This petition is calling for the Minister of Health, Hon Jonathan Coleman to intervene under Section 32 of the Public Health and Disability Act 2000 in the case of Ashley Peacock. We request that Ashley Peacock be urgently relocated to an individualised service in the community with appropriate levels of support, with a clear time frame.

Ashley is a 38 year man with Autism Spectrum Disorder, a mild intellectual disability and mental health issues.

He has been held in an isolation wing of a mental health unit in Porirua for over five years. Only over the last two years has he been allowed outside for an average of 90 minutes a day.

His parents say they want their son out and living in a supported community setting as soon as possible and an unpublished National Intellectual Disability Care Agency (NIDCA) review document agrees.

The Ombudsman and Human Rights Commission consider his case one of prolonged seclusion, a practice subject to a reduction policy in New Zealand.

Opposition politicians called for Health Minister Jonathan Coleman to intervene. Dr Coleman passed responsibility for the case to Associate Health Minister Sam Lotu-Iiga, who defended Ashley's treatment.

The Chief Ombudsman has labelled Ashley’s living situation "cruel, inhuman and degrading" in contravention of New Zealand’s obligations under the Convention Against Torture, one of only four such cases since 2010.

Updates about Ashley’s case will be posted on the “A Life for Ashley” Facebook page.

Links to related media below:

Autistic man locked in isolation for five years: 'He's had everything stripped from him'

Autistic man locked in seclusion: 'You wouldn't do it to a dog'

Autistic man's parents fight for his release

Locked in isolation: Lack of clarity around patient seclusion

Opposition MPs: Ashley's treatment is against human rights

Call to end seclusion for autistic people

International expert to investigate seclusion in New Zealand

In Parliament - Kevin Hague to the Associate Minister of Health

Fighting seclusion with collective activism

Paul Gibson: Ending seclusion should be at top of DHB lists

Ashley Peacock: Minister will not intervene

Ashley Peacock’s treatment shows a mental health system in crisis

'Cruel, inhuman': Ombudsman's report on Ashley Peacock's living conditions

Govt defends treatment of autistic man

Ashley Peacock case: Door 'wide open' to take health authorities to court

Mental health seclusion a 'national shame'

Someone should be going to jail

Sunday episode

Ashley Peacock: Family launch petition for Jonathan Coleman to intervene

Family of mentally ill man Ashley Peacock launch petition to move him from seclusion

Mental health patient's family petition for release

Uncovered: 'Inhuman' care in hospitals

Are we torturing our mentally ill?

Parents of isolated autistic man say son's been turned into an 'animal'

Give Ashley Peacock the life he deserves

Petition for Ashley gathers support

Ombudsman critical of hospitals' punishing practices

Health officials feared jail term over 'cruel' finding in Ashley Peacock case

'It's a crisis' - Disability head warns health minister the sector is a tragedy waiting to happen