The Government’s new Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy is being welcomed as an important step forward for mental health services in Aotearoa, but health organisations say significant gaps remain if the country is to deliver truly equitable support for all communities. This reflects a broader understanding that wellbeing extends beyond clinical mental health services alone. Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says the strategy provides New Zealand with its first long-term roadmap for improving mental health outcomes and is backed by a detailed implementation plan containing dozens of actions over the next three years. Māori continue to experience disproportionately higher rates of psychological distress and barriers to accessing appropriate mental health care, making equitable service delivery a continuing priority across the sector. The challenge now is ensuring the commitments translate into lasting improvements for all New Zealanders, particularly those communities that have historically experienced the greatest barriers to mental health support.