Regional and local government has wide-ranging impacts on the daily life of New Zealanders. While the New Zealand Disability Strategy makes no direct requirements of regional and local government, the societal shift fostered by the Strategy is encouraging a more inclusive community environment.

"Community-wise, well it helps when you’re in an environment where it’s easily accessible to wheel around. Right now I am in a place where I can get into the community and participate in anything I am interested in, so that’s excellent."

In part this occurs through the influence central government has in setting policy frameworks and parameters within which regional and local government and their institutions operate. As these are produced under the requirements of the New Zealand Disability Strategy, they affirm the rights of, and reinforce the requirements to deliver services to, people with disabilities. For example, legislation requires district health boards to establish disability advisory committees. In this way, legislation and funding by central government provide levers to ensure that these frameworks genuinely shape services, transport, and access to environment and recreational facilities at the regional and local level.

Case Study: Wellington
The Greater Wellington Regional Council has consulted the disability sector on the design of new trains on the Wairarapa to Wellington line. The trains transport around 500,000 passengers each year. The designers have closely consulted the Barrier Free Trust - a charitable trust working to improve accessibility standards. This included attending a meeting in one of the newly designed carriages to check usability.

New features include toilets with wheelchair access, space for two wheelchairs per train, access to trains for wheelchairs via an electronic hoist, additional highly visible handrails, quality seating, electronic visual displays above doorways and an improved public address system to advise passengers of the next stop and any delays in services.

As attitudes change and people with disabilities are more integrated into and participate in their communities, regional and local governments are voluntarily including and consulting people with disabilities. Disability advisory committees and consultation with disability groups are becoming more common at regional and local government levels.

Case Study – Auckland
Auckland City Council is working to create a fully inclusive environment for all Aucklanders, removing physical and social barriers to community and civic participation. After two years of partnership with the disability community, the Council, in 2001, adopted the Disability Framework for Action. Under this Framework the Council has implemented disability awareness training for its staff, employed a Disability Advisor, set up a Disability Issues Advisory Group (of people with disabilities) to ensure people with disabilities are involved in Council policies and planning. It has also developed a communication plan to inform people with disabilities about Council’s actions and initiatives. As a result:

• Aucklanders with disabilities have had input from the design stages onwards into the redevelopment of four community centres
• the Council has completed disability audits of two town centres, with recommendations for inclusion into their future redevelopment
• Aucklanders with disabilities have contributed to the direction of Council strategies on youth, swimming pools and recreation centres, libraries and playgrounds
• the Council has created Access Auckland, an access map of inner Auckland, showing accessible features such as car parks, toilets and bus routes around the city
• the redevelopment of Auckland’s rail network and rail stations is incorporating accessibility features such as platform surfaces with safety markings and tactile strips along the edge of platforms, improved pedestrian/ wheelchair access, better lighting, clear signage and information display units, real-time timetable information and public address systems.

Go to the Auckland City Council Website.