# ACT's disability cuts criticized as poorly researched

> Mental Health Foundation calls ACT's disability benefit cuts 'based in bigotry' amid mental health crisis concerns.
- Title: ACT's disability cuts criticized as poorly researched · RNZ
- Summary: Mental Health Foundation calls ACT's disability benefit cuts 'based in bigotry' amid mental health crisis concerns. Mental Health Foundation says ACT's plan…
- Keywords: act party, mental health foundation, disability benefits, new zealand, pandemic, job seekers benefit, mental distress, politics, news, ACT's, disability, cuts
- Source: RNZ — https://rnz.co.nz/news/politics_election-2026/1862835/act-s-disability-cuts-poorly-researched-mental-health-foundation
- Author: RNZ | Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa
- Published: 2026-10-12T05:44:29+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: act party, mental health foundation, disability benefits, new zealand, pandemic, job seekers benefit, mental distress, politics, news
## Mental Health Foundation criticizes ACT's disability cuts
Mental Health Foundation says ACT's plan to cut disability benefits is 'based in bigotry' and poorly researched.

> It's pretty simple-minded and it won't work. It's also based on a lot of assumptions and bigotry
## ACT proposes $650m disability benefit cuts
ACT plans to cut disability benefits by more than $650 million if re-elected, targeting $12m in first year.
## ACT leader David Seymour defends cuts
David Seymour says ACT requires independent medical certification for disability benefits and claims mental health crisis is overstated.

> People who are genuinely disabled and don't have a chance to get to work, they should be looked after well
## Mental health crisis data shows rise
Mental distress increased from 7 percent to 14 percent since 2019, with young people doubling from 11 percent to 23 percent.
## Robinson disputes mental health crisis claims
Robinson says Seymour's claim of a mental health epidemic is incorrect, citing decade-long trends and economic hardship.

> Covid was definitely an inflection point, but actually those numbers have been going up for about a decade before that
## ACT's approach criticized as ineffective
Robinson says ACT's plan to force people off benefits into work ignores 14,000 job losses in last three years.

> So again, it's a bit rich to say, you know, we've got to force people off benefits and into jobs when 14,000 jobs have been lost
## Mental health crisis requires political acknowledgment
Robinson says politicians avoid admitting mental health crisis by blaming victims instead of addressing the issue.

> And we have got a mental health crisis, and our politicians are not owning up to that
## Key takeaway

Mental Health Foundation says ACT's plan to cut $650m in disability benefits is poorly researched and based on bigotry, not addressing a mental health crisis.