Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
License needed for work use Register

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | News Video | Crime | Employers | Housing | Immigration | Legal | Local Govt. | Maori | Welfare | Unions | Youth | Search

 

Too much hui not enough doey in suicide prevention

Too much hui not enough doey in suicide prevention: National Maori Authority takes action

“Suicide in New Zealand is beyond out of control and not enough is being done to address it.” These were the words spoken by the Chairman of the National Maori Authority, Matthew Tukaki, at a forum in Auckland this evening. Tukaki, who is also the Chair of Australia’s Peak Body, Suicide Prevention Australia and Chair of the Auckland District of New Zealand Maori Council was launching a new online resource called “How to have a Korero: a conversation can save a life”.

“The facts are simply these: The rate of suicide in New Zealand is now the highest on record and when it comes to Maori males, it is now the highest rate per head of population around the world. While we wait for the (very) long awaited recommendations of the mental health review we need to cut out all the hui and start the doey.” He said

“Here is another fact. Not all suicide are associated with mental illness and many people, males especially, never present to a help seeking service or their G.P. That’s because for them it’s not about mental health it’s about the daily struggle of life and we need to be doing more to support people who are doing it tough.” He said

“By doing it tough I mean people struggling with relationship breakdowns and marriages ending, the loss of a job or the failure of their small business – and let’s not forget those kiwis who are struggling under a mountain of debt and the cost of living. Of course mental health is an issue but the other challenge is that as we, as kiwis, become more comfortable talking about the way we feel and reaching out we need to know that there will be a response – that when we pick up that phone or ask in person that help will be there. With more pressure on an already depleted mental health, social services and counselling workforce we need to put everything on the table.” He said

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

“This new resource is simple and to the point – it talks about the things to watch out for that signal someone is in trouble such as changes in routine and behavior. It talks about how to start a conversation, how to keep it going and what to do next – importantly it offers up more than just the traditional Lifeline phone numbers – because, as I have said time and time again, it’s not just about mental health.” Tukaki said.

Tukaki indicated that there was no need to delay and the excuse of the Ministry of Health around the long awaited ten year suicide prevention strategy were a nonsense as was the non-existence of an evaluation framework, investment into research and evaluation as well as a cohesive workforce development plan:

“In launching this resource the National Maori Authority is saying too much hui and not enough doey – so we are taking action right now. Simple things like this can make all the difference.

The resource is free of charge and can be downloaded @ https://www.maorieverywhere.com/howtohaveakorero


ends

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines

Gordon Campbell: On The Skewed Media Coverage Of Gaza

Now that he’s back as Foreign Minister, maybe Winston Peters should start reading the MFAT website which is currently celebrating the 25th anniversary of how Kiwis alerted the rest of the world to the genocide in Rwanda. How times have changed ...

In 2023, the government is clutching its pearls because senior Labour MP Damien O’Connor has dared suggest that Gaza’s civilian population - already living under apartheid and subjected to sixteen years of an illegal embargo, and now being herded together and slaughtered indiscriminately amid the destruction of their homes, schools, mosques, and hospitals - are also victims of what amounts to genocide. More


 
 
ACT: Call To Abolish Human Rights Commission

“The Human Rights Commission’s appointment of a second Chief Executive is just the latest example of a taxpayer-funded bureaucracy serving itself at the expense of delivery for New Zealanders,” says ACT MP Todd Stephenson. More


Public Housing Futures: Christmas Comes Early For Landlords

New CTU analysis of the National & ACT coalition agreement has shown the cost of returning interest deductibility to landlords is an extra $900M on top of National’s original proposal. This is because it is going to be implemented earlier and faster, including retrospective rebates from April 2023. More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.