Kia ora,

I’m making this Official Information Act request as part of ADHDInquiryNZ, a grassroots, unfunded, and non-partisan volunteer initiative supporting a public petition calling for a Parliamentary inquiry into systemic harm to people with ADHD in Aotearoa. This request focuses on information held by your agency to help identify how ADHD is currently recognised within existing systems. The information gathered from this and related requests will be used to help identify any patterns across agencies and will contribute to the evidence provided to the Petitions Committee when the petition period closes. I appreciate the time involved in OIA responses.

Please treat this as a request for official information under the OIA. I am requesting the specific information listed below. I understand the agency’s obligation to assist under s 13 and that a decision should be made within 20 working days of receipt (transfer within 10 working days). If any part of this request requires clarification, please let me know no later than 5 working days from receipt. If an extension under s 15A is needed, please state the reason and duration. This request is confined to information held by The Treasury; please do not transfer for commentary.

A 2025 University of Otago–led study has shown that neurodivergent youth can be identified in the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI) and includes evidence of significantly higher premature mortality, confirming the feasibility of ADHD specific cohort analysis.

Timeframe:
This request covers the period 1 January 2015 to the date this request is received.

Format:
Where datasets, tables, or modelling outputs are provided, I request they be supplied in machine-readable format (CSV or original spreadsheet file) along with any data dictionaries or field definitions. A machine-readable format is requested to minimise collation and preserve original structure.

Scope clarification to reduce unnecessary work:
To streamline this request, I am not seeking internal email chains, drafts, or personal information about individuals unless they are the only holders of the substantive information described.
If any part of this request is likely to be refused under section 18(f) due to substantial collation, please identify that specific part early so I can refine it.

1. Economic and Fiscal Analysis
-Any analysis, modelling, or advice conducted, commissioned, or received by The Treasury concerning the economic, fiscal, or productivity impacts of ADHD.
-Any correspondence noting ADHD as a policy blind spot, social investment gap, or cross-system cost driver.
-Any advice or documents discussing ADHD within broader “mental health,” “disability,” or “neurodevelopmental” cost frameworks.

If any Māori equity, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, or Māori wellbeing considerations were applied when assessing ADHD related economic, fiscal, or social investment advice, please provide the relevant documents.

2. Employment and Income Impacts
-Any analysis or data linking ADHD with employment, unemployment, income support, or KiwiSaver participation or contributions.
-Any analysis, data, or modelling on pay equity or income gaps between people with ADHD and those without, or between ADHD and other neurodivergent or disability cohorts.

3. Strategy and Oversight
-Any documents, advice, or correspondence (2015 - present) in which The Treasury discussed or commented on the potential benefit or need for a coordinated, cross-sector national ADHD strategy.
-Please confirm whether The Treasury or any other agency holds oversight responsibility for ADHD in fiscal or social investment planning. If none, please confirm this.

4. IDI Data and Investment Feasibility
In light of the 2025 University of Otago study demonstrating that ADHD can be identified and analysed within the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), please provide:

-Any analysis, correspondence, or advice received by Treasury or the Social Investment Agency (SIA) regarding the technical feasibility of identifying ADHD within IDI datasets (for example, when ADHD became codeable in Ministry of Health collections).
-Any analysis or modelling Treasury or the SIA has conducted, commissioned, or received using IDI or other linked datasets to assess ADHD related outcomes, productivity, or fiscal costs.
-Any feasibility assessments, data limitation notes, or discussions about future use of IDI data for ADHD related equity or cost benefit work.
-Any correspondence, proposals, or funding discussions regarding commissioning such IDI based work.

If your agency does not hold some or all of the information requested, that absence also helps clarify how ADHD is currently tracked and managed across the system. Identifying such gaps is part of building the evidence base for an informed, coordinated response.

Please confirm if the information is not held by your agency, and include any existing documents or correspondence that record a decision not to collect or monitor ADHD related information. If applicable, please also indicate how related matters are categorised (for example, under neurodiversity, mental health, or disability).

Ngā mihi,
Elspeth Baker-Vevers