‘Defeatist’ suicide plan disgusts King
Removal of 20 per cent reduction target brings about resignation
Mike King says a target of cutting suicides by 20 per cent in 10 years is “absolutely realistic”, as he berates the Government for failing to include a measurable goal in its draft suicide prevention strategy.
The comedian and television presenter stepped down from his post on New Zealand’s suicideprevention panel yesterday, claiming the Government’s recently released draft plan to prevent suicide was “deeply flawed” and self-serving.
The panel was established to help shape a strategy to reduce suicide over the next 10 years. Its draft suicide prevention plan was released to the public last month.
But King said key measures — including a 20 per cent reduction in suicides over 10 years — had been removed, leaving the plan toothless.
Health Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman did not answer a question from the Herald about why the target had been removed.
King said a percentage target was important to give people a clear direction to work towards, and 20 per cent was “absolutely realistic”. He went further, saying New Zealand should aim for a suicide rate of zero.
“Guess what, targeting zero is absolutely achievable.”
King said he planned to keep working in the field of suicide prevention.
“I haven’t quit doing what I’m doing — I’m just not going to waste any more time on a failed plan that has failed 11pm) 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 757 (available 24/7) 0800 111 (09) 376 4155 0800 726 666
If it is an emergency and you feel you or someone else is at risk, call 111. for the last 10 years and will not have my name associated with this current plan, which is more of the same.”
King said there had been no evaluation of the previous suicide prevention strategy so there was no way of knowing which services had worked and which hadn’t.
“We don’t know what services are in place. We don’t know how much money is being spent.”
King said the education, health, social development and justice ministries had no idea what the others were doing, so they were doubling up in some areas and short in others.
One of the first things the panel had agreed on was that there should be a clear target, he said.
In a letter of resignation to the Ministry of Health, King said he was growing “increasingly concerned” about the plan.
“The plan has buried all new ideas in such impenetrable language they are beyond recognition and unlikely to ever see the light of day.
“It is a strategy that is so broad in its effort to please everyone it will eventually collapse under the weight of public expectation. This will please no one except you and the politicians you serve,” King wrote. “It would be funny if people weren’t dying.”
On the absence of the target, he said: “What happened to that? Have we returned to the defeatist attitude that some degree of suicide is acceptable, inevitable or both?”
Every year around 540 people die by suicide in New Zealand.
King’s resignation comes amid growing calls for an independent inquiry into the mental health sector.
Prime Minister Bill English said he was not surprised King had decided to leave the panel, putting it down to likely frustration with bureaucracy.
“He has quite a different style ... it probably doesn’t suit him sitting in meetings talking about generalities.”
Greens health spokeswoman Julie Anne Genter said King had done “his utmost” to put the issue at the forefront of public attention.
“For him to step away . . . shows the utter frustration over the lack of forthcoming action on suicide and a Government missing in action on mental health.” Watch the Focus video interview at nzherald.co.nz