Crucial kōrero at Addiction Leadership Day

Nearly 100 addiction sector leaders gathered in Ōtautahi Christchurch on November 20 for Addiction Leadership Day, organised by National Committee for Addiction Treatment (NCAT) with support from Te Pou.

The theme of the day, “Huihui tātou ka tū, wehewehe tātou ka hinga – United we stand, divided we call” was prominent throughout the presentations.

Mana whenua opened the event with an uplifting mihi whakatau, setting a welcoming tone and guiding attendees into the day.

More funding, stronger policies needed

In her welcoming address, Deb Fraser-Komene, NCAT co-chair and event MC, spoke about the addiction sector’s vital role and significant funding gap, noting that it manages 25 percent of the mental health and addiction burden but receives only $234M of a $2.6B budget.

Fraser-Komene said that she welcomed the recent $30M Government investment to combat meth harm but also stressed the need for sustainable funding to stabilise the workforce and meet growing demand. She also called for stronger alcohol harm reduction policies including marketing restrictions, reduced availability, and minimum unit pricing, and urged partnership with Government to build a comprehensive, well-resourced system.

Minister says new workforce plan is producing results

In his opening address, Minister of Mental Health, Matt Doocey, said that one year on, the Government’s Mental Health and Addiction Workforce Plan is delivering results with a growing frontline workforce, reduced wait times, expanded training and roles, increased funding, and a renewed focus on faster access and stronger crisis response. More details from his speech are available on the Government’s news website.

Value of Addiction Leadership Day

The Addiction Leadership Days are held annually in three locations: Te Whanganui-a-Tara | Wellington (March), Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland (July), and Ōtautahi | Christchurch (November). These events serve as an important platform for leaders and decision-makers within the addiction sector to deepen professional networks, share sector updates and research, and strengthen and develop leadership.

An evaluation report into the November 20 Christchurch event by Te Pou found that it fostered connection and meaningful networking opportunities, with 80 percent of respondents reporting good or very good expansion of professional networks.

The vast majority, 87 percent of survey respondents, said they plan to use insights from the event in their mahi, and around three-quarters (76 percent) found the event valuable and inspiring, rating its overall value as good or very good.

“Really enjoyed the range of speakers and will use the intel from across the sector to enhance my work at the system level.”

Respondents’ key takeaways from the event were focused on three broad themes: workforce development and sector collaboration, funding and prioritisation challenges, and emerging trends and cultural approaches.

“Deepened my understanding of different aspects of the addiction sector, so helps with planning my work”

Read the full evaluation report.

Ngā mihi to the organisers

Thank you to the presenters who spoke at Addiction Leadership Day, as these kōrero are crucial to strengthening the sector.

Special thanks to Deb Fraser-Komene for her leadership, the wider NCAT Committee, and the team at Te Pou for their efforts put into planning this impactful event.

The next Addiction Leadership Day will be held in Pōneke Wellington in March 2026.

Please sign up to the Te Pou addiction sector distribution list to stay informed about upcoming Addiction Leadership Days.