Addiction Leadership Day, Te Whanganui a Tara | 27 March 2024
Me whakahangaia e tātou, he ao mo āpōpō | Shaping tomorrow, together.
The first Addiction Leadership Day (ALD) of 2024 saw addiction sector leaders and decision-makers come together at Te Papa in Te Whanganui a Tara | Wellington on Wednesday 27 March.
Read on for the agenda, a transcript of the welcome address and a pdf of all the slides from the day.
The Hon. Matt Doocey, Minister for Mental Health, Youth & ACC and Associate Minster of Health, was unfortunately unable to attend and so we look forward to hearing the Government’s response to the sector’s questions at an upcoming ALD.
The welcome address by NCAT Chair Deb Fraser-Komene summarised the Committee’s request for answers from the Government about its intentions for the sector, and is available to read below.
The theme of the day “Me whakahangaia e tātou, he ao mo āpōpō | Shaping tomorrow, together” was reflected in the programme with presentations from sector leaders including: Riki Nia Nia, Chief Executive, Te Rau Ora; Ian McKenzie, Co-Director, Addictions, Te Whatu Ora; Emma Hunter, Lived Experience Lead/National Consumer Advisor and Pipiwharauroa Campbell, Pou Ahurea/National Maori Lead, both from The Salvation Army.
See the full agenda below:
| Time | Topic | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 8.00 | Registration | |
| 9.00 | Mihi Whakatau | Welcome | |
| 9.20 | Welcome & housekeeping | Deb Fraser-Komene | NCAT Co-Chair |
| 9.30 | Opening address | Hon. Matt Doocey | Minister for Mental Health, Youth & ACC, Associate Minister of Health (Minister Doocey sent his apologies) |
| 10.00 | Leadership Kōrero | Riki Nia Nia, Chief Executive | Te Rau Ora |
| 10.30 | Morning tea | |
| 11.15 | Te Ao Māori Peer Support model | Emma Hunter | Lived Experience Lead/NCA, The Salvation Army Pipiwharauroa Campbell | Pou Ahurea/National Maori Lead, The Salvation Army |
| 11.50 | Lived Experience Collaboration | Addiction Consumer Leadership Group |
| 12.00 | Lunch | |
| 12.55 | Addiction Consumer Leadership Group | |
| 1.05 | dapaanz update | Sam White | Executive Director, dapaanz |
| 1.15 | Te Whatu Ora update | Ian McKenzie | Co-Director and the Addiction Team, Te Whatu Ora/Health NZ . |
| 1.45 | Gambling Research Harm Procurement | Sonia Chen | Principal Research Advisor, Gambling Harm, MHA, Clinical, Community & MH, Ministry of Health |
| 2.15 | Leadership development – testing a possible framework method | Jenny Wolf |
| 2.50 | Closing remarks and evaluation | Deb Fraser-Komene |NCAT Chair |
| 3.00 | Whakakape | Close and farewell |
Welcome address
Deb Fraser-Komene’s welcome address summarised some of the challenges and concerns that the Committee would like to raise with the Minister. The transcript with links to relevant documents is copied below.
Tēnā koutou katoa, Bula Vinaka, Kia Orana, Mālō e lelei, Namaste, Talofa lava, Salamet pagi, hello, ngā mihi mahana ki a koutou. Te rangatira Kurt nau i tuwhera tenei hui tena koe, tena koutou nga whanau tautoko.
Greetings addiction sector whānau, ko Deb Fraser-Komene taku ingoa. Kaitiaki Whakaata Tohu Tohu me Co- chair NCAT.
A warm welcome to all our sector leads and participants here, acknowledging all the various roles and responsibilities that you collectively bring to this mahi. Thank you for the ataahua /beautiful start, mihiwhatatau, creating the space for us to move into today’s hui.
This sector sees approximately 50,000 tāngata per year.
We know for every dollar spent on treatment at least seven dollars are saved. And yet prevention and treatment receive the smallest part of the pie, ratio-wise when it comes to spend. That’s reflected in the Mental Health budget, and of the $350 million spent on substance related harm, most is spent on enforcement.
The total cost of ‘harm’ to us as a country is $1.9 billion according to Health NZ. Brian Easton (economist) estimates it at $4 billion.
A recent Massey University study reported that harms to others from alcohol contributes 56% of total alcohol-related harm in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ). Most of this is from fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, followed by road crashes as a result of someone else’s drinking, and alcohol-fuelled violence.
Unfortunately, Minister Doocey is unable to join us today.
The recent legislative and policy announcements – across a range of portfolios – have given us lots to raise with him in relation to the whānau we represent, the very systems that they interact with and that we work with to ensure the best possible outcomes for them.
It is fair to say that some of our tāngata whaiora are likely to have a significant amount of interface with Health Services, NGOs, Police, Courts, Corrections, W&I, MHS, Social Services, Kainga Ora, te me te me te me, that’s if they are willing, need to or have to.
As we know addiction can be like a fast-moving train that can take a long time to 1) Hit the brakes and 2) Eventually change direction.
We call on the Minister to work as a leader with each of the Ministries and Departments that have responsibilities to our people, to mokopuna and to bring in an addiction, mental health and cultural lens to the mahi. Then, well thought out approaches for support can be implemented, including treatment, whether community based or residential options.
Unfortunately, the current approaches and rhetoric only foster more seemingly justified stigma to already marginalized whānau and individuals.
These are the questions we would like to put to Minister Doocey:
- The Minister’s priorities are access, workforce and (announced last week) the implementation of specialist peer support workers in the ED, as well as setting up the cross party mental health initiative. We have widely acknowledged and long-term under investment in the addiction treatment sector and services, compared to others in our health and mental health sectors, despite clear economic value to the nation and its people of investing in addiction treatment. Minister Doocey, we are interested in what plans there are to support and broaden addiction treatment options and its requisite investment so New Zealanders can access the specialist care they need.
- The Access and Choice programme has not worked for the addiction sector nor the people who seek care for addiction issues as noted in a recent report from Te Hiringa Mahara (Access and Choice Report on the first three years): “People experiencing substance harm, gambling harm, or addiction do not appear to be accessing IPMHA services. If the services are to be accessible to people with addiction (as the name Integrated Primary Mental Health and Addiction services suggests they should), the way in which services are delivered may have to be reconsidered. This should be done in partnership with people with lived experience of substance harm, gambling harm, or addiction”
- Choice has been raised with our leadership by previous Ministry representatives as the key driver of this approach but it is abundantly clear addiction whaiora are not choosing to access these services. Additionally, we are losing key specialist addiction workforce to the generic wellbeing roles employed in this model because of remuneration differentials. We would like to know the Minister’s response to this pressing concern for us gathered today, and also whether he has been briefed about this treatment model shortfall for addiction?
- Finally, stigma and discrimination is an enduring issue for our sector, for those accessing treatment for addiction issues and for our workforce. Many of our workforce (but not all) bring their owned lived experience to their work and support of their communities. Our sector is strengthened by these contributions; our entire workforce seeks to fight stigma and discrimination wherever they come across it but cannot do this alone. We would like to invite Minister Doocey to relay his thoughts on this and what tangible plans his government has to support our efforts to address stigma and discrimination.