6 Apr 2021

Christchurch terror attack survivor urges mental health support for community

From Checkpoint, 6:13 pm on 6 April 2021

Warning: parts of this report may be distressing for some listeners.

A witness to the Christchurch terror attack is calling on the government to listen to their pleas, and fears lives could be lost without adequate mental health support.

Nathan Smith was inside Al Noor mosque when the shooting started on March 15, 2019.

Fifty one lives were lost in the terrorist attack committed by an Australian white supremacist. It's the country's worst mass shooting.

Mr Smith says as a first-hand witness, he has struggled with the trauma since the attack, and says mental health support has been basically non-existent.

He sat down with RNZ reporter Anan Zaki and cameraman Nathan McKinnon.