional statistics found 606 Kiwis took their own life in 2016-17 year, which is the highest number of suicide deaths since provisional statistics were first recorded by the Coroner’s Office in 2007/08. “The number of Kiwis who are tragically taking their own lives reflects the failings in our broken mental health system,” Green Party health...

Mental health workers need to be paid fairly so that droves of people don’t leave the sector while it is in crisis, the Green Party said today. “The Government needs to act quickly to ensure that mental health workers are being paid fairly, otherwise essential staff will choose to leave to work in better paid sectors,” Green Party social development spokesperson Jan Logie said. “Mental health work is a female dominated industry  but that is no excuse to continue underpaying...

New Zealanders’ health is being put at risk by a chemical in commonly used weed killers deemed unsafe by international agencies, but not our own Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Green Party said today.

Our kids are being repeatedly hospitalised because the Government refuses to take action to ensure our housing stock is up to scratch, the Green Party said today. The Royal Australasian College of Physicians president-elect said today that children with preventable respiratory illnesses are being re-admitted to hospital because they're being sent back to cold, damp homes. “While National has stood by as kids continue to pack out hospital waiting rooms, the Greens will introduce a comprehensive Warrant of Fitness for...

The Government needs to ensure that all new babies have access to a wahakura safe sleeping device, the Green Party said today.

The Green Party is thrilled that Parliament will consider whether to finally legalise medicinal cannabis in New Zealand. Green Party health spokesperson Julie Anne Genter’s Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis and Other Matters) Amendment Bill was drawn from the Member’s Ballot today. The Bill will make it legal for any New Zealander who is suffering from a terminal illness or any debilitating condition to use cannabis or cannabis products with the support of a registered medical practitioner. “We are finally...

The Green Party welcomes the move by Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne to declassify a non-psychoactive substance in cannabis, cannabidiol (CBD), for therapeutic purposes today. “It’s fantastic to see the Government finally accepting expert advice that CBD should be exempted from the Misuse of Drugs Act. This is one component of the Member’s Bill I put forward last month,” said Green Party health spokesperson Julie Anne Genter. “The Greens are committed to comprehensive drug law reform, including medicinal cannabis being...

A new report is damning about the care received by people from our mental health system, and the Minister of Health needs to take responsibility, the Green Party said today. The Auditor-General report Mental health: Effectiveness of the planning to discharge people shows that only two-thirds of people discharged from hospital will be followed up within seven days and that no DHB is meeting its target on this measure. “Our broken mental health system cannot deliver the care needed for...

A report released today shows that tackling child poverty is critical to improving the mental health outcomes of our young people, the Green Party said today. The Child Poverty Action Group has released its literature review into child poverty and mental health today in Auckland, with Green MP Julie Anne Genter attending. “There’s a clear link between child poverty and mental health issues.  Stress, inadequate nutrition, and insecure housing all impact on family function and children’s mental health. As soon as...