National Hui 2021

On 13 and 14 May 2021, Balance Aotearoa hosted a hui in Whanganui called “Strengthening Our Voice”. The hui was attended by people with lived experience of mental distress and/or addiction from around New Zealand. The event was interpreted into New Zealand Sign Language and streamed live online.

The hui had two parts. The first part focused on human rights, especially the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the importance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The second part focused on considering what a Disabled People’s Organisation (DPO) representing people with lived experience of mental distress and/or addiction could look like, and how it could function.

In keeping with the “strengthening our voice” theme, this report uses the voices of attendees. Quotes are used throughout the report as much as possible, and with the consent of those who said them. These quotes were sourced from a transcript of the forum. This transcript, and video recordings of the forum, are available for anyone who would like to access the full discussion.

Balance Aotearoa wishes to thank everyone who attended and supported the hui, especially our pou tikanga Terence Mathews and the Matthews whānau, our guest speaker Sir Robert Martin KNZM, our facilitators Fiona Clapham-Howard, Gemma Griffin, and Nigel Ngahiwi, our NZSL interpreters, staff, support crew, and members of the Board of Trustees. Special thanks also to Ngahina Gardiner (Ngahina Gardiner (Ngā Wairiki, Ngāti Apa, Te Ātihaunui-ā-Pāpārangi) for the artwork on the cover of this report. Ka nui te mihi ki a koutou katoa.

We gratefully acknowledge that the hui was funded by the New Zealand government through the mental health, addictions, and disability workforce development agency Te Pou.