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.

Māori health Hauora Māori

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

Statistics & research He tatauranga, he rangahau

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

These documents have been proactively released by the Ministry of Health on behalf of the Associate Minister of Health, Hon Casey Costello.

The purpose of the Safe Areas is to address any risk to the safety and well-being, and to respect the privacy and dignity, of any persons accessing abortion services, seeking advice or information about abortion services, or providing or assisting in the provision of abortion services.

Titles of Cabinet papers:

  • The establishment of new Safe Areas under the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act 1977
  • Contraception, Sterilisation and Abortion (Safe Areas) Regulations 2024 – Round Three

Titles of Cabinet minutes:

  • Establishment of New Safe Areas under the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act 1977 (SOU-24-MIN-0057)
  • Establishment of New Safe Areas under the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act 1977 (SOU-24-MIN-0064)
  • Report of the Cabinet Social Outcomes Committee: Period Ended 28 June 2024 (CAB-24-MIN-0234)
  • Report of the Cabinet Legislation Committee: Period Ended 23 August 2024 (CAB-24-MIN-0320)
  • Contraception, Sterilisation and Abortion (Safe Areas) Amendment Regulations 2024 (LEG-24-MIN-0157)

Titles of key advice papers:

  • Proposed Safe Areas under the Contraception, Sterilisation and Abortion Act (1977) - Round 3 (H2024035845)
  • Cabinet paper: Establishing new Safe Areas under the Contraception, Sterilisation and Abortion Act 1977 (H2024039981)
  • Third round of Safe Areas to Cabinet Legislation Committee (H2024045779)

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. Some information has been redacted from the Cabinet minute as it is out of scope of the subject of this proactive release.

Key to redaction codes:

  • S 9(2)(a) of the Act: to protect the privacy of natural persons, including deceased natural persons.
  • S 9(2)(c) of the Act: to avoid prejudice to measures protecting the health or safety of members of the public.
  • S 9(2)(f)(iv) to maintain the constitutional conventions that protect the confidentiality of advice tendered by Ministers and officials.
  • S 9(2)(h) of the Act: to maintain legal professional privilege.

© Ministry of Health – Manatū Hauora