Home > About > Disabled United > Our History
On Wednesday, 18 March 2024, all our lives were changed by the government announcement to restrict how we used our support funding.
Like many other disabled people, we decided to defend our rights.
As we organised, this records what we agreed to do.
Wednesday, 18 March
Disabled People in New Zealand unite to defend our right to control our lives and the support we need through Enabling Good Lives (EGL).
Wednesday, 20 March
The Ministry of Disability - Whaikaha's announcement of the Disability
Guidelines on Monday, March 18, is an attack on Enabling Good Lives,
turning back decades on gains made by all disabled people in New
Zealand.
It takes away the fundamental human right of all
disabled people to decide what is best for their own lives.
Individualised
Funding (IF) has massively changed our lives. We refuse to accept that
things will return to the way they were, with patronising government
bureaucrats making decisions about our lives.
As one of many coming
responses, a peaceful protest will be held outside the Electoral Office of
the Minister of Disability Issues at 10 am on Thursday, 28 March, 22
Kelvin St, Invercargill, to demand that all of these changes be reversed
immediately.
And that is just the start till we win.
Monday, 1 April
Last week, four successful peaceful protests were organised under urgency by disabled people in response to the government announcement on 18 March 2024.
Over Easter, the leaders of the four protests in Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Invercargill, contacted each other by phone, text, email, and social media to discuss what worked, what could be improved, and what to do next.
It was agreed by consensus that;
- This will be a long, hard fight, so we must be well-organised.
- We have to start with ourselves. This needs to be led by disabled people who will gain self-confidence. Silly protests will erode self-confidence.
- We need to take care of our people. Many have complex health conditions.
- Each city needs a large committee of experienced organisers to spread the load.
- We need to collect donations. The logistics will cost.
- Disabled people are from all walks of life, including town and farm. We need to reach out to everyone.
- The focus needs to be on what we want. "Reverse the changes to our funding".
- March 18 was a coalition cabinet decision, so don't focus on Penny Simmonds. She is clumsy as a minister, and that helps our cause.
- Keep the protests big and peaceful so anyone feels comfortable to participate. Marshalls will be required.
- Local groups will plan their protests for different weeks to keep the fight in the news.
- A national day of protest will come later when we are strong in each city and can turn out big numbers.