Last night in Auckland Navigate hosted what might be the only political debate of the election campaign that focused solely on mental health and addiction issues. It was disappointing that none of the political parties thought this event was worthy of fronting with a senior politician.
Jonathon Coleman, the local MP for Northcote and current Minister with responsibly for mental health (which makes him probably the best positioned person in the country to talk about the issues) withdrew a few days before the event. This left Maggie Barry the new National candidate for North Shore carrying the load for the current Governments performance and future plans in this contentious area. Maggie had done the research, used her personal experience and transferred what she knows about other parts of the health system to make a coherent contribution to the debate.
Robyn Stent has a wealth of health related experience and at 9th on the ACT list is the spokesperson for Health. With statements about too much government bureaucracy, health inefficiency, the need for more competition and choice she didn’t really ever get into the issues the audience had come to hear about.
Labour put its faith in a new candidate Ben Clarke as Grant Roberson the health spokesperson was also engaged elsewhere. At least Ben was able to refer to his party’s mental health policy which seems to bring back everything the current Govt has taken away; mental health targets, the Mental health Commission and the ring-fence.
Arriving about 25 minutes late and the laptop with the notes not working was perhaps a disadvantage for the Green candidate Saffron Toms. However once she was able to access the Green party’s policy the connection between societal inequity, poverty and mental wellbeing were made.
The candidates had been given about ten pre-set questions and from the responses it appeared that only the National and Labour party had done any preparation. Act and Greens where left to apply sweeping generalisations that were risky in this well informed audience. The questions covered included NGO sustainability, mental health and addictions in prisons, the Alcohol Action 5point plan, services for new migrants, the issues for the aging population and future investment in community services. The one deeply local issue was the current state of the inpatient unit as North Shore hospital. The responses were the worn-out expressions of inclusion, choice, early intervention and the relentless thrashing of the success of the anti-stigma campaign fronted by John Kirwin. With little new or inspirational contributions it was easy to assume there is little political concern about the mental illness and addictions issues that are the fastest growing challenges for New Zealand’s health and welfare systems.
Things livened up with when a question from the floor challenged the way accountability gets passed between the Government and the District Health Boards and the example cited was the way the money the Government allocates money to DHBs for cost of living payments does not get passed on to NGO’s. National explained to the audience of NGOs who have experienced no price increase for their service delivery for a number of years as an “operational matter for DHBs” and they set the price for the service they provided. This was in contrast to $11 million that National took credit for putting into the rest home industry. Concern about New Zealand’s appalling suicide rates was shared by the candidates and there was agreement that there needs to be more open conversations and help for people like teachers to be able to understand and talk to young people. The need for more education and understanding for young people about mental health issues was echoed from the floor.
It is difficult for political candidates to enter areas that are seen as specialist however as mental illness and addiction impact on the lives of children, young people and adults of all ages in New Zealand across justice, health, education and welfare some political champions would help.
