The New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act 2000 requires the Minister for Disability Issues to develop a Disability Strategy for New Zealand, to "provide the framework for the Government's overall direction for the disability sector in improving disability support services" .

Under the Act, the Minister is required to consult with relevant organisations and individuals before determining or altering the Strategy , and to report on progress in implementing the Strategy each year . The Strategy, and any amendment, replacement or report, must be made available to the public and to the House of Representatives.

The Strategy is the first government strategy to address the needs of people with disabilities on a cross-sectoral basis. Ten key public service departments drew up work plans for 2001/2002. These departments are:

• Ministry of Education
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of Justice
• Department of Labour
• Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs
• Ministry of Social Development
• State Services Commission
• Te Puni Kokiri
• Ministry of Transport
• Ministry of Women's Affairs.

In addition, the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) and Specialist Education Services (SES) contributed to the implementation work plans through agencies to which they are linked (the Department of Labour and the Ministry of Education, respectively).

On 1 July 2002, the responsibility for co-ordinating the implementation work plans and the reporting process was transferred from the Ministry of Health to the Office for Disability Issues.

The Ministry of Health had encouraged departments:

• To target their work plans to identify short-term and achievable projects, as well as steps towards larger, long-term projects
• To approach the Strategy at corporate, policy and service-delivery levels and
• To consider generic government activities (such as developing an accessible website), work unique to each department, and intersectoral work (identifying which department would take a leading role).

Work plans had to take account of the department's assessment of the relative priority of the objectives of the Strategy, including intersectoral priorities, and work that was needed as a matter or urgency. Consideration was also to be given to work under way that aligned with the Strategy's vision, objectives and actions, and the Strategy sector reference group's set of proposals for the Strategy, put forward to the Government in late 2000.

In 2001, the Government approved the work plans of the ten key public service departments. Their work plans can be found by contacting the department of interest or the Office for Disability Issues.