Health
2 portfolios: Health and Mental Health. 4 office holders in government, and spokespeople for 3 parties.
Health
Government
- Minister of HealthSimeon Brown (National), Cabinet
- Associate Minister of HealthDavid Seymour (ACT), CabinetHolds: Medicines
All 7 delegated responsibilities
- Functions and responsibilities of the Health portfolio relating to:
- Pharmac (the entity and its responsibilities, monitoring of Pharmac through the Ministry of Health, and implementation of any review recommendations)
- Medsafe
- the Medicines Strategy
- any proposed amendments to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 relating to pseudoephedrine
- appointments relating to Pharmac, Pharmacy Council, Medicines Adverse Reactions Committee, Medicines Assessment Advisory Committee, Medicines Classification Committee, Medicines Review Committee, Psychoactive Substances Expert Advisory Committee, and End of Life Choice Review Committee
- all policy and any legislative work that may allow publicly funded drugs or medicines to be used in private medical facilities
- amendments to secondary legislation associated with the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 to address unnecessary regulatory burden on the hemp sector
- Associate Minister of HealthMatt Doocey (National), CabinetHolds: Mental health, Rural health
All 29 delegated responsibilities
- Functions and responsibilities within the Health portfolio relating to:
- rural health (including rural workforce)
- eating disorders
- nutrition (including relevant food safety matters) and physical activity
- neurodiversity (including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD))
- youth and rainbow health
- the Intellectual Disability (Compulsory Care and Rehabilitation) Act 2003
- the Government’s response to the Royal Commission into Historical Abuse in State Care and in the Care of Faith-based Institutions
- the Burials and Cremation Act 1964
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
- Appointments and day-to-day administrative matters relating to the following:
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission
- Mental Health Review Tribunal
- Mental Health District Inspectors
- Substance Addiction District Inspectors
- Expert Advisory Committee on Drugs
- Psychologists Board
- Psychotherapists Board
- Radiation Safety Advisory Committee
- Dietitians Board
- National Ethics Advisory Committee
- Advisory Committee on Assisted Reproductive Technology
- Ethics Committee on Assisted Reproductive Technology
- Northern A Health and Disability Ethics Committee
- Northern B Health and Disability Ethics Committee
- Central Health and Disability Ethics Committee
- Southern Health and Disability Ethics Committee
- Chinese Medicine Council
- Medical Radiation Technologists Board
- Medical Sciences Council of New Zealand
- Physiotherapy Board
- Associate Minister of HealthCasey Costello (NZ First), CabinetHolds: Smokefree and vaping, Women's and maternity health, Aged care
All 25 delegated responsibilities
- All matters within the Health portfolio relating to:
- Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Act 1990
- vaping
- smokeless tobacco
- oral nicotine
- Functions and responsibilities within the Health portfolio relating to:
- women’s health (excluding cancer and cancer screening, perinatal and maternal mental health, workforce, and infrastructure)
- maternity health (including Plunket, but excluding perinatal and maternal mental health, workforce, and infrastructure)
- perinatal and maternal mortality
- surgical mesh
- sexual and reproductive health
- the COVID-19 Inquiry
- the Therapeutic Products Act 2023
- emergency road and air services
- family and sexual violence
- surrogacy
- dementia management
- aged care
- Appointments to the following:
- Paramedic Council
- Chiropractic Board
- Dental Council
- Occupational Therapy Board
- Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Board
- Osteopathic Council
- Podiatrists Board
- Regulated Products Appeals Committee
- Aged Care Commissioner
Spokespeople
- LabourAyesha VerrallSpokesperson for Health
- LabourWillie JacksonAssociate Spokesperson for Health (Māori)
- GreenHūhana LyndonSpokesperson for Health
- GreenRicardo Menéndez MarchSpokesperson for Primary Healthcare
- Te Pāti MāoriNone recorded
Sources: Green Party team page (party), 16 September 2026; Labour Party team page (party), 16 September 2026; DPMC Ministerial List (official), 13 August 2026.
Mental Health
Government
- Minister for Mental HealthMatt Doocey (National), Cabinet
Spokespeople
- LabourIngrid LearySpokesperson for Mental Health
- GreenKahurangi CarterSpokesperson for Mental Health
- Te Pāti MāoriNone recorded
Sources: Green Party team page (party), 16 September 2026; Labour Party team page (party), 16 September 2026; DPMC Ministerial List (official), 13 August 2026.
Who holds which part
Responsibilities delegated to associates, grouped into parts of this issue. Some are delegated from another portfolio.
- PartGovernmentSpokespeople
- Mental healthGovernmentMatt Doocey (National), Minister for Mental HealthMatt Doocey (National), Associate Minister of HealthDelegated: eating disorders; Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission; Mental Health Review Tribunal; Mental Health District Inspectors; Substance Addiction District Inspectors; Expert Advisory Committee on Drugs; Psychologists Board; Psychotherapists BoardSpokespeopleIngrid Leary (Labour)Kahurangi Carter (Green)
- MedicinesGovernmentDavid Seymour (ACT), Associate Minister of HealthDelegated: Pharmac (the entity and its responsibilities, monitoring of Pharmac through the Ministry of Health, and implementation of any review recommendations); Medsafe; the Medicines Strategy; any proposed amendments to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 relating to pseudoephedrine; appointments relating to Pharmac, Pharmacy Council, Medicines Adverse Reactions Committee, Medicines Assessment Advisory Committee, Medicines Classification Committee, Medicines Review Committee, Psychoactive Substances Expert Advisory Committee, and End of Life Choice Review Committee; all policy and any legislative work that may allow publicly funded drugs or medicines to be used in private medical facilitiesSpokespeopleNone recorded
- Rural healthGovernmentMark Patterson (NZ First), Associate Minister of AgricultureDelegated: rural health, including mental healthMatt Doocey (National), Associate Minister of HealthDelegated: rural health (including rural workforce)SpokespeopleNone recorded
- Smokefree and vapingGovernmentCasey Costello (NZ First), Associate Minister of HealthDelegated: Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Act 1990; vaping; smokeless tobacco; oral nicotine; Regulated Products Appeals CommitteeSpokespeopleNone recorded
- Women's and maternity healthGovernmentCasey Costello (NZ First), Associate Minister of HealthDelegated: women’s health (excluding cancer and cancer screening, perinatal and maternal mental health, workforce, and infrastructure); maternity health (including Plunket, but excluding perinatal and maternal mental health, workforce, and infrastructure); perinatal and maternal mortality; surgical mesh; sexual and reproductive healthSpokespeopleNone recorded
- Aged careGovernmentCasey Costello (NZ First), Associate Minister of HealthDelegated: dementia management; aged care; Aged Care CommissionerSpokespeopleNone recorded
Sources: Green Party team page (party), 16 September 2026; Labour Party team page (party), 16 September 2026; DPMC Ministerial List (official), 13 August 2026; DPMC Schedule of Responsibilities Delegated to Associate Ministers and Parliamentary Under-Secretaries (official), 2 June 2026.