Who We Are
HCA is a coalition of health NGOs, professionals and academics with an unwavering commitment to reduce harm from tobacco,
alcohol, unhealthy food and advance public health equity.
Our Mission
HCA’s vision is for an Aotearoa where strong preventative health measures, policies and strategies protect against the impacts of harmful industries, informed by the best evidence and a commitment to honour the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Whānau can and should be empowered to make decisions to support their health and wellbeing without the over-whelming presence and influence of harmful products, and their marketing.
This means creating healthy environments where harmful products and marketing are regulated. It also means having equitable access to the determinants of good health across the life-span.
The Challenge
- Unhealthy diets, obesity, tobacco, and alcohol contribute about one third of the overall preventable health loss in Aotearoa/New Zealand, with wide inequities by ethnicity and levels of disadvantage.
- Many policies recommended by the World Health Organisation to reduce the impact of harmful products (tobacco, alcohol, unhealthy foods and beverages) on health and equity have been weakly implemented or not implemented at all in Aotearoa/New Zealand.
- Investment in population prevention of harm from tobacco, alcohol and unhealthy food is <1/2% of the national health budget and government prevention infrastructure is weak
HCA Strategy on a Page 2023-2026
Our Members
Members of the Health Coalition Aotearoa are non-governmental health and consumer organisations (such as health providers, health charities, medical and health professional organisations) and individual academic leaders (professors and associate professors with expertise in aspects of health and prevention) and public health professionals.
HCA Board Members
HCA is led by board representatives from our member organisations:
Professor Boyd Swinburn
Co-Chair
University of Auckland
Professor Lisa Te Morenga
Co-Chair
Massey University
Grant Berghan
Independent
David Galler
Independent
Belinda Castles
Consumer NZ
Sally Liggins
Massey University
Jason Alexander
Hāpai Te Hauora
Dr Jacinta Fa'alili - Fidow
Director Moana Connect
Greg Hinton
Independent
Health Coalition Expert Panel Chairs
Our expert panels guide HCA in its mahi and are chaired by the following people:
David Galler
Public Health
Infrastructure Chair
Independent
Grant Berghan
Public Health
Infrastructure Co-Chair
Independent
Steve Randerson
Roopuu Apaarangi Waipiro (Alcohol) Chair
Massey University
Dr. Karen Wright
Roopuu Apaarangi Waipiro (Alcohol) Co-Chair
University of Auckland
Sande Mareroa-Gates
Food Policy Co-Chair
Independent
Dr. Sally Mackay
Food Policy Co-Chair
University of Auckland
Professor Lisa Te Morenga
Acting Co Chair
Massey University
Expert Panels
The expert panels are comprised of the following members.
Smokefree Expert Advisory Group
Professor Lisa Te Morenga
(Acting Co Chair) – Massey University
Professor Chris Bullen
University of Auckland
Professor Janet Hoek
University of Otago
Aporina Chapman
Toi Te Ora BoP DHB
Professor Richard Edwards
University of Otago
Sally Liggins
Massey University
Andrew Waa
Aspire/Eru Pomare Māori Health Research Centre
Marnie Wilton
Co Founder Vape Free Kids NZ
Rōpū Apaarangi Waipiro (Alcohol)
Steve Randerson
(Co Chair) – Massey University
Kristen Maynard
Independent
Professor Antonia Lyons
University of Auckland
Emma Shields
Cancer Society
Karen Wright
(Co-Chair) Independent
Professor Jennie Connor
University of Otago
Andrew Galloway
Alcohol Healthwatch
Tania Henderson
Independent
Food Policy Expert Panel
Sande Mareroa-Gates
(Co-Chair) – Independent
Professor Lisa Te Morenga
Massey University
Dr Leanne Young
University of Auckland
Belinda Castles
Consumer NZ
Jessikha Leatham-Vlasic
Hāpai Te Hauora
Dr Victoria Egli
Auckland University
Dr Fa’asisila (Sila) Savila
University of Auckland
Tegan McGowan
Independent
Dr Sally Mackay
(Co Chair) – University of Auckland
Cristina Cleghor
University of Otago
Dr Christina McKerchar
University of Otago, Christchurch
Dr Nikki Renall
Massey University
Emmeline Taptiklis
Cancer Society Wellington
Mafi Funaki-Tahifote
Independent
Dr Kelly Garton
University of Auckland
Public Health Infrastructure Expert Panel
Dr David Galler
(Co-Chair)– Independent
Sione Tu’itahi
Health Promotion Forum of New Zealand, Runanga Whakapiki Ake i te Hauora o Aotearoa
Professor Peter Adams
University of Auckland
Associate Professor Tim Tenbensel
University of Auckland
Dr Mariam Parwaiz
Public Health Physician
Grant Berghan
(Co-Chair) – Public Health Association of New Zealand
Warren Lindberg
Independent
Janell Dymus-Kurei
Hāpai Te Hauora Māori Public Health, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātu
Harriet Wilde
ASMS Toi Mata Hauora
Tatou kaimahiuru
Our Team
Julie Clothier
Digital Communications Advisor
j.clothier@healthcoalition.org.nz
