4. Question No. 4—HealthDr TRACEY McLELLAN (Labour—Banks Peninsula) to the Minister of HealthQuestion No. 4—Health4. Dr TRACEY McLELLAN (Labour—Banks Peninsula) to the Minister of Health: What recent announcements has he made on the progress of He Ara Oranga: Report of the Government Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction?Hon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister of Health): Earlier this week I announced that the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission has officially got to work on contributing to better and equitable mental health and wellbeing outcomes for all people in New Zealand. On Tuesday the inaugural Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission and its board as the commission marked its first day as an independent Crown entity. The next step in our commitment to honour He Ara Oranga: Report of the Government Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction and to transform the mental health addiction system is now under way.Dr Tracey McLellan: What function will the permanent commission perform within the system?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: The commission is responsible for providing system-level oversight of mental health and wellbeing advocacy for the system and its consumers and holding the Government of the day and other decision makers to account for the mental health and wellbeing of all the people of Aotearoa New Zealand. The commission is tasked with building on the roles of existing organisations that contribute to mental health and wellbeing by looking across the whole system.Dr Tracey McLellan: What role will the permanent commission play within the health system?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: As a system leader the commission's focus is on the contributors of mental health and wellbeing including health and disability social welfare housing education and justice. The commission will also focus on the social determinants of health such as housing employment and poverty. This work will make a tangible difference to our health and social systems in years to come.Chlöe Swarbrick: What progress has been made on He Ara Oranga's report recommendation that and I quote Criminal sanctions for the possession for personal use of controlled drugs should be replaced with civil responses such as fines or treatment programmes."?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: Some of the work on that particular recommendation pre-dated the report with the changes to the Misuse of Drugs Act made in 2019 and of course broader you might say legalisation and decriminalisation at least of cannabis was the subject of a referendum question in last year's general election but the collective answer from the electorate on that question was no.Chlöe Swarbrick: So beyond the issue of cannabis will the Minister repeal and replace the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 to ensure drugs are treated as a health issue not a criminal issue as recommended under He Ara Oranga the mental health and addiction inquiry?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: I think it is fair to say that the need for attention to the Misuse of Drugs Act is an ongoing issue. I know that in relation to the changes that were made in 2019 and their application in practice—it has been the subject of conversation between myself and the Minister of Police and we are keen to establish a review just to see how the discretion that's provided for in those changes to that legislation are being applied in practice with a view to ensuring that what was intended then—which was a shift from drug law enforcement from a punishment to a health response—is actually being manifest in practice.Matt Doocey: Why does he believe his Government has been criticised by the retiring Mental Health Commissioner and also the chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation for having no transparent plan for the implementation of the inquiry recommendations?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: The outgoing Mental Health Commissioner did a report as at the end of June last year that drew attention to the fact that there was no concluded comprehensive plan following He Ara Oranga. He was correct in that. Work is continuing. Work is continuing on that but I think the reality is both the outgoing Mental Health Commissioner and the head of the Mental Health Foundation understand that after nine years of poor investment in mental health and running down our mental health systems it is going to take some time to fix up the mess.Matt Doocey: Can the Minister confirm the recommendations for He Ara Oranga the mental health inquiry were under his Government last term?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: What I can confirm is that because of the parlous state of mental health and wellbeing services in New Zealand this Government in its first term was forced to commission a comprehensive review that led to He Ara Oranga and we are in the process of fulfilling its recommendation."