Submissions open on Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission Bill

The Government is inviting submissions on the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission Bill.

The deadline to make a submission is 11 December 2019.

The bill would establish a Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission as a Crown entity. Establishing the commission was a recommendation in the final report from the Government Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction.

The Government has already set up an initial commission. However, legislation is required to establish the commission as a Crown entity.

According to the Parliamentary submission webpage:

"For this stage in the process, the Health Committee intends to hear oral submissions from submitters who specifically address the focus of the bill: the establishment of the commission. The commission would:

- provide system-level oversight of mental health and wellbeing in New Zealand​

- promote alignment, collaboration and communication between government and non-government contributors to mental health and wellbeing

- monitor and advocate for the collective mental health and wellbeing of New Zealanders.

The commission would be established as an independent Crown entity. This is to ensure its independence from the Government of the day. The bills intends that the commission would hold current and future governments to account for improving mental health and wellbeing outcomes for New Zealanders.

Tell the Health Committee what you think about the establishment of this new commission."

Health Minister David Clark said:

“An independent Commission will play a vital role providing oversight of that work and can hold the government of the day to account. 

The Commission’s work will span all government and non-government contributors to mental health and wellbeing. It will look beyond the health service to the wider drivers of wellbeing – such as housing, education and employment."

The deadline to make a submission is 11 December 2019.

For more information see the Ministry of Health website.