Inquiry engagement

The Government Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction heard from a wide range of people across the country.

A key principle of the Inquiry has been open and inclusive engagement. We took a people-centred approach, including listening to a wide range of communities and stakeholders, to inform our findings. Voices of people were at the centre of our work. 

We made engagement with us as easy and seamless as possible. We did this by providing multiple ways for people to share their thoughts and make submissions, including by email, online, post, video and over the phone. Our consultation document was provided in six languages, including te reo Māori, and New Zealand Sign Language, Easy Read and Large Text. Social media channels – Facebook and Twitter – gave people an opportunity to engage in a safe online environment.

Our approach had breadth – reach as many people as possible, and depth – reach key population groups identified in the terms of reference in a more in-depth way, including Māori, Pacific peoples, youth, people with disabilities, the rainbow/LGBTIQA+ community, the prison population, migrants and refugees, the isolated (including elderly) and rural populations.  During the Inquiry we reviewed our engagement effectiveness and upped our efforts to reach those people we hadn’t heard from as much as would have liked.

Engagement with Māori was especially important. Our consultation document was launched at a one day hui in Palmerston North on 27 April.

Our public information campaign particularly focused on reaching Māori and Pacific peoples. This included:

• Radio advertising spots on Māori media network (22 iwi stations)
• Marae (TVNZ)
• Digital advertising reaching Māori through Facebook.

Panel members had korero kanohi ki te kanohi with Māori in different forums around the country, including a two day hui  hosted by Te Rau Matatini with 64 attendees representing kaupapa Māori service providers, academics and thought leaders among others. The panel also met with iwi, Māori service providers, hapū, whānau, tangata whaiora and people with lived experience in the community; such as Omahu Marae, Hastings; Te Mānuka Tūtahi Marae in Whakatane; and Tuahiwi Marae in Christchurch. And they heard a Māori perspective at the 26 Meet the Panel forums across Aotearoa.

Panel members met with individuals and groups including people with mental health and addiction challenges, their families and whānau, service providers, advocates, sector groups, organisations, institutions and experts.  

We’re grateful for everyone’s input with over 5200 submissions and over 2000 people attending 26 regional meetings around New Zealand and engagement with community groups and individuals at numerous other meetings.