Office for Disability Issues: Email Update

16 August 2007. This email is a regular update from the Office for Disability Issues on our work and recent disability-related news.

On this page:

Part 1: Office for Disability Issues and government news
01: Establishment of Lottery Individuals with Disabilities Committee
02: Human Rights Commission newsletter "Tirohia" in new E-format
03: Families Commission's Blue Skies Funding: Call for Proposals
04: Scholarships for New Zealand Sign Language interpreting students
05: District Health Board elections

Part 2: Current consultations
06: Caring for New Zealand Carers: consultation paper
07: Assisted Reproductive Technology: consultation paper
08: The review of the Health and Disability Services (Safety) Act 2001
09: Building Code Review: Performance requirements: discussion paper
10: Review of Health and Disability Standards

Part 3: Sector news
11: Opportunity to participate in the Japanese government's leadership programme, February 2008
12: Mitsubishi Motors New Zealand signs as principal partner with Paralympics New Zealand
13: New Code of Banking Practice 2007: recognition of needs of disabled people

Part 4: Events & conferences

Part 1: Office for Disability Issues and government news

01: Establishment of Lottery Individuals with Disabilities Committee

The Minister of Internal Affairs has established a new Lottery distribution committee, the Lottery Individuals with Disabilities Committee. The new committee replaces the current Individuals with Disabilities subcommittee of the Lottery National Community Committee. The funding policies will remain unchanged and there will be minimal impact on potential applicants. The Minister of Internal Affairs will be seeking nominations for appointments to the new Committee.

02: Human Rights Commission newsletter "Tirohia" in new E-format

From August 2007 the Human Rights Commission's newsletter Tirohia will not be published in hardcopy - it will be replaced by an electronic newsletter.

To subscribe to the E-newsletter,and for more information:
Contact: Vicki Hall
Email: vickih@hrc.co.nz
Phone: 09 375 8627
Freephone: 0800 496 877
Website: www.hrc.co.nz

03: Families Commission's Blue Skies Funding: Call for Proposals

The Families Commission has called for proposals for funding for research under the second 2007 Blue Skies funding round. The Blue Skies fund is intended for new research, emergent ideas, ‘ideas papers’ and ‘think pieces’ which have the potential to lead to new research in various topic areas, including parents with disabilities. All proposals for this funding round must be submitted by midnight on 14 September 2007.

For more details and application template see www.nzfamilies.org.nz/research/opportunities.php.

For more information:
Contact: Carla Guy
Postal: Families Commission, PO Box 2839, Wellington
Phone: 04 917 7077
Email: carla.guy@nzfamilies.org.nz
Website: www.nzfamilies.org.nz

04: Scholarships for New Zealand Sign Language interpreting students

Applications for study scholarships are now open to persons who intend to complete the Diploma in Sign Language Interpreting at the AUT University, entitling them to register as qualified Sign Language Interpreters in New Zealand. The closing date for applications is 31 January 2008.

For more information:
Contact: Tracey.Scott-Nicholson
Postal: Private Bag 92-006 Auckland New Zealand
Phone: 09 921 9837
Fax: 09 921 9843
Email: tracey.scott-nicholson@aut.ac.nz
Website: http://www.aut.ac.nz/student_services/scholarships

05: District Health Board elections

Nominations for the October District Health Board elections open on Friday 27 July until Friday 24 August. Disabled people are encouraged to put themselves forward. A handbook containing election information is available on the Ministry of Health's website.

Part 2: Current consultations

06: Caring for New Zealand Carers: consultation paper

The consultation for the first ever national Carers’ Strategy has been launched by Disability Issues Minister Hon Ruth Dyson.

Caring for New Zealand Carers seeks widespread feedback from family and other informal carers, the people they support and the wider community to identify the priorities of carers, and the changes that will make the most difference to their lives.

The consultation is being run by the Ministry of Social Development in partnership with the Carers Alliance, a network of 43 non-governmental organisations.

The consultation document outlines a draft vision, principles, key themes and examples of initiatives that may improve carers’ quality of life. It asks people what information and support should be made available to improve carers’ choices to balance their caring role with participation in employment, education, and family and community life.

The consultation period ends on 14 September 2007.

Details on how you can provide feedback and a copy of the consultation document can be found on the MSD website.

07: Assisted Reproductive Technology: consultation paper

The Advisory Committee on Assisted Reproductive Technology's (ACART) consultation paper "Advice on Aspects of Assisted reproductive Technology: A consultation paper on policy issues" is being circulated for comment. Submissions close at 5pm on 17 August 2007. ACART will hold hearings of oral submissions in August 2007.

To get a hard copy of the discussion document you can order it by emailing moh@wickliffe.co.nz or calling 04 496 2277, and quoting HP4420. Please let them know your name, your physical address and how many copies you would like.

For more information:
Ian Hicks
Phone: 04 470 0666
Email: acart@moh.govt.nz
Postal: PO Box 5013, Wellington
website: http://www.acart.health.govt.nz

08: The review of the Health and Disability Services (Safety) Act 2001

The Health and Disability Services (Safety) Act came into force on 1 July 2002, replacing the previous licensing regime for providers of health care services under the Hospitals Act 1957, Disabled Persons Community Welfare Act 1975 and Old People’s Homes Regulations 1987. The Act focuses on safety, quality and continuous improvement of health and disability services. The review aims to make the legislation work better to achieve the same aims.

A consultation document is available and consists of a discussion document on certain aspects of the review of the Health and Disability Services (Safety) Act 2001 and a submission form to guide individuals and organisations making a submission. It can be found on the Ministry of Health’s website.

The consultation period ends on Friday 21 September 2007.

09: Building Code Review: Perfomance requirements: discussion paper

The Minister for Building and Construction has announced the release of a discussion document on the performance requirments of the Building code. Some of the key points relating to the disability sector are:

  • how to better meet the needs of disabled people
  • a new way to design buildings for people to be safe in the event of a fire.

Copies of the discussion document are available from the Department of Building and Housing website or by phoning 0800 242 243.

Submissions close on 28 September 2007.

10: Review of Health and Disability Standards

The Health and Disability standards are being reviewed. The National Mental Health Sector Standard has now been incorporated into the Draft Health and Disability Services (Core) Standard.  Comments are due on Tuesday 21 August 2007. To view the documents go to:
www.standards.govt.nz.

You can access the documents in the "drafts for comment" tab.

There are three documents to comment on.

  1. Health and Disability Standards (Core) Reference Number DZ8134
  2. Health and Disability Standards (Restraint) Reference Number DZ8141
  3. Health and Disability Standards (Infection control) Reference Number

For more information:
Contact: Jackelyn Cooper
Postal: Standards New Zealand, Private Bag 2439,WELLINGTON
Fax: 64 4 498 5994
Email: jackelyn.cooper@standards.co.nz

Part 3: Sector News

11: Opportunity to participate in the Japanese government's leadership programme, February 2008

The Japanese Government operates an international programme to develop leadership in civil society through collaboration and the development of key networks. This year New Zealand has been invited to participate along with the United Kingdom and Sweden. Sister Cities New Zealand Inc. is contracted to administer the programme in this country.

The programme has two parts, the Sending Programme (where Japanese people visit New Zealand) and the Invitation Programme (where New Zealanders visit Japan).

The government of Japan are inviting a group of thirteen people from New Zealand, selected for their engagement in the disability, senior citizens, and youth sectors to visit Japan from 5 February to 19 February 2008.

Applications for participation in the Invitation Programme are now being called for. Applications will be considered by a panel of the Board of Sister Cities New Zealand Inc. for recommendation to the Cabinet Office of the Japanese government who shall make the final selection. The closing date for applications is 21 September 2007.

For more information and copies of application forms go to:
Website: http://www.sistercities.org.nz/Editable/news/Practitioners-Workshops.shtml
Contact: Brian Cross, Executive Office, Sister Cities New Zealand Inc.
Phone: 04 586 3145
Mobile: 027 270 1188

12: Mitsubishi Motors New Zealand signs as principal partner with Paralympics New Zealand

Mitsubishi Motors New Zealand signed an exclusive five year principal partner agreement with Paralympics New Zealand, which will help support athletes at Beijing 2008, Vancouver in 2010 and London in 2012. The agreement complements Mitsubishi's principal partnership with the New Zealand Olympic Committee.

For more information:
Contact: Fiona Allan Acting CEO Paralympics New Zealand
Phone: 09 526 0761
Mobile: 027 248 4828
Website: http://www.paralympics.org.nz/plugins/newsfeed.cgi?rm=view_archive

13: New Code of Banking Practice 2007: recognition of needs of disabled people

The Code of Banking Practise is a guide which is suggested to all banks to follow.  The Code recognises good practices, and is considered by the Banking Ombudsman in complaint investigations.

The new Code of Banking Practice recognises:

  • the needs of disabled customers as part of the governing principles and objectives of the code (section 1.2 part c)
  • the use of plain language and the use of multiple communication routes (section 2.2)
  • defines reasonable accommodation modifications in the glossary using a definition adapted from the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

For more infomation:
Website: http://www.nzba.org.nz/public.asp

Part 4: Events and conferences

There is now a new page on the Office for Disability Issues website listing events and conferences relating to disabled people and disability issues. Current items on this page are:

Conferences

  • Association for Supported Employment Conference 2007: call for papers.
  • 20-21 September 2007. NZ Association for the Study of Intellectual Disability (NZASID) Conference.
  • 2-4 October 2007.Inaugural Australasian Mental Health Outcomes conference 2007.
  • 5-7 October 2007. Living with Blindness – Building Relationships conference 2007.

Events

  • 14-15 September 2007. Waikato Health and Disability Expo Trust
  • Autism seminars.

You can access this page at: Events and conferences.

Disclaimer

The Office for Disability Issues distributes this email newsletter to share news and promote information of interest to disabled people and the disability sector. The Office is not responsible for the reliability of material provided by other sources, including links to other websites. The Office does not necessarily endorse the views expressed within this email newsletter.

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