Policy
Contributing to policy development, as well as providing a policy library and a range of publications to support the sector.
We regularly write submissions on behalf of our members, both individually and in partnership with other organisations. You can read some of them here:
A fair chance for all inquiry
Platform completed a submission on the Fair chance for all inquiry. Read the submission (November 2022).
Accessibility for New Zealanders Bill
Platform completed a submission on the Accessibility for New Zealanders Bill. Read the submission (November 2022).
Mental Health and Addiction System and Services Framework
Platform completed a submission on the draft Systems and Services Framework. Read the submission (June 2022).
Fair Pay Agreements Bill
Platform completed a submission on the Fair Pay Agreements Bill. Read the submission (May 2022).
Reducing Pokies Harm
Platform completed a submission on Reducing Pokies Harm. Read the submission (May 2022).
He Ara Āwhina Framework
Platform completed a submission on the He Ara Āwhina Framework. Read the submission (April 2022).
Transforming Our Mental Health Law
Platform completed a submission on Transforming our Mental Health Law. Read the submission (January 2022).
Disability Survey Consultation 2023
Platform completed a submission on Stats NZ's Disability Survey Consultation 2023. Read the submission (October 2021)
Draft Strategy to Prevent and Minimise Gambling Harm (2022/23 to 2024/25)
Platform completed a submission on the Ministry of Health's draft strategy to prevent and minimise gambling harm (2022/23 to 2024/25). Read the submission (October 2021).
TOR - A Fair Chance For All - Productivity Commission's inquiry into persistent disadvantage
Platform completed a submission on NZPC's TOR for the 'A Fair Chance For All' inquiry. Read the submission (August 2021).
National strategy and action plans to eliminate family violence and sexual violence in Aotearoa New Zealand 2021
Platform completed a submission on the Joint Venture's National strategy and action plan. Read the submission (June 2021).
Reform of Vocational Education (RoVE) Consultation 2021
Platform completed a submission on the simplifying NZ qualifications and other credentials. Read the submission (June 2021).
Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Amendment Bill 2021
Platform completed a submission on the proposed changes in the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Amendment Bill 2021. Read the submission (May 2021).
Feedback on the Draft revisions to the Guidelines to the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992
Platform, Changing Minds and Balance Aotearoa made a joint submission on the guidelines. Read the joint submission (January 2020).
Submission on the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission
Platform and Community Housing Aotearoa made a joint submission on the bill with a focus on its need to be bigger than the health system and the importance of creating legitimacy. Read the joint submission (December 2019).
Submission on the Abortion Legislation Bill
Platform made a submission on the bill based around the mental health impacts of the current process on accessing abortion healthcare services. Read Platform's submission (September 2019)
Submission on the Smoke-free Environments (Prohibiting Smoking in Motor Vehicles Carrying Children) Amendment Bill
Platform made a submission on the bill with an equity and mental health and addictions focus. Read Platform's submission (August 2019)
Review of the Health and Disability
Platform made a submission on the Health and Disability review by describing the key features of a successful Health System sometime in the future - albeit via a mental health and addiction lens. Read Platform's submission (May 2019)
Reform of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986
As a national network of community-based mental health and addiction support services, Platform has a particular interest in ensuring that appropriate settings exist in legislation to protect the rights of tenants who experience mental health and addiction issues. Platform also has an interest in the proposed changes as a network that includes community housing providers. Read Platform's submission (October 2018)
Reform of the State Sector Act 1988
The State Sector's responses to complexity are notoriously siloed and fragmented, in part because of limitations under current legislation. Platform made a submission on the proposed reform seeing it as an opportunity for the State Sector to offer more connected and cohesive responses to the public. Read Platform's submission (October 2018)
Investing in New Zealand's Future Health Workforce
Platform made a submission on the draft paper by Health Workforce New Zealand as part of a consultation process. Read Platform's submission (May 2017)
Children, Young Persons, and Their Families (Oranga Tamariki) Legislation Bill
Platform made a submission on this proposed legislation mainly to highlight some of our concerns about the information sharing aspects of it. The sharing of identifiable information across agencies, and the aggregation and analysis of it, is still an emerging area. The Privacy Commissioner has indicated concern about these changes, and is actively investigating MSD's new requirement that non-government organisations provide individual client data. This would suggest that there are sufficient grounds for these aspects of the legislation at least to be held back and consulted on further. Read Platform's submission (March 2017)
Health of Older People Strategy
The Ministry of Health released a consultation draft of the Health of Older People Strategy. Platform has made a submission for the Ministry's consideration. Read Platform's submission (September 2016)
Substance Addiction (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Bill 2015
The Health Select Committee is considering the Substance Addiction (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Bill 2015. This bill will replace the Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Act 1966, and provides for the compulsory assessment and treatment of individuals who are considered to have a severe substance addiction and who do not have the capacity to participate in treatment. Platform, with the help of members, has provided a submission for the committee's consideration. Read Platform's submission. (April 2016)
Productivity Commission - more effective social services
The Productivity Commission has released an issues paper on its new inquiry into improving outcomes for New Zealanders from social services. You can read Platform's submission document here.(360KB).
The Treasury - Request for Information asking ‘How can government improve results for our most vulnerable (at-risk) children and their families?’
Contributing to policy development, as well as providing a policy library and a range of publications to support the sector.
Tools, networks and events to strengthen community organisations.
Using evaluation, data, and collaboration to advocate for change.
Improving access and choice for the Deaf mental health and addiction community. This was a 12-month project completed over 2021-22.
Fostering strategic partnerships and alliances to achieve a strong and sustainable mental health and addiction NGO and community sector.
Ensuring the future workforce is equipped to deliver quality community mental health and addiction services.