June 2014

President’s Report Hi Everyone

The big news at the moment is the launch of the Disability Action Plan and the great progress we have made on the Disabled People’s Organisation (DPO) Shadow Report.

We also have a new Office Manager in the Secretariat, Nicky Wilson. Welcome Nicky. Paula of course has moved over to coordinate our growing Kaituitui team. (More about that later in this issue.)

Thank goodness life has slowed a little with the 28 May launch of the Disability Action Plan.  This is the first time disabled people have had their views included in such a wide-reaching plan in a truly collaborative way.

Also in this issue...More about the Disability Action Plan……..P3

Talking to the new Director of the Office for Disability Issues (ODI)………………………..P3

DPO Shadow Report nearly completed….. P5

More DPA Kaituitui have come on board .. P6

Your views are important to us ……………P7

Our campaign around productivity………...P8

The Building (earthquake prone buildings) Amendment Bill……………………………….P8

Making Legislation more accessible………P9

One in four New Zealanders identified as disabled ………………………………………P9

The Plan sets priorities for action that require government agencies to work together and with DPOs and others with expertise in the community. The vision of the Plan is, “All New Zealanders experience equal rights of citizenship”. 

Between October last year and April this year I flew to Wellington about every fortnight for meetings as we and the other DPOs worked with government to write the Plan and learn how to work with each other. 

I am pleased with the final result, although the breadth of what is planned has been constrained by government ability to respond and the work that was already under way in the sector. I particularly like the person-directed outcome statements, which are ours. They are strong statements and demands, for example, “I am safe in my own home and community”. Reading them makes me proud to have been part of writing the Plan. 

The process closely followed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities statement outlined in Article 4(3).  The article says the voice of disabled people’s organisations must be alongside government agencies developing legislation, policy and services impacting disabled people.

I’m really excited about the way DPOs were able to represent the interests of their members while writing the Plan and I can only see our influence getting stronger in coming years.  DPOs’ involvement will be ongoing as the Plan is implemented over the next four years.

DPOs will be part of both the governance and the working group structure. This will give us a chance to learn a lot about government processes and help keep disabled people’s views to the fore as the Plan is put into action. Because we are a partner in the governance structure, we will have the opportunity to fine-tune the Plan and during review and creation of the next plan, we will be able to do even better.

I urge you all to have a look at the Plan on the Office for Disability Issues website:  www.odi.govt.nz .  

Read the “I” statements in the document. They still make me smile.  And in the Plan you will see many of the issues we identified at our last DPA forum and included in our DPA Agenda for Change (posted on our website): www.dpa.org.nz.

You will notice we have included your membership form with this issue of Bites. We are running a bit late getting these out so if you could get yours back to your regional office (see the address at the top of your form) as soon as possible, we would appreciate it. (Of course you can also do this online if you prefer.) It really is a very exciting time to be a member of DPA, as you will see after reading this issue of Bites.

2 June 2014

Hope the cold weather isn’t too bad where you are.

Keep warm and go well, Brendon.

More about the Disability Action PlanEmployment and economic opportunity for disabled people, personal safety, the transformation of the disability support system, and community access are the key result areas tackled by the Disability Action Plan.

Our Chief Executive Rachel Noble says she wants to thank the sector for being part of the work done at the last DPA Forum and captured in the DPA Agenda for Change. She says this work really helped DPA inform DPOs and government officials, as they identified the four key result areas and the priorities falling under them for the Disability Action Plan.

Rachel says other issues raised at the forum and captured in the DPA Agenda for Change, such as compliance with the UN Disability Convention, collaboration and a universal attitude that values full participation of disabled people, were also evident in the Disability Action Plan.

To download the Plan go to the Office for Disability Issues (ODI): www.odi.govt.nz.

The Plan will soon be available from the Office in New Zealand Sign Language, easy read Braille and audio formats.

Talking to the new Director of the Office for Disability Issues (ODI)

Megan McCoy

3 June 2014

Recently, we talked with Megan McCoy the recently appointed Director of the ODI about her role, the Disability Action Plan and how she became interested in disability issues.

What do you want to achieve in your role Megan?

In some respects I feel it’s too early for me to say what I want to achieve in the role. I still want to hear what people want and need from us. I want to make sure that I guide ODI in the right direction and that we work in the right way to get there. I can only do this if I listen to disabled people and if they feel they can trust me.

So, that means I want to build on and strengthen the strong relationship between ODI and the DPOs, and the sector more generally. I want us to be able to facilitate closer and more collaborative relationships between government and the sector. I also want us to contribute to the dialogue in a meaningful way. I know that can sound a bit like just nice words but what it means to me is that I want us to be open and honest with each other and I want ODI to be at the forefront of emerging issues that concern disabled people in New Zealand. This also means making sure that some groups of disabled people aren’t left behind.

The ODI is the government department responsible for driving the implementation of the Disability Action Plan. What is the process involved in doing that?  

There are a few different areas of responsibility we have that support the implementation of the Disability Action Plan. We support the governance mechanisms that make decisions on, and monitor progress against, the Disability Action Plan. This includes the senior officials and chief executives groups, the Ministerial Committee on Disability Issues and the monthly meetings of DPOs and officials. Making sure these meetings happen and that these decision-makers are informed of progress, including emerging opportunities and challenges, is critical for implementation. We also lead six actions within the Disability Action Plan and will help facilitate further action in partnership with DPOs.

Another area of responsibility we have is to support the collaboration between government, DPOs and the disability sector more broadly. This means we need to have good relationships with our stakeholders to make sure we have access to the right information at the right time. I have spent quite a bit of my time since I’ve been in the job trying to get out and about to meet with people to hear what they think is working well and what might need to be improved. Meeting with Rachel, Victoria, Sally and the DPA team, as well as the DPA National Executive Committee (NEC), was really helpful in this respect.

4 June 2014

How did you first develop an interest in disability Megan?

Several years ago I worked at the New Zealand Agency for International Development (NZAID), which is now part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. In 2007 I was managing Pacific regional social development programmes, which included disability.

It was a very exciting time because New Zealand had agreed to support the Pacific Disability Forum (PDF), which is a regional DPO. At that stage, the PDF was an informal network of disabled people across many Pacific Island countries who had wanted to form a DPO for some time.

My job was to help structure the Government’s financial and technical support to best meet the needs of this brand new organisation. I worked very closely with the Chief Executive Officer Mr Setareki Macanawai, the staff and the Board. I spent lots of time in Fiji where the PDF is located, listening to what they needed and doing joint planning.

I really enjoyed working with the PDF in that way because they helped me learn about disabled people and I helped them navigate government systems. It was a nice, mutually beneficial, partnership I thought.

It was this relationship that got me thinking about whether and how government’s aid programme more broadly included disabled people. Over time, I became a focal point within NZAID on disability. This was also really exciting because it was when New Zealand was in the process of ratifying the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. I was really happy that the Disability Convention was the first Convention to specifically mention International Cooperation (Article 32).

I’ve always had a strong personal commitment to social justice. That’s why I started working in international development. I saw disability as part of this – a fairer and more equitable world for everyone.

Have a look on our website: www.dpa.org.nz to read the full interview with Megan.

DPO Shadow Report nearly completedOver the last few months our Senior Policy and Research Analyst Victoria Manning has been busy writing the DPO Shadow Report to the United Nations on the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Disabled Persons in New Zealand.

The report is very important because it provides the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities with a strong collective voice from disabled New Zealanders.

5 June 2014

In September, when the committee examines the progress New Zealand is making to implement the Convention, the voice of disabled New Zealanders will sit alongside the New Zealand Government report on our progress.

Seven DPOs directed this report. They are: Disabled Persons Assembly NZ Inc, Association of Blind Citizens, Balance New Zealand, Deaf Aotearoa NZ Inc, Deafblind NZ Inc, Ngāti Kāpo o Aotearoa Inc and People First NZ Inc.

The report draws heavily on information provided by all the DPOs and the wider disability sector. It provides detail on key issues for disabled people, including issues that seem lacking in the government report.

A draft of the report was distributed to the disability community for consultation in May and we are presently incorporating this feedback. The UN recently released clear guidance on the length and format of shadow reports and so the DPO report is being amended to meet these guidelines.

DPOs will sign off the final version of the report at the end of June and in July it will be sent to the UN.

We will put the final report up on our website in July.

More DPA Kaituitui have come on boardIn July 11 more Kaituitui join the 15 already working in our local regions so the work of Kaituitui will be more evenly spread throughout  the country.

Kaituitui liaise with local authorities to represent the interests and aspirations of local DPA members. Although their work varies from region to region, they do things like:

educate local authorities about how to implement the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

establish effective relationships with the local disabled community so they will provide meaningful information to the National Secretariat for the effective development of policy and advocacy

provide a leadership focus in the relationship between the local disability community and local authorities and government agencies, including district health boards (DHBs) etc.

The newly appointed Kaituitui were approached because of the work  they are already doing in their communities. They are: Anna Nelson and Vicki Terrell in Auckland, Scot McKenzie in Tauranga, John Harris in Taranaki, Poihaere Morris in Whakatane, Sue

6 June 2014

Emirali, Kapiti Coast, Michael Conway and Craig Simpson in Nelson, Ereatara Kokiri in Blenheimand Sripriya Iyer in Hamilton.

Kaituitui training is coordinated by the Secretariat. In early June nine of the group came to Wellington for their first training. 

The topics covered were the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the structure and history of DPA, the purpose of Kaituitui, the heart-head-heart model of communication, getting the most out of people, facilitating meetings, the history of disability, the DPA Agenda for Change, how to tell your story and how to find key people in your community.

Kaituitui who attended the training in Wellington. Back row from the left: Sripriyer Iyer, Sue Emirali, Anna Nelson, Craig Simpson, Vicky Terrell. Front from the left: Poihaere Morris, John Harris, Michael Conway and Scott McKenzie.

Your views are important to usYour views determine DPA policy and as members of DPA we have a number of ways you can feed them through to us:

feeding local and national issues through to your regional DPA assembly, if there is one in your area, or by talking to your local Kaituitui

through our facebook page. You will need to link through as a friend from your facebook page

giving us feedback about submissions we are making – we advertise these opportunities on facebook and on our website

using the Your Views in the Our Community section on our website www.dpa.org.nz or by answering poll questions on the site.

7 June 2014

Make sure your voice is heard.

Our election campaign around productivityAs a disabled person have you got a story around productivity (paid or unpaid work) you would like to share with others?

To demonstrate the untapped potential in our community we are running a campaign to raise awareness around the issue of disabled people and productivity, running up to the November election.

You may have faced discrimination trying to find work or have had trouble getting into a training course because of your disability or faced accessibility issues in terms of the environment, information or perhaps encountered communication issues.

You may also have a good news story you want to share – a situation that really worked for you. We are also interested in hearing about what works well.

If you want to be part of our campaign contact Sally in the Secretariat. She will send you some more information. You can either write your story yourself (aim for 400 words) or we can interview you and write your story for you. We are also happy to edit your story for you – making sure you are happy with the end result, of course.

We want to place your story in your local newspaper and then link it to a blog site.

Email: sally.champion@dpa.org.nz or call her (04) 801 9100 and she will talk you through the process.

The Building (earthquake prone buildings) Amendment BillDPA and CCS Disability Action made a joint submission on the Building (earthquake prone buildings) Amendment Bill. In May we presented a joint oral submission to the select committee. Our submission sought the removal of the exemption to provide accessibility features in building strengthening work. A total of 15 organisations endorsed this submission. The select committee praised the high quality of our advice and noted the widespread support for removing this exemption. You can read our joint submission on this Bill on our website: www.dpa.org.nz. The select

8 June 2014

committee considers all submissions and will report on this Bill to Parliament in September.

Making Legislation more accessibleThe Government’s Parliamentary Counsel Office (PCO) sought feedback from us on its draft “Access to Legislation Strategy”. This strategy proposed work to make legislation and the Legislation New Zealand website more accessible. We sought to be made a member of its ‘external user group’ so that we can assist with ongoing, consistent and collective advice on accessibility for disabled people. This includes assisting the PCO in balancing tensions between making laws accessible and making laws understood for disabled people.

One in four New Zealanders identified as disabled The 2013 Disability Survey initial statistics are just out. And a total of 24% of New Zealanders have a disability, up from 20% identified in the last survey in 2001. That’s just under one in four New Zealanders.

DPA CEO Rachel Noble says, “These stats seem more realistic. We are now the largest marginalised minority group in New Zealand.”

To explain the increase she says disabled people may now feel more comfortable identifying as disabled because of changing attitudes and of course as the New Zealand population ages, more people will have impairments.

The Disability Survey is currently the most comprehensive source of information on disabled people in New Zealand. It collects details on the characteristics of disabled people, including the nature and cause of impairments, the type of support they need and how well they are faring, compared with non-disabled people.

The survey shows 1.1 million New Zealanders (24% of the population) were identified as disabled. The results show that 11% of children and 27% of adults were limited in their daily activities by a range of impairments. The most common impairment type for adults was a physical limitation, which affected more women than men. For children, the most common impairment type was difficulty with learning. This affected more boys than girls.

Disability rates varied across the country, with the Auckland region reporting a lower-

9 June 2014

than-average rate (19%). Four regions – Taranaki, Northland, Bay of Plenty, and Manawatu-Whanganui – had higher-than-average disability rates.

Read more about the survey by going to the Statistics New Zealand website: www.stats.govt.nz.

Our feedback sought by Statistics New ZealandStatistics New Zealand sought our feedback on its plans for analysing and releasing information from the 2013 Disability Survey. We reinforced the importance of these five-yearly statistics and the need to provide clear, accessible and transparent statistical information. We also asked for the inclusion of statistical information on minority groups within our disability population, eg: Māori disabled, Pacific disabled, senior citizens who have a disability, etc. We are seeking ongoing engagement with Statistics New Zealand to continue to advise them on the Disability Survey outputs planned over the next year. Statistics New Zealand also asked for feedback on making changes to the bi-annual New Zealand General Social Survey. And we provided arguments and evidence for the need to include disability in the demographic questions so that disabled people can be identified within the New Zealand General Social Survey ‘and to ensure the alignment of information collected in this survey and the Disability Survey.

The Disability Access ReviewThe Disability Access Review has been completed and the report will be released by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment shortly.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and the ODI conducted a review into building access to gain a better understanding of how the requirements relating to people with disabilities contained in the Building Act 2004 and the Building Code are being implemented in new buildings, as well as in buildings being altered. 

Members of the disability community receive Queen’s Birthday HonoursA number of disabled people have received recognition in the 2014 Queen’s Birthday Honours, including our own Chief Executive Rachel Noble who has received a New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM).

10 June 2014

Other recipients include:

Minnie Baragwanath (MNZM) Chief Executive of the Be.Institute.

Robyn Scott-Vincent (MNZM) CEO of Attitude Pictures.

Mark Benjamin (QSM) Enabling Good Lives.

Ruth Jones (QSM) (Rongowhakaata, Te Aitanga a Mahaki and Ngati Porou) who in 2011 established the Christchurch Earthquake Disability Leadership Group.

Toni Sharp (QSM) the Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind.

Charmeyne Te Nana Williams (QSM) the Director of Whatever It Takes.

Budget 2014Although Budget 2014 was disappointing in terms of extra funding for disabled people, there were some areas that received more funding. These were:

New operating funding of $6 million over four years to provide vocational support services to school leavers with disabilities who are entering the Very High Needs Scheme. These school leavers are likely to have a significant level of physical, intellectual or sensory impairment – or a combination of these – and have significant difficulties with learning, hearing, vision, mobility, language and communication.

$3.8 million in new operating spending over 2014/15 to 2016/17 to extend the Enabling Good Lives disability support approach for the Waikato region.

New operating funding of $6 million over four years to establish a body to promote New Zealand Sign Language.

Third National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting for 2014Several weeks ago we had our third DPA NEC meeting for the year.  Highlights included:

A long and very positive discussion with Megan McCoy, the new Director of the ODI. 

Meeting and working with our Ministry of Social Development-funded capability and capacity mentor.  Each DPO is working with a mentor because it was signalled that, in this new collaborative environment, they were lacking capacity

11 June 2014

to meet increased commitments.  At the end of the development process another mentor will work with all of the DPOs to see how the group can work together more effectively.

12 June 2014

Tell us what your hot issues are on Your Views in the Our Community section on our website

www.dpa.org.nz