Support our Advocacy

Help put Palliative Care on the Political Agenda this election 

We want candidates and political parties to understand why dying well matters and what needs to change so everyone can access quality palliative care when and where they need it.

  • Ask your local candidates where they stand. Do they support the four actions in our Dying Well: A Palliative Care Policy for Aotearoa?
  • Talk about why palliative care matters: Share our policy and Election 2026 messages with your friends, whānau and networks.
  • Share your hospice story. Personal experiences help decision-makers understand what good palliative care means for people and whānau. Share your story and tag us.
  • Stay informed. Sign up for Hospice New Zealand updates and opportunities to support our Election 2026 campaign.

Together, we can show every political party that dying well should be a national health priority.

Write a letter to your MP

One of the most effective ways to share your concerns is to write to your MP or local electoral candidates.

Tips

  • Keep your letter or email short – maximum 250 words.
  • Use the example below to help you.
  • Always use a heading. For example, “We need urgent action to address …”
  • Make your most important point in the very first sentence.
  • Then use the next two or three paragraphs to state the issues and what the Government needs to do to address these.
  • Include some of these facts about palliative care in Aotearoa New Zealand.
  • Make it personal – share your story about what hospice care has meant for you or your whānau.
  • Ask them to respond to you.
  • If you are writing a letter to your MP, remember you don’t need a stamp to post it.

For Example:

<Your address>

<Date>

Dear/Tēnā koe <Name of MP or candidate>

I am writing to ask where you and your party stand on the future of palliative care in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Dying well is an important part of a good health system. Yet too many New Zealanders are still missing out on the quality palliative care they need, and where you live can affect the care available to you.

Demand is growing and our palliative care workforce is under pressure. Hospices need to be able to pay the same rates for the same roles as Health New Zealand, and we need to grow and retain our specialist palliative care workforce, particularly in rural areas.

Hospice New Zealand and its palliative care sector partners have developed Dying Well: A Palliative Care Policy for Aotearoa, which asks the next Government to:

  1. Progress implementation of the new National Model for Integrated Adult Palliative Care;
  2. Invest in the palliative care workforce, including pay parity
  3. Ensure children and young people can access the palliative care they need; and
  4. Make equitable access to palliative care a national health priority.

<Add something personal here about why hospice or palliative care matters to you, your whānau or your community.>

You may also want to include a fact about hospice care, such as:

  • 11,471 people who died received hospice support last year, but Hospice New Zealand estimates between 13,000 and 17,000 New Zealanders could and should have benefited from hospice care.
  • Access to palliative care remains uneven, particularly in some rural communities.
  • Availability of 24/7 palliative care support varies across the country.

Will you and your party commit to these four actions? In particular, what will you do to make equitable access to quality palliative care a national health priority?

I would appreciate hearing where you stand on these issues ahead of the 2026 General Election.

Nāku, nā / Yours sincerely,
<Your name>
<Your electorate/town – optional>

Write a letter to the editor

Tips

Keep your letter very short – about 100 words. Look out for the guidelines that most newspapers have (online or in the paper itself) for writing Letters to the Editor.

Make your most important point in the very first sentence. For example:

Dying well is an important part of a good health system. Yet too many New Zealanders are still missing out on the quality palliative care they need, and where you live can affect the care available to you.

Use the next two or three paragraphs to say what are the challenges faced by hospice sector and why the Government needs to act now. For example:

Hospice care is free to every patient and whānau in need, no matter where they live, but today, not everyone has fair access. Too many communities face gaps in service, workforce shortages, and funding uncertainty that put vital care at risk. Moreover, it is predicted the number of people needing palliative care will increase by over 50% in just the next 20 years.

Hospice New Zealand is calling on the next Government to:

  • Progress implementation of the new National Model for Integrated Adult Palliative Care
  • Invest in the palliative care workforce, including pay parity
  • Ensure children and young people can access the palliative care they need; and
  • Make equitable access to palliative care a national health priority.

Include some strong facts, for example;

  • 11,471 people who died received hospice support last year, but Hospice New Zealand estimates between 13,000 and 17,000 New Zealanders could and should have benefited from hospice care.
  • Availability of 24/7 palliative care support varies across the country.

Include a personal touch – what is your experience?

Avoid jargon, acronyms, and get someone else to read it before sending.

Consider writing a longer piece, e.g. a blog or opinion piece (around 800 words – find some tips here)

Talk to your MP/ Election Candidate

Here are some useful considerations when talking to your MP/ election candidate.

  • Be clear.
  • Tell them you want to discuss the need for long term sustainable funding for hospice and palliative care so everyone in New Zealand has access to quality care no matter who you are or where you live.
  • Make the request via phone or email

Information on contacting and addressing current politicians in Aotearoa New Zealand can be found on the NZ Parliament website.

When you visit

Respect their time – they are busy!
Give them just a few essential messages. e.g:

  • Our society is ageing. It is predicted the number of people needing palliative care will increase by over 50% in the next 20 years.
  • Hospice NZ is calling on the next Government to:
    • Progress implementation of the new National Model for Integrated Adult Palliative Care;
    • Invest in the palliative care workforce, including pay parity
    • Ensure children and young people can access the palliative care they need; and
    • Make equitable access to palliative care a national health priority.

Ask them for their views on hospice and palliative care and whether they support making Dying Well a national Health Priority.

Thank them.

After the meeting, write a thank you note/email and include any links you think will be useful.

Go to a Meeting

Look out for meetings and forums, organise a get-together yourself or join with others.

Attend community events and be prepared to ask the political speakers what they and/or their Party are doing about the palliative care challenge facing Aotearoa New Zealand.
Look out for online discussions or virtual events – these are another great opportunity for you to ask questions.
You could possibly ask questions like:

Hospices still need long-term sustainable funding to meet growing demand. What will you do to ensure local hospices are still there for patients and whānau in the future?

  • By 2040, it is predicted the number of people needing palliative care will more than double.
  • How will you plan to address the high future demand for hospice and end of life care?
  • What planning is underway to ensure hospices can pay the same as Health New Zealand. The same rates for the same roles?

If the response is positive, thank the politician/candidate for their support.

If there is disagreement, or the MP/candidate doesn’t seem to know/care about the unsustainable future facing hospice, let us know and we’ll do our best to contact them.

Get in touch by email on [email protected] or call us on 04 381 0266