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Growing calls to give volunteer first responders mental health coverage

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Thu, 26 Feb 2026, 6:32pm
Emergency services cordon tape at Mount Maunganui beach after the January 22 landslide. Photo / Michael Craig
Emergency services cordon tape at Mount Maunganui beach after the January 22 landslide. Photo / Michael Craig

Growing calls to give volunteer first responders mental health coverage

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Thu, 26 Feb 2026, 6:32pm

Should first responding volunteers be covered for post-traumatic stress caused by the job?

ACC currently covers the responders for broad physical injury cover - but not for mental health harm.

A petition to change the legislation with more than 36,000 signatures was unsuccessful last year.

Land Search & Rescue chief executive Wendy Wright says most of their workforce are actually volunteers.

"We can provide short-term support for them, but it's for those that have long-term PTSD - and it's that longer-term support that we are unable to provide." 

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