NZMCC board member Tara Creaven-Capasson is the Chair of the Regulatory Affairs & Government Relations Working Group, focusing on advancing practical, workable solutions that support members.
What drew you to the medical cannabis sector?
I first became involved in medicinal cannabis through early work on patient access and health policy in the US and later contributed to shaping New Zealand’s regulatory framework as part of the Ministry of Health’s Medicinal Cannabis Advisory Group (MCAG) in 2017. A stable medicinal cannabis sector depends on aligning patient needs, high-quality data, clear regulatory expectations, and commercially sustainable operations – and that balance is where I focus my work.
In my current role leading regulatory affairs for Australia and New Zealand, I have the benefit of drawing on the experience of Aurora, a Canadian company with long-standing involvement in regulated medicinal cannabis internationally. That experience informs my perspective, while my NZMCC role is focused on supporting the New Zealand medicinal cannabis sector. I am also grateful to have the support to dedicate time to broader sector initiatives.
NZMCC talks about complementary strengths. What is your strong suit?
My strongest contribution is the ability to translate complex regulatory requirements into practical, workable pathways that support patient safety and business viability. In my role as Director of Regulatory Affairs – Australia and New Zealand for MedReleaf Australia (Aurora Cannabis), I work closely with the MCA, the New Zealand Ministry of Health, the TGA, ODC, AHPRA, and state health regulators. This gives me visibility of how regulatory decisions intersect with clinical practice, quality requirements, documentation, communications, and daytoday operational constraints across the supply chain.
I value the range of expertise on the Board and see real strength in the diversity of perspectives we bring. The combination of experience across cultivation, manufacturing, patient care, research, distribution, and commercial operations allows us to support the sector in a balanced and informed way.
What is the “North Star”? What vision and values does the Board share?
For me, the North Star is a credible, patient-centred, and sustainably regulated medicinal cannabis ecosystem. Across the Board, there is strong alignment on core values, including:
- Patient safety and clinical governance
- Evidence-based, risk-proportionate decision-making
- Transparency and regulatory integrity
- Clarity and predictability in regulatory settings
- Longterm sector sustainability
- Constructive collaboration between clinicians, industry, regulators, and government
These shared values underpin public trust, industry stability, and responsible growth of the New Zealand medicinal cannabis sector.
What is the biggest opportunity – or challenge – facing the industry right now?
New Zealand has a strong opportunity to build on its reputation for high-quality, compliant medicinal cannabis products supported by robust standards and trusted regulatory oversight. The capability within New Zealand cultivation, manufacturing, clinical practice, and distribution is a significant advantage for the country.
Recent events in the sector have underscored the importance of ensuring regulatory settings are not only robust but also commercially workable.
Operators navigate MCA requirements, controlled drug licensing, quality and testing standards, and communications obligations — and many also engage with the expectations of international markets, including Australia, Europe, and other emerging jurisdictions. Improving clarity and reducing friction points will support sector sustainability, patient access, and export readiness.
What does meaningful progress look like in the next 12 months, and what are you personally focused on?
Meaningful progress over the next year centres on clarity, consistency, and practical implementation. In particular, progress looks like:
- Clearer and more consistent regulatory interpretation
- Strengthened prescriber confidence and clinical engagement
- Predictable, transparent compliance pathways
- Practical guidance to support day-to-day operations
- Steady improvement in export-related regulatory processes
- Better alignment with global quality and documentation expectations
While these areas are all important, the primary focus for the next 12 months will be the Advertising Guidance workstream, as directed by the NZMCC Board. Delivering practical interpretation for members and a consolidated, evidence-based position for engagement with MoH/MCA is the key priority before other workstreams progress.
As Chair of the Regulatory Affairs & Government Relations Working Group, my focus is on advancing practical, workable solutions that support members, beginning with the Advertising Guidance and then moving in a sequenced way through domestic feasibility (including GMP/GACP considerations), export-related issues, and global standards mapping.
My regulatory role across Australia and New Zealand allows me to bring a cross-market perspective to this work, and I am grateful to have the support to dedicate time to sector-wide initiatives. My goal is to help ensure regulatory settings continue to uphold patient safety while supporting a stable, resilient, and internationally competitive New Zealand medicinal cannabis sector.