As the only national pan-disability organisation owned and operated by disabled New Zealanders, the Disabled Persons Assembly (DPA) welcomes the opportunity to preface this progress report.

We are encouraged by the continuing commitment of government agencies to the New Zealand Disability Strategy’s implementation. It demonstrates a raised consciousness of the whole of government approach to a whole of society strategy. However, there are still some areas where we are concerned that the kaupapa may not yet be well enough understood. Therefore, we have used this opportunity to raise issues with three critical areas for implementing the Strategy.

Over the last year we were pleased to see strong challenges made and opportunities presented for the provision of disability support services, particularly at the ‘Nothing Special’ conference and in the National Health Committee report To Have an ‘Ordinary’ Life. We believe these left no doubt about the merits of a ‘supported independent living’ approach, and of its clear alignment with the objectives of the Strategy. However, government support for this approach is conspicuous by its absence. DPA urges government to work towards ensuring access for disabled people to supported independent living.

Another area of concern is around bioethics. Despite the fact that people with impairments are the target of much of the development of genetic technologies, our participation in the debate about these issues is sorely lacking. That lack of involvement requires urgent attention.

Last, but not least, we note that there is little work to report in relation to objective one of the Strategy i.e. educate for a non-disabling society. We believe the successful approach of the Like Minds, Like Mine Campaign, which focuses on people with experience of mental illness, would be well suited to an extension to all areas of disability. We look forward to government support for the development of such an initiative.

The Strategy is now in its fourth year of operation. It’s time to raise the bar!

Mike Gourley

President, DPA New Zealand