About us Mō mātou

About the Ministry of Health and the New Zealand health system. 

Regulation & legislation Ngā here me ngā ture

Health providers and products we regulate, and laws we administer.

Strategies & initiatives He rautaki, he tūmahi hou

How we’re working to improve health outcomes for all New Zealanders.

Monitoring & statistics He aroturuki, he tatauranga

Data and insights from our health surveys, research and monitoring.

Māori health Hauora Māori

Increasing access to health services, achieving equity and improving outcomes for Māori.

Advice sent to the Associate Minister of Health in March 2026 is listed below, along with links to any documents that have been proactively released.

Briefings, memos and aides mémoire to Hon Casey Costello, Associate Minister of Health, 1 – 31 March 2026 
Date SentReferenceTitle 
2/03/2026H2026079057Minister Costello meeting with representatives of American Chamber of Commerce Australia (AmCham)
2/03/2026H2025076543Tabling of ACART and ECART annual reports for 2023-2024
5/03/2026H2026078702Cabinet paper on sunscreens and other policy matters under the Medical Products Bill – Ministerial Consultation
5/03/2026H2026079093Fast-track improvements to medicines regulation under the Medical Products Bill
9/03/2026H2026079556Meeting with Digital Health Association
17/03/2026H2026079132Withheld under s9(2)(f)(iv) of the Official Information Act
18/03/2026H2026079895Update on Surgical Mesh work programme for meeting with Sally Walker
25/03/2026H2026080431Speech: Business NZ's Health Forum
25/03/2026H2026080460Request to lodge Medical Products Bill Cabinet paper on Sunscreens and other policy matters
27/03/2026H2026079062Joint Briefing: Focusing on the needs of women, babies and children across the first 2,000 days
31/03/2026H2026079331Dietary supplements and natural health products

Download the list

Withheld information

Some parts of this information release would not be appropriate to release and, if requested, would be withheld under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act). Where this is the case, the relevant sections of the Act that would apply have been identified. Where information has been withheld, no public interest has been identified that would outweigh the reasons for withholding it.

SectionConclusive reasons to withhold official information
Section 6(a)Prejudice New Zealand’s defence, security or international relations.
Section 6(b)Prejudice any international government or organisations entrusting information to the government on a basis of confidence.
Section 6(c)Prejudice the maintenance of the law (including the prevention, investigation, and detection of offences and the right to a fair trial).
Section 6(d)Endanger the safety of any person.
Section 6(e)Seriously damage the economy by prematurely disclosing decisions to change or continue with Government economic or financial policies.
SectionOther reasons to withhold official information
Section 9 (2)(a)Protect the privacy of natural persons (including the privacy of a deceased person).
Section 9 (2)(b)Protect information where the making available of the information would disclose a trade secret or would be likely unreasonably to prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied or who is the subject of the information.
Section 9 (2)(ba)Protect information which is subject to an obligation of confidence or which any person is compellable to provide, where the making available of the information would be likely to prejudice the supply of similar information or information from a similar source and it is in the public interest that such information should continue to be supplied, or it would be likely otherwise to damage the public interest.
Section 9 (2)(c)Avoid prejudice to measures protecting the health or safety of members of the public.
Section 9 (2)(d)Avoid prejudice to the substantial economic interests of New Zealand.
Section 9 (2)(e)Avoid prejudice to measures that prevent or mitigate material loss to members of the public.
Section 9 (2)(f)Maintain the constitutional conventions which protect confidentiality of communications by or with the Sovereign or her representative, collective and individual ministerial responsibility, the political neutrality of officials, and the confidentiality of advice tendered by Ministers and officials.
Section 9 (2)(g)Maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through the free and frank expression of opinions by, between, or to, Ministers, officers and employees of a Department or members of an organisation, in the course of their duty, or through protection of any of them from improper pressure or harassment.
Section 9 (2)(h)Maintain legal professional privilege.
Section 9 (2)(i)Enable a Minister or Department to carry out commercial activities.
Section 9 (2)(j)Enable a Minister or Department to carry out negotiations without prejudice or disadvantage.
Section 9 (2)(k)Prevent the disclosure or use of information for improper gain.

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