Keynote Address to the National Problem Gambling Provider Forum
23 May 2012

Good morning and thank you for the invitation to speak today at your national provider forum.

 I would like to begin by acknowledging and thanking the Salvation Army’s National Co-ordination Service for organising this event.

 I would also like to acknowledge Major Campbell Roberts personally.

 I understand that he is to speak later in the programme on social justice and addictions.

 This is one of several social policy areas in which he has worked for many years, and I am sure his presentation will be a thoughtful contribution.

 It is good to be here again to open the forum.

 The theme this year is ‘Connecting, Communicating, Continuity’ – three important principles that I will address this morning.

 I will start with the third of these – continuity. 

 The fact that I am able to speak to you again as the Associate Minister of Health responsible for problem gambling issues ties in nicely with that and even if you are not grateful for that, I have to say that I am!

 There are also a number of sessions on the programme that emphasise the other two component parts of your forum’s theme – connection and communication.

 These sessions cover connection and communication both between public health work and clinical work, and between the services dealing with gambling-related harm and other health services.

 In the broader scheme of things you will notice that connection and communication – and enhancing both – is a key element underpinning so much of what the Government is trying to do today across a diverse range of portfolios.

 Because we live in straitened times and because the Government is seeking to get the best return in each dollar invested; in each project undertaken, there is a great commitment to making the links and connections, the communications between endeavours work as collaboratively as possible.

 So it is in your areas too.

 It is pleasing to see these sessions picking up on the need for an integrated approach across the health and social sectors.

 These examples of the forum’s emphasis on connection and communication, and on participants learning from each other, are examples of existing resources being harnessed to provide better services for the public.

 Learning from each other is critical if we are to live within our means while enhancing the services we provide.

 Providing better public services is one of this Government’s priorities.

 From my perspective, I would add that a key way we provide better services is by utilising effectively all of the resources available to us – across the government and non-government sectors, and making sure that, to the greatest extent we can, that the services that are provided are provided by those best equipped to provide them.

 I understand that there is also a session discussing the role of the new Health Promotion Agency.

 This Agency is another example of an integrated approach.

 The Health Promotion Agency will provide greater co-ordination and integration of health promotion programmes currently delivered by a number of agencies, including the Health Sponsorship Council and Alcohol Advisory Council.

It will draw on a wider range of relationships and expertise to lead innovative, high quality and cost-effective health promotion programmes.

 But I should leave any further discussion of the Agency to those who are speaking on this topic.

Suffice to say, its creation is just one sign of change in the wider health sector.

Another example of connecting, communicating and continuity is the current Kiwi Lives stage three awareness and education campaign “Choice not Chance”. 

 The Choice not Chance campaign was launched almost a year ago and built on the awareness achieved by stages one and two of the campaign. 

 It challenges the public to engage in conversations with regard to gambling harm and promote those affected to seek early help.

 As I noted last year, if there is one thing we can be certain of in the current economic environment, it is that change is the new constant.

 To keep up, and get ahead of the game, we must make sure we are in a position to move with the times, whatever challenges they may present.

 In other words, continuity must take the form of continuous improvement.

 This Forum, with its focus on workforce development, represents one opportunity for continuous improvement.

 For all of you working to prevent and minimise gambling-related harm, connecting and communicating also mean maintaining an active interest and involvement in the wider mental health and addictions sector.

 Again, it is about linkages.

 It is about avoiding working and existing in silos.

 Everywhere I go to talk to people in the mental health and addictions sectors the silo issue is raised with me.

 My own very clear view is that an important step along the way to improving services will be the breaking down of silos.

 Many of you will no doubt already be aware that, after consultation, the Mental Health Commission is finalising its Blueprint Two document.

 This plan builds on past achievements and will  no doubt be influential in helping guide the development and structure of mental health and addiction services for the future so that users of mental health and addiction services, their families and whānau get the services they need, when they need them and where they need them.

 

Blueprint Two is due to be released in the near future.

 

It is also worth noting that the Ministry of Health is preparing a service development plan for the mental health and addiction sector, which will articulate government policy in health funded services.

 

The service development plan will be informed by Blueprint Two.

 

The Ministry expects to consult on its draft plan later this year.

 

That will be an opportunity for you to comment on how you think services to prevent and minimise gambling-related harm should connect with the broader mental health and addiction sector.

 

It will be a chance to say how your services fit within that broader context, and how that broader context relates to your services.

 

Later this year, there will also be an opportunity for you to comment more directly on the future direction of your services, when the Ministry of Health consults on its draft preventing and minimising gambling harm service plan for 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2016.

 

Demand for services, effectiveness, efficiency and economy will be key drivers of this service plan, and of the parallel problem gambling levy process.

 

I encourage you all to make positive, pragmatic contributions in the course of that consultation process. 

 

Of course, the draft service plan sits within the context of the objectives, progress measures, and priority actions set out in the Ministry’s 2010 to 2016 strategic plan for preventing and minimising gambling harm. 

 

This six-year strategic plan is another example of continuity.

 

Last year, I spoke at some length about the value-for-money review of services to prevent and minimise gambling-related harm. 

 

Overall, the results of the review were encouraging.

 

It recognised a number of strengths and identified some areas for further development. 

 

The value-for-money review also concluded that it was premature to try to assess the overall benefits of the Ministry’s strategy.

 

The review noted that, as part of the 2010 to 2016 preventing and minimising gambling harm strategic plan, the Ministry had developed an outcomes framework for monitoring and reporting on achievement.

 

The review saw this outcomes framework as a step in the right direction.

 

Since then, a year on, KPMG has been commissioned to develop data collection processes and analysis, for monitoring and reporting against the outcome indicators in the framework.

 

A baseline report is due this December, with further reporting on progress measures planned for one-year, three-year, and six-year intervals.

 

I would like to acknowledge and thank all those in the sector who have been commenting on, and collating and feeding information into, the outcomes framework process.

 

I particularly want to acknowledge the work of your representatives on the Outcomes Framework Advisory Group.

 

The baseline report and those that follow will provide better information on which to assess and quantify the ultimate benefits of the strategy to prevent and minimise gambling harm.

 

This sector is also fortunate to have a strong research programme.

 

There are several interesting research projects under way, but I want to mention two that I think are particularly important.

 

At the end of this year, the Ministry expects to get the report on the clinical effectiveness of interventions to minimise gambling harm.

 

All of you collect vital data on the effectiveness of your services.

 

Many of your clients will also attest to substantial improvements in their lives as a result of your work.

 

The clinical trial will for the first time deliver scientifically robust and independent evidence to supplement that information.

 

The other research project I want to mention is the National Gambling Study. 

This work is the first update in more than ten years that will allow comparison with historical findings.

 

It is an important bridge between the Ministry’s current series of New Zealand Health Surveys, and the national surveys commissioned by Internal Affairs in 1991 and again in 1999.

 

It also includes a substantial component that is one of the few incidence studies anywhere in the world.

 

That will provide vital information on pathways into and out of problem gambling and help-seeking.

 

Interviewers are currently in the field conducting the survey, with the first reports due next year.

 

This year promises to be an interesting and challenging year for us all in other ways as well.

 

Earlier this month the Gambling Harm Reduction Bill – or as some of you may know it, the Te Ururoa Flavell Bill – completed its  first reading, and, with the Government’s support, has been referred to the Commerce Select Committee.

 

In addition, as you could not possibly fail to be aware, negotiations are underway for the development of a national convention centre in Auckland.

 

While no specific proposal has yet emerged it is likely that any agreement will involve a proposal for additional gambling facilities in SkyCity’s Auckland Casino. 

 

Obviously, these proposals will be of particular interest to your sector and the normal parliamentary select committee process is likely to provide opportunity for your submissions.

 

My position on this has been the subject of some speculation, so let me set it out clearly as follows.

 

I support the contention that Auckland needs a world class convention centre, if it is to live up to its ambition of becoming a world class city.

 

I was also instrumental in the development of our current framework for regulating gaming issue – the 2003 Gambling Act.

 

A consequence of that Act has been a substantial reduction in the number of pokie machines across the country.

 

I want to see that global trend continued, but I am less fixated about the geographic location of machines, so long as the overall trend continues.

 

Beyond that, at this stage I have not seen any specific proposal, so will not make a final decision until such time as such a proposal emerges, but wanted to set out the parameters within which my decision will be made.

 

It is a matter I do not intend to amplify or comment further upon until and unless a specific proposal arises.

 

Overall, your sector does great work as service providers.

 

You work hard and your staff are tremendously dedicated, and I salute you for that.

 

This forum is a wonderful opportunity for you all to connect and communicate with each other, to learn from each other, and to continue to build on your skills and competencies.

 

I strongly encourage you all to make the most of the opportunity.

 

In doing this you will be ensuring a strong, competent and resilient sector; one that is ready for the challenges and opportunities of the year ahead.

 

I thank you again for the chance to address you today, and I wish you well in your work.