A case study of health goals in New Zealand

This paper outlines the New Zealand experience in using health goals and examines its strength and weaknesses from an 'insider's' perspective. It reports on a review of the New Zealand health goals framework conducted in 1996-97. The review centred on a discussion document, written submissions on it and consultation meetings with the public, the public health sector and relevant government agencies. The article concludes that the current healthgoals framework has the potential to frame future public health action in New Zealand, but that the increasing mainstreaming of the public health function poses some risk.