Day 148 - NZ Doctor - Govt fails disabled communities again

Govt fails disabled communities again

By: Green Party

NZ Doctor: 11:40am, 15/08/2024

Media Release from Green Party

“The Government is reverting to a tried, tested and failed model while neglecting the voice of disabled communities,” says the Green Party Spokesperson for Disability Kahurangui Carter.

“Disabled people know best about the support they need and should be empowered to make the choices that are best for them. Weakening this Ministry does not empower our disabled people - it erodes their agency.

“Once again, the Government has failed to engage and include the views and expertise of disabled people in making major changes to a Ministry tasked with supporting them.

“To shrink Whaikaha to just policy and advocacy functions, the Government is weakening its capacity to deliver, making it less effective.

“The key purpose of the Ministry for Disabled People is being diluted. This risks diminishing support, and means the strong connection between delivery and policy by and for disabled people is broken.

“The Ministry is still in its infancy, and this review should be about improving it, not gutting it.

“Ultimately this Government is prepared to sacrifice advocacy, accessibility and justice for disabled people in order to curb spending so that they can help the wealthy to get richer.

“A funding squeeze to fund trickle-down tax cuts should not be used as a reason to reduce support. We must invest in the support services that are critical to the disabled community.

“The Greens would work with, and be led by, disabled communities in building a system that allows them to thrive,” says Kahurangi Carter.

Last Updated 15/08/2024

RESOURCES

• https://www.nzdoctor.co.nz/article/undoctored/govt-fails-disabled-communities-again

Day 146 - DUNZ back after a planned break

By: Mike Peters

DUNZ: 13/08/2024

Hi everyone. DUNZ had a planned 6-week break (key people had holidays, medical issues, shifting house, etc.), but we are back now and fighting mad.

DUNZ is now taking a series of rapid steps to improve its organisation. Defending our rights will be a long, hard fight, and we must organise accordingly. We need cool heads and a lot of stubbornness.

We have decided to work only with and for those prepared to stand up and join the fight. The campaigns are for our shared human rights. We are looking for "we", not "me" people, to join us. We intend to build strong local campaign branches across NZ that unite the disabled, their families and support workers regardless of race, sex, religion, age, location, occupation or sexuality. Everyone is welcome. We will also broaden our strategy to publically fight for whatever the disabled community needs as long as they are prepared to join in and participate.

"If you snooze - you lose"

For example, the DUNZ Invercargill Branch has agreed to campaign for local accessibility parking, street thresholds for the blind, and a sign-language interpreter for Southland. Local blind, deaf, and wheelies are part of this.

Because we are going to fight the government, we cannot be a charity and will not be gagged by funding contracts, as most disabled organisations are. Hence, the funding cuts were not stopped despite the majority of public support for our cause.

To join us and be part of the fight

https://www.dunz.org.nz/p/join.html

Cheers

Mike Peters

Acting National Organiser

DUNZ

https://www.dunz.org.nz

Last Updated 16/08/2024

RESOURCES

• https://www.dunz.org.nz/p/dunz-invercargill.html

• https://www.dunz.org.nz/p/history.html

• https://www.dunz.org.nz/p/the-plan.html

Day 136 -- Auckland Disability Law - Legal case against Whaikaha

Legal case against Whaikaha

By: Dr Huhana Hickey

Auckland Disability Law: 03/08/2024

Press Statement

If you are able to, please share, it’s ok if you cant.. we are finally ready to take a legal case against the state for the cuts  Disabled People Against Cuts Aotearoa (DPAC) are wanting to hear from people from the disability community who have been affected by Whaikaha’s recent cuts to flexible funding on 18 March 2024 and are wanting to share their stories.

If you have made requests to an Individualised Funding Host, but your requests have been rejected, and would like legal advice on the options available to you, please contact Auckland Disability Law (ADL) on geraldine.lewis@adl.org.nz.

In our view, there appear to be valid grounds to argue that Whaikaha did not follow the law when making changes to Individualised Funding purchasing rules on 18 March.

There are legal options to consider to potentially put this right, which we can advise you on.

A small group of lawyers is working with ADL on the legal challenges against Whaikaha for the changes to purchasing rules. We would like to consider whether you might be a good person to be a named claimant in a High Court challenge against Whaikaha.

Next Steps

1. Please contact ADL at geraldine.lewis@adl.org.nz if you are willing to share your story and want advice on your legal options. Also please let ADL know whether you might like to be considered as a named claimant in a High Court challenge against Whaikaha.

 2. If you find it hard to read through this letter, you might like to ask for help from a trusted support person, friend, or family member.

 3. We are happy to answer any questions you might have. We can have a phone call or a Zoom Meeting with you. You can also email your questions to us.

 4. We look forward to hearing from you.

Last Updated 15/08/2024

RESOURCES

• https://aucklanddisabilitylaw.org.nz/