Ministry for the Environment

New Zealand Disability Strategy Implementation Work Plan. 1 July 2006 – 30 June 2007

Level 1 Activities: Universal responsiveness to disability issues

Introduction

The Ministry for the Environment works with others to identify New Zealand ’s environmental problems and get action on solutions. Our focus is on the effects people’s everyday activities have on the environment, so our work programmes cover both the natural world and the places where people live and work.

We advise the Government on New Zealand ’s environmental laws, policies, standards and guidelines, monitor how they are working in practice, and take any action needed to improve them. We report on the state of our environment, on local government performance on environmental matters, and on the work of the Environmental Risk Management Authority and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority.

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Level 1 Activities: Universal responsiveness to disability issues

Accessible government information		Achieved / available	Planned this year
Agency’s websites
	Meet e-government Web-Guidelines 2.1 *	Yes
	Tested for accessibility for disabled people	Yes
	Adapted to increase accessibility to disabled people	Yes
	Downloadable files available in HTML, not only PDF **	Yes
Other publications and public information available in alternative formats. (eg key information available in easy-to-read English, Braille, NZSL video clips, captions on TV adverts, etc) (In your end of year report you will be asked to list the formats you have available)		Achieved	*** Alternative formats
Agency makes available alternative forms of contact (ie phone and fax numbers, email addresses, etc)		Yes
*Our main website was rated amongst the top 12 govt websites by the Disability Commissioner in their 2005 annual report on implementing the NZ Disability Strategy.
** It is standard for all information to be HTML, for all seven websites. PDF is used for specialised or old documents.
*** This year we plan to have Resource Management Act info available on CD

Accessible government buildings and sites		Achieved / available	Planned this year
All agency’s buildings and sites meet statutory and regulatory access requirements (eg NZS 4121)		Yes. Head Office is a new building
Agency’s buildings and sites have Building Code compliance certification		Yes
Agency’s buildings and sites audited for accessibility by Barrier Free NZ Trust			Yes
Agency’s buildings and sites accessible.
	Frontline staff receive training in disability responsiveness		Yes
	Reception areas accessible	Yes
	Counters lowered for wheelchair users	Yes Reception Desk lowered
	Telephone staff familiar with using NZ Relay service¹		Yes
	Other accommodations (please list) (eg signage, accessible lifts, hearing loops, etc)	Yes (see Below)
A strong disability focus was included in the design of the new Head Office building (completed June 2005): Toilets for staff/public with disabilities on the ground floor Wide lifts were installed and suitable for wheelchair access Braille buttons in lift Minimum wheelchair access of 1m on all corridors/walking areas Switches/plugs easily accessible

Accessible government services	Planned this year	N/A
Service policies and procedures include reference to disability issues (eg policies on the use of New Zealand Sign Language Interpreters)		N/A
Information / data on services provided to disabled people is recorded		N/A
Service staff receive disability responsiveness training	Reception
When contracting for new or up-graded IT applications and environments, contracts include a requirement to ensure accessibility by disabled users		N/A*
*We deal with individual needs on a case by case basis.

Responsive government employment practices		Achieved / available	Planned this year	N/A
Human Resource policies and procedures include EEO issues for disabled people			Yes
Recruitment and selection of vacancies responsive to disabled people (eg vacancies advertised to the widest possible audience, vacancies list alternative forms of contact – phone, fax, email, etc)		Partially **
Human Resource staff familiar with EEO issues for disabled people (eg staff receive disability responsiveness training, staff familiar with the Disability Perspective Tool Kit², etc)		Partially	Yes - training
Disabled staff are supported
	Individual assessments of workplace accommodations or support are provided (eg work station assessments)	Yes
	Accommodations provided to disabled staff (eg work station adaptations, special equipment, New Zealand Sign Language interpreters, etc are provided)	Yes
	Disabled staff provided with opportunities for career advancement	Yes
	Agency supports a disabled staff network group			*N/A
	Internal agency newsletters promote the positive presence of disabled staff people			N/A
	Other support provided to disabled staff (please list)
*Our numbers of disabled staff are very small (3)
** It is not known if any future work will be done to more comprehensively address this issue

Information and data on disabled people is collected		Achieved / available	Planned this year	N/A
Information on agency’s responsiveness to disabled staff people
	Number of disabled people employed (we recommend you use the State Service Commission’s EEO disability information)	Visibly 2 (but none in SSC stats)
	Data on disability related accommodations, adaptive equipment, etc, provided by your agency		Yes
	Number of disabled people employed under the State Service Commission’s ‘Mainstream programme’³.	1
Information on agency’s responsiveness to the disabled public
	Information and data on agency’s contact with the disabled public is recorded (eg consultation with disabled groups)		Yes
	Information / data on agency’s disabled client group recorded			N/A

Other information
We do not know why the number of disabled staff is very small. We will promote the Mainstream Programme more proactively throughout the year.
Policy MfE is working on that may have an impact on disabled people Urban design and energy efficiency do have an effect on disabled people; a disability perspective is brought to bear in MfE work. Urban design Disability is referred to in the New Zealand Design Protocol. The Urban Design Protocol forms part of the Government’s Sustainable Development Programme of Action, which aims to ensure our towns and cities are healthy, safe and attractive places where business, social and cultural life can flourish. The Urban Design Protocol identifies seven essential design qualities that together create quality urban design, one of which is choice: ensuring diversity and choice for people. Choice Quality urban design fosters diversity and offers people choice in the urban form of our towns and cities, and choice in densities, building types, transport options, and activities. Flexible and adaptable design provides for unforeseen uses, and creates resilient and robust towns and cities. Quality urban design: ensures urban environments provide opportunities for all, especially the disadvantaged allows people to choose different sustainable lifestyle options, locations, modes of transport, types of buildings and forms of tenure encourages a diversity of activities within mixed use developments and neighbourhoods supports designs which are flexible and adaptable and which will remain useful over the long term ensures public spaces are accessible by everybody, including people with disabilities. The Urban Design Protocol is part of a growing framework of national policy guidance around successful towns and cities and quality urban design. The New Zealand Disability Strategy (April 2001) is a guiding document for the Urban Design Protocol.
Energy efficiency To help New Zealanders reduce the pollution effects of home heating while staying warm, the Ministry for the Environment is working with a range of central and local government agencies on the Warm Homes project. The MfE works with and monitors the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA). ECCA leads the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy. The Strategy’s energy efficiency measures aim to improve community wellbeing by enhancing the provision of adequate energy services for all in the community.

Other information

We do not know why the number of disabled staff is very small. We will promote the Mainstream Programme more proactively throughout the year.

Policy MfE is working on that may have an impact on disabled people

Urban design and energy efficiency do have an effect on disabled people; a disability perspective is brought to bear in MfE work.

Urban design

Disability is referred to in the New Zealand Design Protocol.

The Urban Design Protocol forms part of the Government’s Sustainable Development Programme of Action, which aims to ensure our towns and cities are healthy, safe and attractive places where business, social and cultural life can flourish. The Urban Design Protocol identifies seven essential design qualities that together create quality urban design, one of which is choice: ensuring diversity and choice for people.

Choice

Quality urban design fosters diversity and offers people choice in the urban form of our towns and cities, and choice in densities, building types, transport options, and activities. Flexible and adaptable design provides for unforeseen uses, and creates resilient and robust towns and cities. Quality urban design:

ensures urban environments provide opportunities for all, especially the disadvantaged
allows people to choose different sustainable lifestyle options, locations, modes of transport, types of buildings and forms of tenure
encourages a diversity of activities within mixed use developments and neighbourhoods
supports designs which are flexible and adaptable and which will remain useful over the long term
ensures public spaces are accessible by everybody, including people with disabilities.

The Urban Design Protocol is part of a growing framework of national policy guidance around successful towns and cities and quality urban design. The New Zealand Disability Strategy (April 2001) is a guiding document for the Urban Design Protocol.

Energy efficiency

To help New Zealanders reduce the pollution effects of home heating while staying warm, the Ministry for the Environment is working with a range of central and local government agencies on the Warm Homes project.

The MfE works with and monitors the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA). ECCA leads the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy. The Strategy’s energy efficiency measures aim to improve community wellbeing by enhancing the provision of adequate energy services for all in the community.

1. For information on NZ Relay service
2. The Disability Perspective Tool Kit is available on the Office for Disability Issues’ website
3. Information on the State Service Commission’s Mainstream Programme

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