New Zealand mental health crisis has worsened under Labour, data shows

First figures available for Jacinda Ardern's term in office reveal inadequate government response despite huge boost in funding

New Zealand's mental health system is in crisis" and in worse shape now than four years ago, practitioners say - despite much-heralded government efforts to reform it and prioritise national wellbeing.

A commitment to improving New Zealand's mental health record has been at the heart of the progressive, Jacinda Ardern-led Labour government. The country has enduring challenges with mental health, including the highest rate of youth suicide in the developed world. When Ardern was leading her first election campaign in 2017, she made it a central election issue.