Disability Issues Release
2008-04-17 16:39:00.0
AUTHOR: Judy Turner
This week the Social Services Select Committee put the finishing touches to the report on our inquiry into Disability Services in NZ. This inquiry has been a complete eye-opener because while NZ has an award-winning Disability Strategy Document that articulates in a progressive way how the government will provide disability support for those with impairment, we still have a long way to go if this is to be properly implemented.
The challenges put to the committee by submitters to this inquiry sent me scurrying to see how UnitedFuture’s policy for this important sector measured up. It didn’t! Well intentioned but inadequate!
Motivated by the courageous stories I have heard from those who live with disability either personally or in their family context I have set about building my own personal network within the sector to learn first hand where we should be heading and this week we’ve launched a consultative discussion document seeking direct feedback from those with impairment, their families, caregivers, and service providers.
The discipline of “LISTENING BEFORE SPEAKING” that UnitedFuture has committed to as we develop policy to put up before the public in this election year has been a rich experience. So far we have sought feedback on a huge range of family related policies including matters like home ownership, income, schooling and health services. Recently we put out a discussion document on population and constitutional considerations and this week we invite the disability sector to put their fingerprints all over our policies that affect them.
If you would like to participate or know someone who may have a perspective we need to hear from then please let me know and I will send out a hard copy. We’d like to hear by the end of May this year.
http://unitedfuture.org.nz/assets/sm/503/46/disabilitydiscussionpaper.pdf
QUOTE: Maybe we’ve gone to a restaurant for dinner and it would be nice if people were looking at us because we’re a great couple. Feeling happy for us, two people having a great time together, which we are. But no, that’s not the reason. The reason they are looking our way, is that I am eating with my feet. (Steve Roome)