Accessibility and Inclusion

Publication date: 15 October 2026 This Regulatory Analysis Summary was prepared by the Ministry of Health to inform Cabinet decisions on introducing new offences and increased penalties for breaches of regulatory requirements for tobacco packaging and small quantity sales.

Publication date: 21 September 2026 Status: Not yet in forceCommencement date: 9 December 2026End date: 8 December 2027Text of renewal noticePursuant to section 4F(2) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, I, the Honourable Simeon Brown, Minister of Health, renew the temporary class drug order (TCDO) for the substance etomidate as a temporary class drug for the purposes of sections 4C and 4D of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 (“Act”).On 1 December 2025 I gave notice specifying etomidate as a temporary class drug for the purposes of section 4C of the Act, effective from 9 December 2025. This TCDO will expire on 8 December 2026 unless earlier renewed or revoked in accordance with section 4F of the Act.I am satisfied that this TCDO for the substance specified:is currently in place; andhas not been previously renewed; andis being renewed to allow sufficient time to obtain the advice sought under section 4E of the Act.Date of OrderThe renewal of this TCDO will take effect on 9 December 2026 and will expire on 8 December 2027, unless otherwise revoked as specified in section 4F of the Act.Terms and ConditionsThis renewal of this TCDO is subject to terms and conditions as specified under sections 4D, 4E and 4F of the Act.Etomidate will continue to be treated for all purposes as if it were a controlled drug that is specified or described in Part 1 of Schedule 3 of the Act (Class C1).Dated at Wellington this 14th day of September 2026.Hon SIMEON BROWN, Minister of Health.Minimum legislative informationTitleRenewal of Temporary Class Drug Order for EtomidateEmpowering provisionsSection 4F(2) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975Date made14 September 2026Date of publication21 September 2026Administering agencyMinistry of HealthThis is secondary legislation published under the Secondary Legislation Act.

Publication date: 29 September 2026 Document download Summary of Underpinning Analysis: Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) (Eligibility) Regulations 2026 ( pdf, 137.43 KB )Good law-making: 9(i)The importance of consulting, to the extent that is reasonably practicable, the persons or representatives of the persons that the responsible agency considers will be directly and materially affected by the legislationInconsistency identified?NoSummary of agency analysisThe Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) (Eligibility) Regulations 2026 (the Regulations) are largely transitioning the current 2011 settings from the Health and Disability Services Eligibility Direction 2011 into the Regulations. The minor changes relate to extending eligibility to specific services that will reduce public health risks. The Ministry has consulted those publicly funded providers who will implement the regulations, including stakeholders for primary care and pharmacy and health entities. Private health insurance providers were also made aware of the proposed changes, so there was awareness these new regulations would not impact their policy coverage and insurance products.Good law-making: 9(j)The importance of carefully evaluating—the issue concerned; andthe effectiveness of any relevant existing legislation and common law; andwhether the public interest requires that the issue be addressed; andany options (including non-legislative options) that are reasonably available for addressing the issue; andwho is likely to benefit, and who is likely to suffer a detriment, from the legislationInconsistency identified?NoSummary of agency analysisThe Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) Act 2022 makes provision for eligibility settings to be in regulations under that Act. Regulations were assessed as the most appropriate and effective way for eligibility settings to be implemented by health entities and the sector in delivering publicly funded health services. The Ministry of Health assessed the appropriateness of the current eligibility settings in the Health and Disability Services Eligibility Direction 2011 as part of transitioning the settings into new regulations. The Ministry assessed additional eligibility settings for services that would reduce or mitigate current public health risks. Additional eligibility options were also assessed for their impact on health system costs and capacity.Good law-making: 9(k)The importance of the responsible agency identifying and developing effective arrangements for implementing the legislationInconsistency identified?NoSummary of agency analysisEligibility settings under the Health and Disability Services Eligibility Direction 2011 are already implemented by health entities and the health sector delivering publicly funded health services. The updated eligibility settings set out in the Regulations will also be implemented by health entities and the health sector delivering publicly funded health services. The implementation of the minor changes was discussed with health entities, and they have planned for them, including guidance and support to the health sector. A lead-in period for the regulations to take effect (from 1 December 2026), post public announcement of the minor changes and the Regulations, also provides the health sector time to prepare to implement them by applying the Regulations to patients.  Good law-making: 9(l)Legislation should be expected to produce benefits that exceed the costs of the legislation to the public or personsInconsistency identified?NoSummary of agency analysisThe changes are minor and were estimated to have small monetary costs for the health system that would be met within Vote Health baselines. The benefits are reduced public health risks and reduced risk of some specific infectious diseases spreading following an exposure event. The benefits, such as fewer people living in New Zealand who are unimmunised from measles, support a range of efforts to reduce public health risks from specific infectious diseases, where if there is an outbreak, it can have significant costs and capacity impacts on the health system.Good law-making: 9(m)Legislation should be the most effective, efficient, and proportionate response to the issue concerned that is availableInconsistency identified?NoSummary of agency analysisMinor changes to the eligibility settings being made in regulations is the most efficient and effective way for them to be implemented by health entities and the sector.Rule of Law: 9(a)(i)The law should be clear and accessibleInconsistency identified?NoSummary of agency analysisThe Regulations have been drafted to be clear and accessible to the public, and the health sector providers, including health entities, that will apply the eligibility settings to the publicly funded services they deliver to patients.Rule of Law: 9(a)(ii)The law should not adversely affect rights and liberties, or impose obligations, retrospectivelyInconsistency identified?NoSummary of agency analysisThere are no retrospective changes.Rule of Law: 9(a)(iii)Every person is equal before the lawInconsistency identified?NoSummary of agency analysisThe Regulations are to be implemented and applied to publicly funded health services by both health entities and private providers that are publicly funded to deliver health services.Rule of Law: 9(a)(iv)There should be an independent impartial judiciaryInconsistency identified?Not applicableRule of Law: 9(a)(v)Issues of legal right and liability should be resolved by the application of law, rather than the exercise of administrative discretionInconsistency identified?NoSummary of agency analysisThe Regulations set detailed rules for eligibility and therefore limit administrative discretion. The Regulations do not restrict the ability of any party to use usual public law remedies such as judicial review.Liberties: 9(b)Legislation should not unduly diminish a person’s liberty, personal security, freedom of choice or action, or rights to own, use, and dispose of property, except as is necessary to provide for, or protect, any such liberty, freedom, or right of another personInconsistency identified?NoSummary of agency analysisThe Regulations set out those who can be publicly funded for health services, and make no restrictions related to people’s rights and liberties, including bodily autonomy. People eligible to receive publicly funded health services can choose whether to use these health services.Taking of property: 9(c)Legislation should not take or severely impair, or authorise the taking or severe impairment of, property without the consent of the owner unless—there is a good justification for the taking or severe impairment; andfair compensation for the taking or severe impairment is provided to the owner; andthe compensation is provided, to the extent practicable, by or on behalf of the persons who obtain the benefit of the taking or severe impairmentInconsistency identified?Not applicableTaxes, fees and levies: 9(d)The importance of maintaining consistency with section 22(a) of the Constitution Act 1996 (Parliamentary control of taxation)Inconsistency identified?Not applicableTaxes, fees and levies: 9(e)Legislation should impose, or authorise the imposition of, a fee for goods or services only if the amount of the fee bears a proper relation to the cost of providing the good or service to which it relatesInconsistency identified?Not applicableTaxes, fees and levies: 9(f)Legislation should impose, or authorise the imposition of, a levy to fund an objective or a function only if the amount of the levy is reasonable in relation to both—the benefits that the class of payers is likely to derive, or the risks attributable to the class, in connection with the objective or function; andthe costs of efficiently achieving the objective or providing the functionInconsistency identified?Not applicableRole of courts: 9(g)Legislation should preserve the courts’ constitutional role of ascertaining the meaning of legislationInconsistency identified?NoSummary of agency analysisThe Regulations have no restrictions related to the courts’ constitutional role.Role of courts: 9(h)Legislation should make rights and liberties, or obligations, dependent on administrative power only if the power is sufficiently defined and subject to appropriate reviewInconsistency identified?NoSummary of agency analysisThe Regulations specify where they apply, to the delivery of publicly funded health services, and do not limit or exclude appropriate review options.Additional informationRelevant publicly available inquiry, review, or evaluation reports Not applicableRelevant international treaties, standards and obligationsTwo eligibility settings in the Regulations relate to longstanding international agreements, that are also in New Zealand Legislation. These are international reciprocal agreements for health care with: Australia – set out in Health Benefits (Reciprocity with Australia) Act 1999United Kingdom – set out in Health Benefits (Reciprocity with the United Kingdom) Act 1982.The Regulations give effect to these reciprocal international agreements. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade were consulted on the regulations that continue the existing eligibility settings for these reciprocal international agreements. Departures from the Legislation GuidelinesNot applicableOther unusual provisions or featuresNot applicable

Publication date: 29 September 2026 Document download Consistency Accountability Statement: Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) (Eligibility) Regulations 2026 ( pdf, 88.78 KB )Statement of ReviewI confirm that the Ministry of Health has assessed the above legislation, and the process for developing it, for consistency with the principles of responsible regulation as set out in section 9 of the Regulatory Standards Act 2025. This assessment identified no inconsistencies with the principles of responsible regulation.  Sam KingManager, Funding and Markets, Strategy and Policy GroupMinistry of Health

Publication date: 20 October 2026 The Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2026 sets out what we achieved and how we managed our resources over the past year. It details our work on implementing the Government’s priorities and provides an assessment of our operations during the 2025/26 financial year, including our core functions of policy, regulation and monitoring. It also includes year-end performance information on appropriations.The report also outlines our progress in relation to our six strategic priorities, covers organisational health and capability, and presents our annual financial statements.Together, this information supports transparency and accountability for the Ministry’s performance and use of public resources.Read the reportYou can access the Annual Report online, or download the PDF or Word versions.Ministry of Health – Manatū Hauora Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2026: Online version Document download Ministry of Health – Manatū Hauora Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2026 ( pdf, 3.08 MB ) Document download Ministry of Health – Manatū Hauora Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2026 ( docx, 1.99 MB )The PDF and Word versions include the Cancer Control Agency Te Aho o Te Kahu Annual Report 2025/26.

Publication date: 30 September 2026 The Office of the Director of Mental Health and Addiction Services Regulatory Report 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025 provides information and statistics relating to the use of compulsory assessment and treatment legislation in Aotearoa New Zealand.For more mental health and addiction data, please see Mental health and addiction data.The legislation covered includes the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992, Intellectual Disability (Compulsory Care and Rehabilitation) Act 2003, and the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975. It includes subjects such as the use of seclusion, compulsory treatment orders, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), and the drug checking regime.

Publication date: 22 September 2026 This report provides an overview of mental health and addiction services accessed by infants, children and young people aged 0 to 24 years in Aotearoa New Zealand. The report:describes the range of mental health and addiction services available to infants, children and young peopleexamines patterns of access, service use and outcomes across different life stagesexplores differences in access, investment, workforce capacity and service availability across regions and population groupsidentifies opportunities to better support the mental health and wellbeing needs of infants, children and young people.This report has been produced by Sapere.

Publication date: 22 September 2026 The forensic mental health services mapping report provides an overview of forensic mental health services in Aotearoa New Zealand.The report:describes the forensic mental health continuum, including inpatient, prison in-reach, court liaison, community and step-down servicesexamines service utilisation, investment and capacity across forensic mental health servicesexplores variation in service provision, infrastructure and models of care across regionsconsiders future demand and service requirements to support planning across the forensic mental health system.This report has been produced by Sapere.

Publication date: 22 September 2026 The alcohol and other drug service mapping report provides an overview of alcohol and other drug services in New Zealand. The report:outlines the range of alcohol and other drug services available across the continuum of careexamines patterns of service access, treatment utilisation and outcomes for people accessing alcohol and other drug servicesexplores service capacity, workforce, bed availability and investment across regionsconsiders future demand for alcohol and other drug services and opportunities to strengthen service planning and delivery.This report has been produced by Sapere.

Publication date: 21 September 2026 Part 4A of the Health Act 1956 requires the Minister of Health to establish an independent Parliamentary Review Committee at least every three years to review the National Cervical Screening Programme. The focus of the review is the continuous quality improvement of components of the National Cervical Screening Programme, with a view to reduce the incidence and mortality rates of cervical cancer.The report presents the findings and recommendations of the 2025 Parliamentary Review Committee.