PĀNUI
NEWS
Needle Exchange Opening in Murihiku.
13 / / 05 / 2026
On Friday 8th May, Invercargill hosted the official opening of the Te Wai Pounamu Collective Needle Exchange Programme. A moment that honoured more than 30 years of harm reduction work in Aotearoa, and looked with hope toward what comes next.
The needle exchange service has long been one of New Zealand's most trusted and cost-effective public health interventions, and this opening marked a new season for that kaupapa as it continues to be delivered across Te Wai Pounamu (The South Island).
Minister of Mental Health Hon Matt Doocey , delivered the opening address, acknowledging the critical importance of lived experience and the strengthened partnerships that now underpin the programme. His words set the tone for an afternoon that kept people, real people with real stories, firmly at the forefront.
Southern Needle Exchange Programme Manager Kylie Munro moved the room with her personal and professional journey through harm reduction, a powerful reminder of why this work matters and who it is truly for.
The programme is now delivered through Te Waipounamu Collective, a partnership between He Waka Tapu, Ngā Kete Mātauranga Pounamu Trust, Poutini Waiora, and Te Piki Oranga. Together, these organisations provide free injecting equipment and safe disposal, safe sex supplies, harm reduction information, and confidential peer-based support.
"A place where people are met without judgment, where whānau are considered, and where the community's wellbeing is taken seriously."
The afternoon closed with a workshop that asked attendees three questions: how the public currently views needle exchanges, how we want them to be seen, and what stands in the way. It was a moment of honest reflection and a call to action.
The needle exchange is not just a place to access equipment. It is a place where people are met without judgment, where whānau are considered, and where the community's wellbeing is taken seriously. New Zealand is a world leader in offering free injecting equipment, and as Te Waipounamu Collective, we are proud to carry this kaupapa forward. We are only just beginning.
