Rule 1. Awareness-raising (Article 8 Awareness-raising)

This Rule is reflected in Objective 1 of the New Zealand Disability Strategy ‘Encourage and educate for a non-disabling society.’
Over the past decade, the development of the New Zealand Disability Strategy and its implementation has engaged New Zealanders in better understanding the lives of people with disabilities. This has been supported by additional specific initiatives.

’Like Minds, Like Mine’ a public health funded social advertising campaign has run since 1997. The mass media campaign aims to reduce the stigma and discrimination faced by people with experience of mental illness. Quantitative and qualitative research point to impressive levels of general public awareness and attitude improvement. People with experience of mental illness also report improvement in attitudes and practices from some of the key organisations targeted by the campaign’s education and training work.

You can read the evaluation findings on the like minds website.

“When I see those ‘Know me before you judge me’ TV advertisements about mental illness, I wish there were a few ads like that about cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy or spina bifida.”

The campaign won an Effectiveness in Advertising Award in the 2002 New Zealand Effective Advertising (EFFIE) Awards and two marketing awards at the 2003 New Zealand Marketing Awards, including the supreme award. The Carter Center has since proposed to fund two Rosalynn Carter Mental Health Journalism Fellowships for New Zealand journalists. From 2001 through to 2005, the Center, in partnership with ’Like Minds, Like Mine’, funded 10 fellowships for New Zealand journalists. Like Minds was also chosen as one of 35 innovative international case studies for the WHO publication Mental Health Promotion launched in September 2004.

In December 2005, the Office for Disability Issues published Including a disability perspective: A toolkit for policy maker’. Already in use by a number of government departments, the toolkit aims to help government policy makers systematically include a disability perspective in policy and service development.

In May 2006 the Office released Life is for Living, a collection of 25 stories of people with disabilities, and carers, sharing how they live their everyday life. The publication seeks to increase the awareness of New Zealanders’ experience of disability. Quotes from these stories are included in our application.

Rule 2. Medical care (Article 25 Health)

New Zealand citizens and residents have access to the public health system, irrespective of disability. District Health Boards, the entities that determine the provision of public health services at a local level, are required to establish disability advisory committees to inform their service provision to people with disabilities.

In addition to the services available through the public heath system, the Disability Services Directorate of the Ministry of Health is responsible for the planning and funding of disability support services (see Rule 3 below).

Rule 3. Rehabilitation (Article 26 Habilitation and rehabilitation)

This Rule is incorporated into Objective 7 of the New Zealand Disability Strategy is ‘Create long-term support systems centred on the individual’.

Rehabilitation services are available through the public health system and the ACC system. Both systems use needs assessment to develop appropriate rehabilitation plans for individuals with disabilities.

The Disability Services Directorate of the Ministry of Health is responsible for the planning and funding of disability support services. It funds:

“Because of an accident I get some ACC funding, so ACC provides equipment such as my laptop and kitchen and bathroom equipment.”

• needs assessment and service co-ordination services
• disability information and advisory services
• environmental and home-based support services
• respite and carer support
• child development services
• community residential care
• habilitation/rehabilitation – inpatient and outpatient
• rest home and private hospital services (for adults generally aged under 65 years)
• behavioural support services
• day services for people who have moved to the community from institutional care.

In addition, the public health sector funds and provides supports, services, and assistance for people with disabilities of all ages through District Health Boards and the ACC system.

Rule 4. Support services (Article 19 Living independently and being included in the community, and Article 20 Personal mobility)

This Rule is reflected in Objective 7 of the New Zealand Disability Strategy is ‘Create long-term support systems centred on the individual’.

Support services are available through the public health system and the ACC system. The social security system also provides funding to beneficiaries.

"I’ve seen some changes for the better in access issues in the last two to three years. Three years ago I couldn’t catch buses from my place into town because they all had stairs. Now all buses that go from my place to town have ramps. I think a lot of places are becoming more accessible for disabled people."

In addition to the services listed in the response to Rule 3, people with disabilities and their families and carers can also access support from a range of other organisations in the areas of: health, employment, housing and accommodation, advocacy and legislation, education and training, transport and travel, equipment, income support, families and relationships, communication, and sports and leisure activities.

ACC support assistance includes: home help, attendant care, child care, training for independence, transport, housing modifications, aids and appliances and education support.

The Human Rights Commission has the mandate to hold inquiries and make recommendations for change where New Zealanders’ rights are not being upheld. Prompted by the experience of people with disabilities the Commission launched an inquiry into public transport provision in this country. It made a number of recommendations to improve access in Accessible Journeys: Report of the inquiry into Accessible Public Land Transport, the report of its findings launched in October 2005.