Budget 2005

Jim Anderton today announced a new $6.53 million (GST exclusive) National Depression Initiative aimed at changing and saving lives.

The Progressive Party secured the new funding over the next four financial years in the coalition government's sixth budget round, Budget 2005, for investment in a multi-pronged campaign about depression.

Mr Anderton said that while one in five New Zealanders may experience depression in their lifetime, few recognise the signs or seek help early enough to get effective treatment and avoid the negative impacts of depression on their lives and the lives of their families.

"Until now, too many of us have tended to stick our heads in the sand and pretend we could just ride out depression. Too many New Zealanders have been ashamed to talk about it, as if it is a character weakness. But anyone, including John Kirwan, can suffer from depression, and we need to encourage people to seek help earlier,” Mr Anderton said.

The National Depression Initiative, currently in its planning stages with the Ministry of Health, is likely to include the use of mass media, health workforce development and training, community based programmes to help people with mild to moderate depression, as well as their families.

The project will include a phone survey about depression, which will be used to monitor changes in public knowledge, attitudes and behaviours around depression. This announcement follows Mr Anderton’s release of the draft New Zealand Suicide Prevention Strategy last week.

Research shows that mood disorders, which include depression, are a key risk factor for suicide. Based on overseas evidence and a review of suicide prevention literature, depression awareness and associated access to help services has been recommended as a significant action point in the new all-ages approach to suicide prevention. The World Health Organization predicts depression will become the second major cause of disease by 2020. Yet in many cases depression is easily treatable, without it developing into a severe illness that in turn can lead to thoughts of suicide.

We need to reduce New Zealand’s suicide rate, and addressing depression is one way to do that. The Ministry of Health expects to complete the planning for the National Depression Initiative in late 2005.