Abstract
Each year, Aotearoa New Zealand’s (NZ) health system treats tens of thousands of skin cancers, the country’s most common cancer. This places a significant and avoidable burden on our healthcare system and economy, costing approximately $450 million annually.
Despite these costs, government investment in prevention remains critically low at approximately $300,000 per year, one quarter of what it was two decades ago. Excessive exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR), the primary modifiable risk factor, remains poorly addressed in many schools, workplaces, sports settings, and local government.
This Briefing outlines key challenges and opportunities for strengthening sun safety policy, drawing on recent research and strategic recommendations. It highlights gaps in implementation across key settings and calls for stronger enforcement and sustained investment to reduce UVR exposure and improve public health outcomes, and make skin cancer prevention a national priority.