About us

Our key role is to lead and support health promotion initiatives to:

• promote health and wellbeing and encourage healthy lifestyles
• prevent disease, illness and injury
• enable environments that support health, wellbeing and healthy lifestyles
  
• reduce personal, social and economic harm
  

Te Hiringa Hauora has alcohol-specific functions to:

• give advice and make recommendations to government, government agencies, industry, non-government bodies, communities, health professionals and others on the sale, supply, consumption, misuse and harm of alcohol as those matters relate to Te Hiringa Hauora general functions
• undertake, or work with others, to research alcohol use and public attitudes to alcohol in New Zealand and problems associated with, or consequent on, alcohol misuse.

Te Hiringa Hauora is proud to be part of the New Zealand health sector team working toward the New Zealand Health Strategy’s goal of helping all New Zealanders live well, stay well and get well. The strategy pursues equitable outcomes for all New Zealanders.

Te Hiringa Hauora acknowledges the special relationship between Māori and the Crown under Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is committed to recognise and respect the articles of Te Tiriti. New Zealand’s Māori Health Strategy, He Korowai Oranga sets the overarching framework that guides Te Hiringa Hauora and the wider health and disability sector to achieve the best health outcomes for Māori.

We were established on 1 July 2012 by the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act 2000. As a Crown agent under the Crown Entities Act 2004, we are required to give effect to government policy when directed by the responsible Minister. However, in delivering our alcohol specific functions, we must only have regard to Government policy if directed to do so by the Minister.

We are funded from Vote Health (the Government’s funds for the health system) and the levy on alcohol produced or imported for sale in New Zealand.