Disability issues
2009-04-26 13:44:00.0
AUTHOR: Judy Turner
Recently I represented Peter Dunne and UnitedFuture at an Auckland Disability Service Providers network meeting. My reason for travelling to Auckland for this event was because the newly appointed Minister of Disability Issues, Hon Paula Bennett was speaking, and I was keen to hear if she was ready to make any fresh commitments to this sector.
Her speech was predictably lite on content but strong on tone. I don’t think anyone doubts for a minute that she wants to make progress, but she doesn’t hold the government purse strings and there was no hint of any new money for new initiatives.
The proverbial elephant in the room is “funding”. There just isn’t enough available to close the blaring gap that currently exists for support of those who did not become disabled as a result of a trauma, compared with those receiving ACC support.
One in five New Zealanders live with a disability. That is a sizable slice of voters and I will be doing all I can in the next three years to encourage them to flex their collective muscle and to become a political force to be reckoned with.
Let’s not let the ‘R’ word (Recession), become a convenient excuse to slacken off in our efforts to make sure that these New Zealander s gets the chance to realise their dream of living an ordinary life.