The Labour Party is calling on the coalition Government to reconsider its $24 million worth of support for Mike King’s Gumboot Friday after the mental health campaigner claimed “alcohol is the solution” for mental distress.

Numerous mental health campaigners and experts have sharply rebuked King for his claims, slamming those comments as “disgusting and unprofessional”.

A University of Otago professor, the Mental Health Foundation, the Drug Foundation, the Minister for Mental Health and other campaigners say medical research makes it clear alcohol is linked with mental illnesses and suicide.

King, the campaigner behind I Am Hope and Gumboot Friday, defended his claims to the Herald and said medical research proving alcohol consumption was linked to suicide was a matter of opinion.

King, whose youth counselling service has $24m in Government funding despite criticisms from the Auditor-General about the “unusual and inconsistent” procurement process, made his comments on Newstalk ZB’s Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive yesterday.

The Labour Party’s mental health spokeswoman Ingrid Leary said Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey had “made the wrong decision [by] bypassing usual process and funding Gumboot Friday”.

Leary said King’s comments “are a sad indictment of the Government’s poor funding decision”.

She said, “the comments are deeply problematic and fly in the face of a well-established body of literature that links alcohol use both directly and indirectly to mental ill health, including with suicide risk.

“To continue to fund Gumboot Friday sends a message to young people that alcohol use is a recognised treatment for mental health issues.

“It must be falling for the many wonderful non-governmental organisations with safe and evidence-based approaches to providing mental health support and services to hear these comments and know that they weren’t able to contest for these funds and help these young people,” Leary said.

• 'Our life jacket': Mike King defends claims 'alcohol is the solution' for mental health
• 'Classic overreach': Mike King responds to proposed alcohol ban at Dunedin event

Mike King, the campaigner behind I Am Hope and Gumboot Friday, is defending his claims that “alcohol is the solution for people with mental health issues” and says medical research proving it is linked with suicide is a matter of opinion. Photo / Mike Scott

‘Do your research’ - fellow campaigner calls out King

Fellow campaigner Jazz Thornton, a film director, author, co-founder of charity Voices of Hope and former Young New Zealander of the Year, said she was shocked to read King’s comments.

“To make [such] a statement ... is not only wild, it is disgusting, unprofessional and puts every single young person you advocate for at risk,” Thornton said.

“There is so much I want to say, and a lot I can’t say ... But honestly, this speaks for itself.”

Thornton went further, claiming there were “very messed up things regarding [King’s] organisation”.

Genevieve Mora (left) and Jazz Thornton (right). Photo / Jonny Scott

She openly questioned why King received Government funding when other agencies and charities supporting youngsters struggling with their mental health did not.

“Our young people do desperately need help, and there have been organisations providing that in a safe and clinically proven way, but [they] just don’t have funding.

“Tomorrow, the man who just told you that alcohol is the solution to mental health is going to ask you for more money (on top of the $24m from the Government) for youth mental health.

“Please, do your research,” she told her followers.

Genevieve Mora, also an author and Voices of Hope co-founder with Thornton, called King’s comments dangerous.

“I am gobsmacked. And before anyone says his words were spun, he literally said this on [radio].”

Mental Health Foundation chief executive shares his own experience with alcohol, suicide; says booze is damaging

Mental Health Foundation chief executive Shaun Robinson told the Herald he had spoken with King about his comments this morning.

“It’s totally wrong that alcohol is not damaging to people’s mental health. It’s also totally wrong that alcohol is not a risk for factor for suicide,” Robinson said.

“In fact, the research is very clear.

“I can say from my own experience: I did attempt to take my own life, and that was on a night when I was drinking to dry and calm myself. But then it lowered my inhibitions. I would not have done that had I not been really drunk.

Mental Health Foundation chief executive Shaun Robinson. Photo / Chris Skelton

“That’s the danger of people using alcohol for self-medication. It’s a temporary fix, and it’s not really a fix.”

Robinson said he believed King’s heart was in the right place, and suggested King may have been confused when making those comments on the radio. Robinson said King may have intended to say that self-medication was a reality many faced, rather than saying it was a good option for people.

“I do agree [with King] that many people experiencing mental distress use alcohol as self-medication because they don’t have any other option,” he said.

Mental Health Minister defends $24m funding for King but says he disagrees with grog comments

Labour MP Ginny Andersen said it was “really concerning that we’ve got [comments from] a leader in mental health with a [Government] contract to deliver services in that space that is directly contradictory to medical evidence.

“Let’s not underestimate the fact that alcohol does cause a lot of damage in New Zealand. It really concerns me that comments like that are being made that seem quite uninformed,” she said.

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters (left), Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey (centre) and Mike King (right) after the pre-Budget announcement of a $24 million boost for Gumboot Friday. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey said he disagreed with King’s comments.

Doocey said the Government took alcohol harm seriously and pointed to its recent raising of alcohol levies.

“Alcohol does affect the part of your brain that controls inhibition, so people may feel relaxed, less anxious, and more confident after a drink. But these effects do quickly wear off.”

Doocey defended the $24m of taxpayer money going to King’s Gumboot Friday, saying “it will allow young people ... to have access to free mental health counselling. My interest remains with the additional young New Zealanders who are able to access support”.

‘I’m a drug addict, I’m an alcoholic’: King says booze the solution to mental distress

King was speaking on the issue in connection with a suicide prevention fundraising event in Dunedin struggling to gain an alcohol licence from the council. He said any alcohol ban would be “classic overreach” and then claimed it was the solution for people with mental health.

Mike King's comments have been corrected by medical research, however, the mental health campaigner dismissed it as a matter of opinion. Photo / Michael Cunningham

“Alcohol is not a problem for people with mental health issues.

“It’s actually the solution to our problem and until you come with a better solution …

“It stops those thoughts,” he explained.

“I would suggest to you that alcohol has prevented more young people from taking their own lives than it actually makes them take their own lives.

“I mean, I’m a drug addict, an alcoholic; my whole life, I’ve used drugs and alcohol to stop that little voice inside my head that told me that I wasn’t good enough, that I was useless.

“It’s a release, it’s like a video game.

“It’s like methadone, it keeps us going until some help comes along. It’s our life jacket.”success,” he said.

Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.