Political parties have vowed to improve Asian mental health if voted into power in the upcoming general election. Representatives from Labour, the Greens, ACT, and Opportunity presented these commitments at the Asian Mental Health and Wellbeing Summit in Auckland on Wednesday, hosted by Asian Family Services.
Cross-Party Consensus on Mental Health Funding
Ingrid Leary, mental health spokesperson for Labour, emphasized the move toward outcome-based contracts and the collection of better data to drive systemic improvements. According to Leary, a more capable workforce supported by stable funding is essential to achieving equitable health outcomes for Asian communities.
Opportunity leader Qiulae Wong argued that prioritizing community-level services could reduce the burden on hospitals. Wong stated that her party would focus on ring-fencing funding for primary care, allowing local providers the flexibility to deliver services tailored to specific community needs. Laura McClure, mental health spokesperson for ACT, similarly backed the idea of ring-fencing funds, noting that government efforts must focus on improving awareness and navigating cultural barriers to care.
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The New Zealand Asian Wellbeing and Mental Health Report, referenced by Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey, highlighted both progress and work that remained incomplete around wellbeing promotion, telehealth, primary mental health support and specialist services.
Addressing Racism and Representation
The Green Party has proposed a strategy focused on both short-term stability and long-term systemic reform. Lawrence Xu-Nan, ethnic communities spokesperson for the Greens, called for the immediate securing of long-term contracts for community providers. In the longer term, the Greens aim to provide more free, culturally appropriate services to address issues including gambling harm and domestic violence. Xu-Nan also identified the integration of educational programmes in schools targeting racism and increasing Asian voices at decision-making tables as essential steps.
Government Perspective and Implementation Challenges
National Party representatives, including Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and Vanessa Weenink, did not attend the summit due to an urgent in-person caucus meeting called by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. In an email to RNZ, Doocey noted that the government has made progress in wellbeing promotion, telehealth, primary mental health support and specialist services since the inaugural 2024 summit. He indicated that the National Party will release all its policies closer to the election, with a continued focus on ensuring faster access to support, more frontline workers and creating a better crisis response.
Kelly Feng, chief executive at Asian Family Service, welcomed the shared ambition but signaled that the focus must now shift to implementation. “The matter is how they’re going to put [these] into their policy and commit it to those from policy level to implementation and to really addressing Asian well-being in the real world,” Feng said.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the primary goals for Asian mental health reform?
How do the parties plan to improve service delivery?
Proposals include ring-fencing funding for primary care, implementing outcome-based contracts, and using better data collection to inform systemic changes.
What role does education play in the proposed reforms?
The Green Party has specifically advocated for educational programmes in schools targeting racism as a component of improving community wellbeing.
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