Down In NZ

New Zealand like other countries around the world is attacking our healthcare. But the courts down there said, "Not so fast!"

Cabinet overrode health advice in decision to ban puberty blockers

Health officials said there was ‘no evidence base’ about the likely impacts of the Government’s decision to ban puberty blockers for transgender youth

Newsroom

by Marc Daalder

Dec 22, 2025

Ministers rejected the advice of Ministry of Health officials when they decided to implement a ban on new puberty blocker prescriptions to treat gender dysphoria, newly released documents reveal, findings which prompted the High Court to say the decision appeared to be politically motivated.

Although the ban went into effect on Friday, the High Court on Wednesday issued an order preventing it from being enforced until fuller legal arguments can be held next year. In its decision, it cited health advice which found the status quo was the preferable option and said “the views of Cabinet do not reflect the medical advice set out in the RIS [Regulatory Impact Statement]”.

Late on Thursday, the Ministry of Health released a trove of Cabinet papers, official briefings and the crucial regulatory vet, in which health officials effectively said there were no good options but the status quo was the least bad one.

[...]

In advice underpinning the Cabinet paper, officials made clear the status quo or enhanced monitoring were preferred.

“There is no option that we can definitively say advances our objectives. Having regard to this,

the Ministry of Health considers Option One (Status quo/Counterfactual: baseline of close

ministry monitoring and adjustment as needed) (Options A and B in the Cabinet paper) is the

best fit overall,” they wrote.

So once again, the data shows that puberty blockers work and do no harm,,, but the politicians have an agenda. Just like here in the States, we wait on the courts for our rights to healthcare.