Mental health advocate Mike King offered damage control advice to leaders accused of having a toxic workplace culture.  

On December 4, 2023, the Herald revealed five former staff at the Government’s mental health watchdog Te Hiringa Mahara - Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission, had quit amid allegations of excessive workloads, stress, a toxic culture and mental distress among staff.  

“This position has been the most stressful, awful experience of my working life,” one former employee claimed in an exit interview.  

“I have been stressed since day one, regularly work weekends, [and] have had to go on antidepressants to cope.”  

Documents obtained under the Official Information Act show the same day the Herald story was published, I am Hope and Gumboot Friday founder Mike King reached out to commission chairman Hayden Wano, who responded by email “Kia ora Mike Great to connect today. Appreciate you reaching out!” 

The next day, December 5, King replied to Wano by email, copying chief executive Karen Orsborn in. 

In the email - which had the subject line “Connection” - he offered help with media strategy, and referred to the complainants as disgruntled former employees. 

“Yesterday I reached out to Hayden offering up my insights into what you are currently experiencing with the media and disgruntled former employees,” wrote King. 

“We also spoke briefly on media strategy. 

“I said we’d catch up next year but after checking my diary and with my team I have capacity next Tuesday between midday and 2pm or Wednesday morning before 12. 

“In my experience it’s best to get in front on these issues as quickly as possible,” King wrote. 

Email logs show a one-hour Microsoft Teams meeting was then organised for Orsborn, Wano and King for December 12. 

The Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission has confirmed the online meeting went ahead. 

A spokesperson from the commission told the Herald no record was kept of the meeting. 

“There was discussion regarding our respective roles and challenges, Te Hiringa Mahara reports, public visibility of findings, discussion about insights from I Am Hope’s work and potential collaboration opportunities,” the spokesperson said. 

The Herald approached King by phone, text and email with questions, including why he proactively offered media strategy advice to the leaders, and whether he offered similar support to the ex-employees. 

A spokesperson for King said he was overseas and it would not be appropriate for King to comment on an employment matter. 

Te Hiringa Mahara - Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission chairman Hayden Wano and chief executive Karen Orsborn. 

‘Toxic’ workplace culture alleged 

Orsborn and Wano declined to be interviewed for the Herald story in December, in which five of their former employees alleged unhealthy workplace culture and burnout. 

In an emailed statement at the time, Orsborn said the commission “takes a different view” of the matters raised in the exit interview and would not comment on specific details about individuals’ employment because of privacy obligations. 

“I categorically reject the extreme description of the workplace environment of Te Hiringa Mahara,” Orsborn said. 

The pair declined to be interviewed for this story, saying via a spokesperson they have “nothing to add”. 

Jaime Lyth is a multimedia journalist for the New Zealand Herald, focusing on crime and breaking news. Lyth began working under the NZ Herald masthead in 2021 as a reporter for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei.