Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC)

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

Introduction
Level 1 activities: Universal responsiveness to disability issues

Introduction

The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) provides impartial, high-quality advice and support to the Executive i.e. the Prime Minister, the Governor-General, and the Cabinet.

Supporting the Prime Minister and Cabinet

DPMC provides three kinds of direct support to the Prime Minister:

  • support for issues that are the direct responsibility of the Prime Minister e.g. support for constitutional issues such as the formation of government and transitions between administrations, and issues associated with operation of the Cabinet system;
  • support for issues across the range of government business e.g. working with the other central agencies and with key departments to ensure the government’s three priority themes are supported (economic transformation; families – young and old; and national identity);
  • administrative support to the Prime Minister e.g. preparing replies to Parliamentary questions, dealing with Official Information Act requests and other correspondence.

Supporting the Governor-General

DPMC also supports the Governor-General in carrying out the functions of that office, which are constitutional, ceremonial and community-focused. The support provided includes administrative and other support services for the Governor-General, and maintenance of the two Government Houses – the main one in Wellington and the smaller residence in Auckland.

A great deal of DPMC’s activities focus on facilitating government decision making at a strategic and operational level. To achieve this, the department relies on close working relationships with other departments and agencies.

The department also has a key leadership role, with The Treasury and the State Services Commission, in relation to the public service, and is the smallest of the three central agencies with around 120 staff.

Responsibility for disability issues

For the purpose of the New Zealand Disability Strategy Implementation Work Plan, DPMC focuses primarily on level 1 implementation activities only. The department, in common with all government agencies, has a universal responsibility to disabled people – as employees, visitors, and members of the general public who review our website and publications. With the two other public service central agencies, DPMC also has a role in fostering awareness of and responsiveness to disability issues.

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Level 1 activities: Universal responsiveness to disability issues

Accessible government information Achieved / available Planned this year N/A
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.   Yes  
Agency makes available alternative forms of contact (ie phone and fax numbers, email addresses, etc) Yes    

DPMC takes the responsibility of providing universal access to our information seriously.

In March 2006 we completed alterations to our website which mean that we now comply with the SSC Web guidelines version 2.1. This includes many checks in the area of disabled access. Screens have been developed to work effectively with a range of screen readers. All downloadable files are available in both HTML and PDF form. Where they are available only in PDF, a statement on the website advises that we can provide them in different formats (such as hardcopy) on request.

The website also advises various contact methods - phone, fax, physical address, postal address, and generic email address.

Our plan for 2006-2007 is to carry out a disability audit to see if any further enhancements are required. This audit will include a review of our website and of our publications.
Accessible government buildings and sites Achieved / available Planned this year N/A

Introductory comments

The six business units of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) are located in four separate buildings (and each site has controlled-access). The locations are:

  • Reserve Bank Building, 2 The Terrace, Wellington – levels 3 and 5 (tenants only)
  • Executive Wing, Parliament Building, Molesworth Street , Wellington – levels 8 and 10 (tenants only)
  • Government House, Newtown, Wellington (official residence of the Governor-General)
  • Government House, Epsom, Auckland (official residence of the Governor-General).

The department has specific building responsibilities for the two Government Houses only. These two buildings are official residences, not public buildings i.e. access is normally granted by invitation only. At defined and limited times during the year, these two buildings are opened to the public for specific functions (with strict guidelines on areas that are open to the public, and those that are not). At Government House Auckand, there are designated disability carparks; mobility/disabled access into the building; a lift and toilets with well-placed handlerails and designed for those with limited mobility and/or in wheelchairs; and one accessible bathroom ensuite. Major renovations are currently being considered for Government House Wellington, with a significant scoping exercise to be undertaken in 2006-2007. At present, Government House Wellington has designated disability carparks and access to the main function areas on the ground floor; and, as well, the staff are responsive to specific visitor requirements; but the building is not code compliant.

As tenants of two buildings, DPMC has discussed the issue of access with relevant staff in the Reserve Bank and Parliamentary Services, and registered our desire and dependence on them to meet access requirements and appropriate standards. Current renovations at both buildings are to NZS 4121 requirements.

All agency buildings and sites meet statutory and regulatory access requirements (eg NZS 4121)

  • Reserve Bank
  • Executive Wing
  • Government House, Wellington
  • Government House, Auckland

 

Yes

Yes

  

 

 

Yes*

Yes*

Agency buildings and sites have Building Code compliance certification

  • Reserve Bank
  • Executive Wing
  • Government House, Wellington
  • Government House, Auckland

 

Yes

Yes

  

 

 

Yes*

Yes*

Agency buildings and sites audited for accessibility by Barrier Free NZ Trust

  • Reserve Bank
  • Executive Wing
  • Government House, Wellington
  • Government House, Auckland
  

 

 

Yes

No

No

No
Agency buildings and sites accessible.

Frontline staff receive training in disability responsiveness

  • Level 5, Reserve Bank
  • Level 8, Executive Wing
  • Government House, Wellington
  • Government House, Auckland

 

Yes

Yes

 

 

 

Yes
Yes

  

Reception areas accessible

  • Reserve Bank
  • Executive Wing
  • Government House, Wellington
  • Government House, Auckland

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

    

Counters lowered for wheelchair users

  • Reserve Bank
  • Executive Wing
  • Government House, Wellington
  • Government House, Auckland

 

Yes

 

 

Yes

 

 

 

Yes Yes

Telephone staff familiar with using NZ Relay service1

  • Level 5, Reserve Bank
  • Government House, Wellington
  

 

Yes

Yes

  

* as noted, the two Government Houses are official residences – not public buildings. DPMC is considering access improvements to key function areas in these buildings, where appropriate

Accessible government services Achieved / available Planned this year N/A

Introductory comments
DPMC does not normally engage directly with the public, with the exception of the Honours Secretariat and particular public events that occur at the official residences of the Governor-General, in Wellington and Auckland. Public information is available on the department’s website and through published material.

As mentioned in the Introduction, the department has a specific set of servicing functions to the Prime Minister, the Cabinet, and the Governor-General.
Service policies and procedures include reference to disability issues (eg policies on the use of New Zealand Sign Language Interpreters)     Yes
Information/data on services provided to disabled people is recorded     Yes
Service staff receive disability responsiveness training   Yes  
When contracting for new or up-graded IT applications and environments, contracts include a requirement to ensure accessibility by disabled users   Yes  

The department will review the areas where it does deal directly with the public, and ensure that particular staff receive appropriate disability responsiveness training.

In terms of new or up-graded IT applications and environments, the Information Manager who is responsible for information technology and management is planning to carry out a disability audit to see if any further enhancements are required.
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) Yes    
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) Yes Yes for new staff member  
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 (“yes, if requested” – refer below) Yes    
Internal agency newsletters promote the positive presence of disabled staff people     Yes

When staff are appointed to DPMC they are asked to complete several Health/Disabilities questions, as part of the New Appointees’ Form, i.e.

  • requests details of any disabilities or major ailments likely to affect their ability to work, or which may require adjustments to be made in the work place; and
  • asks whether the staff member would like to be contacted about specific programmes or networks for people with a disability/illness/injury (and, “if yes” to specify their needs/ requirements).

Based on this information, the department has not instituted its own disabled staff network as there has been no request for establishment of this network. In 2006-2007, the department will send out a message to all staff reminding them that DPMC is happy to co-ordinate such a network, and individual requests could be made to HR staff; to arrange a network in such a way that meets any staff requirements for confidentiality (if this is an issue for anyone).

The department provides workplace ergonomic assessments for all new staff (as well as existing staff), and has Workpace software installed on all computers to ensure staff take micropauses while working on their PCs. The department supplies: ergonomic chairs as required; vertical mice; split keyboards; ergonomic wrist and keyboard gel pads; adjustable footrests; copy holders; and monitor risers. It has also provided telephone shoulder rests, screen filters, screen magnifiers and enlargement of onscreen text. The current headsets DPMC’s provides have good volume control to ensure audio enhancement.

The department has licenses for dragon software (a voice recognition software), and two staff are currently using this programme. One person has had no problems with this software, while the other has experienced ongoing problems which DPMC is trying to resolve.
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 EEO disability information) Yes    
Data on disability related accommodation, adaptive equipment, etc, provided by your agency Yes    
Number of disabled people employed under the State Service Commission’s ‘Mainstream programme’3.     Yes
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     Yes

Refer to earlier comments re consultation with disabled groups on access to material on website, etc.

Several years ago DPMC considered employing staff under the Mainstream programme, and we will revisit this option in 2006-2007. Practical considerations will include:

  • identification of specific work that could be undertaken by a suitably experienced person on the Mainstream programme (issue of “good match”);
  • availability of supervisor/manager resource to ensure a successful introduction/induction and
  • ongoing support for the Mainstream person in relation to work requirements, team dynamics/fit and unit culture.
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Level 2 Activities: Disability perspective included in ordinary work (Limited to specific roles in the department)

Disability responsiveness training and resources  Achieved/ available Planned this year
Disability Action Plan and disability information provided to all new staff Yes  
Disability responsiveness training offered to selected staff   Yes
While the vast majority of staff in DPMC do not have specific roles to ensure disability perspectives are included in their ordinary work, the department now includes information about its Disability Action Plan as part of the induction of all new staff. The department will identify specific roles and responsibilites which require staff in those positions to have a greater awareness and understanding of disability issues. This will include training in 2006-07 for those selected staff.  

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