The Bewildering World of Chris Luxon - Playing Politics in Glass Houses

.

.

By now we’re all aware of Mike King’s comments regarding use of alcohol to self-medicate mental health problems. On NewstalkZB, King stated:

“Alcohol is not a problem for people with mental health issues. 

It’s actually the solution to our problem and until you come with a better solution… 

It stops those thoughts.

I would suggest to you that alcohol has prevented more young people from taking their own lives than it actually makes them take their own lives.”

King’s comments have been rebutted in public discourse. Rose Crossin, Jude Ball, and Joe Boden from the Public Health Communication Centre responded unequivocally:

“There is a well-established body of research from New Zealand and overseas that clearly links alcohol use with poor mental health outcomes and increased suicide risk. This Briefing provides a summary of key evidence in response to mental health campaigner, Mike King’s, recent comments that “alcohol is the solution for people with mental health issues”, which is the opposite of what evidence indicates.” 

Drug Foundation executive director, Sarah Helm, was equally scathing:

“I'm really worried about this message and the harm it might do, particularly for young people. Those of us who have a voice in the community and a role like this, our voices are very important and can have really significant consequence.

These statements in particular go against the hard work of many people over successive decades to try and build awareness around mental health and suicide prevention, so yeah really concerned and also feeling for those many New Zealanders who have lost loved ones to alcohol-related suicide today.” 

Labour correctly demanded that State funding for Mike King’s mental health support organisation, “I Am Hope/Gumboot Friday”, be paused:

“Mike King’s comments are unacceptable. They fly in the face of evidence which links alcohol with poor mental health. That’s why we’re calling on the National Government to pause funding for Gumboot Friday.” 

Our current Prime Minister and rental landlord, Christopher Luxon, would have none of it. Instead, he weighed in with a burst of righteous moral indignation:

.

.

“I appreciate the opposition want to make it a political issue. I would just say I wouldn't play politics with youth mental health.” 

In the Herald, Luxon was even more direct:

“This is an organisation that has delivered results. Do not play politics with youth mental health – I know it is easy for Labour to do so.” 

Yet, Treasury, Health Ministry officials, and the Auditor General* have all stated that government funding for Mike King’s “I Am Hope/Gumboot Friday” has been questionable. RNZ’s Anusha Bradley has done amazing work in uncovering this story:

.

.

[Treasury] Officials also suggested the coalition phase in its funding for the Gumboot Friday initiative or to scrap it altogether.

[Ministry of] Health officials had to invoke a special 'opt-out' clause to ensure $24 million given to Mike King's Gumboot Friday initiative complied with government contract rules.

And,

The Auditor-general has criticised the government's "unusual and inconsistent" procurement process in giving $24 million to Mike King's Gumboot Friday initiative.

There are indeed hard questions to be asked as to why this inept government has circumvented the normal procurement process and instead instructed by Ministerial Decree that $24 million was to be allocated directly through Budgetary disbursement. Other mental health providers would not be able to apply for that money.

Hardly surprising that the Auditor-General described the allocation to "I Am Hope/Gumboot Friday" as an “unusual and inconsistent procurement process”.

For Luxon to pontificate from his lofty perch atop the Moral High Mountain that:

“Mental health is not something that you politicise ... mental health and an organisation like Gumboot Friday, who do a great job, get a great benefit and a great return”.

— is, in itself, politicising the issue.

Especially when he and his colleague, Matt Doocey, have not been averse to politicising mental health whilst in Opposition and vying for votes in Election Year.

In Parliament, in March, 2022:

“Does he agree with the Mental Health and Well-being Commission's monitoring report finding that "improvements in services have not materialised as we had hoped for over this time", and what is his response to the article in New Zealand Doctor that says, "the $1.9 billion Wellbeing Budget touted as a game-changer, the Government has done little or nothing for mental wellbeing"?” - M Doocey, MP

Again in March 2022:

“The Government says it has invested in the sector, yet services are harder to access. They must explain where the money has gone and why it hasn’t made a difference to improving people’s mental health.

Making announcements with good intentions isn’t going to solve the growing mental health problems that New Zealand is facing, but strong leadership and a well-managed plan to execute change will. We need targeted spending that delivers outcomes for Kiwis.” - M Doocey, MP

In April 2022:

“The Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission’s damning report released last month found that improvements in mental health have not materialised under Labour despite the $1.9 billion of extra funding, with little change in access and wait times for mental health and addiction services.

I have asked the Auditor-General to investigate because at every turn Labour has blocked the Opposition from speaking to officials to understand the findings and where the money has gone.

I first requested that the Health Select Committee be given a briefing about the findings from the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission. After that request was blocked by Labour MPs on the committee, I requested the Ministry of Health provide a briefing. Again, this request was voted down by Labour.” - M Doocey, MP

Again in April 2022:

“Mental health is an urgent issue in this country, with increasing demand for services, yet the Government has no plan to address it beyond simply announcing money.” - M Doocey, MP

May, 2022:

“How can Kiwis have any confidence in tomorrow's Budget spending announcements, when, despite announcing $1.9 billion for mental health, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission found that there has been no increase in access to specialist mental health services for the last five years?” - C Luxon

In April 2023:

“Despite announcing $1.9 billion funding in 2019, Labour has failed to deliver the improvement in mental health services and outcomes New Zealanders urgently need …National's $20m investment could deliver the equivalent of more than 130,000 additional free counselling sessions from the non-governmental organisation sector over four years.” - C Luxon, PM

When it comes to “playing politics” with mental health issues, Luxon and Doocey both have form.

A twist in irony, though…

In April, 2022, MP Matt Doocey - then in Opposition - sent a complaint to the Office of the Auditor General about the then-Labour government’s mental health funding and initiatives.

The Auditor General, John Ryan, replied to MP Doocey on 28 April 2022. He said, in part:

“I also intend to maintain a close interest in mental health and addiction services within the context of the reform of the health and disability system, which may result in my Office carrying out further work in future years, including in the areas you have raised with me. And of course, in our regular reporting as part of the annual audit and annual review process, we will draw to the Health Committee’s attention relevant performance issues across the health system, including in mental health.”

True to his word, Mr Ryan did indeed “maintain a close interest in mental health and addiction services within the context of the reform of the health and disability system, which may result in my Office carrying out further work in future years, including in the areas you have raised with me”.

But not as Mr Doocey or the current Prime Minister anticipated.

Instead, commenting on National’s close ties and funding for "I Am Hope/Gumboot Friday", Mr Ryan raised serious concerns, as reported on RNZ:

• “The selection of the supplier and the amount of funding was decided without an open and transparent process

• There was no opportunity for a fair, open or competitive procurement process

• The funding for the new initiative was specific to a supplier, rather than to a broad policy initiative or to achieve a policy outcome

• The limited analysis on whether it was appropriate to directly contract the supplier or whether the supplier was best placed to deliver the policy objective was done only after the decision to provide funding to the supplier had been made

• The decision to opt-out of the rules took place after the decision to engage the supplier and without clear justification of why an opt-out was appropriate”

Coupled to a lack of transparency; a fair, open or competitive procurement process, and other problematic issues - there is also the uncomfortably close relationship between various senior ‘actors’ in "I Am Hope/Gumboot Friday" and the National Party.

The Chair of "I Am Hope/Gumboot Friday", Naomi Ballantyne, donated $20,600 to National's campaign in 2020. In the lead up to last years election, she donated $6,840.

.

.

Others with close connections to National**:

“Troy Elliott who is the son of former National MP John Elliott and who sought National’s Botany candidacy in 2019 is a trustee and former Chief Executive. Until very recently other trustees included former National MP Todd Muller and Naomi Ballantyne, who donated nearly $7,000 to National in 2023 and $21,600 in 2017.

Another former Trustee Denise L’Estrange-Corbet stood for the National aligned Communities and Residents ticket in the Auckland Local Body elections.”

It just gets murkier and murkier.

If this were a late-Second or Third Term government - this would be an explosive scandal and their doom would be sealed at the Ballot Box.

The questionable funding of "I Am Hope/Gumboot Friday" was bad enough. But you would think PM Luxon would have thought better than to accuse Labour of “politicising” the issue when he and his cronies have consistently politicised mental health for electoral gain.

As Stuff Media’s Jenna Lynch wrote on 2 November:

“If King’s organisation was funded through a normal contestable government process, then perhaps he might have a point. But in fact, the [National-led] Government politicised this organisation.

Christopher Luxon promised to fund it in a radio interview, Gumboot Friday was mentioned by name in National’s manifesto pledge for a contestable $20m Mental Health Innovation Fund, New Zealand First promised $10 million to Gumboot Friday in its election manifesto.

And when the coalition agreements were signed - the promise had morphed into $6m a year for the charity. $24m overall - more than the whole contestable Mental Health Innovation Fund promised by National.

That is how Gumboot Friday became politicised. The Government sidestepped normal procurement processes to cherry pick an organisation for funding. It gave licence to the opposition to ask for funding reviews when an inevitable issue like this popped up.”

Dubious tax-payer funding; circumventing standard, transparent, procurement processes; and potentially corrupt, close links between National and "I Am Hope/Gumboot Friday" - then drawing attention by throwing around accusation of “politicisation” - this was an own-goal by the Nats if ever there was one.

At the very least, Luxon’s comments were sheer hypocrisy. At worst, we are witnessing nepotism writ large.

Stones and glass houses, Mr Luxon, stones and glass houses.

.

* Hat-tip: Mountain Tui

** Acknowledgement: Mickysavage, “The Standard”

.

References

NewstalkZB: 'Our life jacket' - Mike King defends claims 'alcohol is the solution' for mental health

Public Health Communication Centre: Alcohol and suicide - The facts

RNZ: Labour wants Gumboot Friday funding paused following Mike King's alcohol comments

TVNZ: Labour wants Gumboot Friday funds paused after Mike King comments

RNZ: Christopher Luxon accuses Labour of playing politics with mental health

NZ Herald: PM Christopher Luxon responds to Mike King mental health alcohol claims

RNZ: Treasury urged govt to scrap Gumboot Friday funding, delay changes to tax package

RNZ: 'Opt-out' clause used to justify lack of procurement process for Gumboot Friday funding

RNZ: 'Unusual and inconsistent' process to justify $24m 'Gumboot Friday' contract, auditor-general finds

Stuff media: $24 million being given to Gumboot Friday

Stuff media: Gumboot charity's links to National questioned after $24m funding boost

RNZ: I Am Hope chair's donations to National questioned after $24m Gumboot Friday pledge

Parliament: Question No. 5 - Health - Oral Questions - Questions to Ministers

National Party: More spending but no results for mental health (retrieved)

National Party: OAG asked to investigate $1.9b for mental health (retrieved)

National Party: Govt needs a plan to boost mental health workforce (retrieved)

Parliament: Hansards - Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers

RNZ: National's proposed $20m fund for community mental health care providers

Controller and Auditor-General: Response to a letter about spending on mental health and addiction services

Stuff media: Analysis - PM should have heeded his own advice not to politicise mental health

Additional

Reddit: Why the $24M handout to Gumboot Friday/I Am Hope when only 50% of donations go to counsellors?

The Spinoff: The bleak reality of working in mental health when you don’t have Mike King’s funding

The Spinoff: The King and his god complex

Other Blogs

Mountain Tui: Gumboot Friday's Founder Says Drugs and Alcohol Is A "Solution

Nick's Kōrero: Alcohol and Mental Health

The Standard: What’s up with Matt Doocey, Mike King & the $24mn of taxpayers money?

The Standard: The strange case of the I am Hope funding

Werewolf: Gordon Campbell on America’s fear of foreigners

Previous related blogposts

Unhealthy Health Cuts (August 2012)

Health Minister circumvents law to fulfill 2008 election bribe? (Dec 2012)

National spins new “fake news” narrative: there is no health crisis (May 2018)

The Bewildering World of Chris Luxon - Broken Promises, An Angry Country, and a Govt on Life Support (September 2024)

.

Acknowledgement: Sharon Murdoch

.

Liked what you read? Feel free to share.

Have your own thoughts? Leave a comment. (Trolls need not bother.)

.

= fs =