Office for Disability Issues: Email Update

On this page:

Part 1: Office for Disability Issues and government news
01: 2007 End of year message - Jan Scown
02: New system for our email update
03: Review of Applied Behaviour Analysis interventions for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder 8 February 2008
04: 2007 Guidelines on Insurance and the Human Rights Act 1993
05: Association for Supported Employment (ASENZ)
06: Workbridge booklet "Your guide to Support Funds"

Part 2: Current consultations
07: Review of Health Practitioner Competence Assurance Act 21 December 2007
08: Review of Domestic Violence Act 1995 and Related Legislation 28 January 2008
09: Update of the New Zealand Transport Strategy - call for submissions on discussion paper 15 February 2008

Part 3: Sector news
10: Free interpreting service offered to Deaf Westpac customers in Queensland and New South Wales
11:Postgraduate Programme in Disability Studies, Massey University

Part 4: Events & conferences

Part 1: Office for Disability Issues and government news

01: 2007 End of year message - Jan Scown.

2007 has been a year when many things came to fruition. Among them were:

• the signing of the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled Persons
• the repeal of the Disabled Persons Employment Promotion Act
• the Ministry of Social Development’s Working New Zealand programme which includes support for disabled people to get into decent work
• New Zealand winning the 2007 Franklin Delano Roosevelt International Disability Award.

These achievements are the culmination of years of hard work, much of it behind the scenes, by many people in government, not-for-profit organisations and, most importantly, disabled people and their families who have often kept the idea alive for many years.

An idea whose time has come is that of universal design and, in particular, housing designed to be fit for use by people throughout their whole life regardless of impairment. The 2007 research report, “Housing and Disability: Future Proofing New Zealand’s housing stock for an Inclusive Society”, was produced for the Centre for Housing Research Aotearoa New Zealand (CHRANZ) and the Office for Disability Issues clearly signals the need. At the same time, CCS Disability Action and a number of partners, including the Master Builders Federation, established the Lifetime Design Foundation and launched the Life Mark. The Ministries of Social Development, Health, and Housing New Zealand Corporation, contributed establishment funding.

It is satisfying to know that this small seed will be tended by lots of different individuals and groups and will grow into something that will make a real difference in the lives of disabled people.

With that in mind, I would like to wish you, on behalf of the Office for Disability Issues, a happy and safe Christmas. May we all come back in 2008 to start anew and help the seeds we planted in 2007 flourish in 2008, bringing us closer to the vision of an inclusive society.

02: New system for our email update.

This email is being distributed using new computer software that is being introduced in two phases. Stage one is being trialed in this email update. We hope that multiple copies will be a thing of the past. Let us know if there are any problems, so that they can be ironed out in the second phase of implementation.

03: Review of Applied Behaviour Analysis interventions for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder 8 February 2008.

The Ministries of Education and Health are seeking tenders for a full technical review of the published research on applied behaviour analysis interventions for people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

In 1998, the Government commissioned a review of autism services across key sectors. This review is now known as the Curry Report. The review identified gaps in services and made a number of recommendations to improve the quality of ASD related services. This led to a partnership between the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education to oversee and sponsor the development of an ASD Guideline.

Work on the ASD Guideline commenced in 2003 and a draft was finalised at the end of 2006. An open consultation process was undertaken between December 2006 and March 2007. Feedback was sought on the draft ASD Guideline from across the health, education, disability and social service sectors, as well as from families, whānau and people with ASD. A number of the submissions raise concerns that the principles of ABA had been misrepresented and that ABA research had not been properly evaluated in the draft ASD Guideline.

In response to these concerns, the Ministries are seeking an evidence-based technical review of literature on the effectiveness of ABA interventions for people with ASD. Tenders close 8 February 2008.

Once the work on the review of the ABA interventions report is finalised, the evidence will be reviewed by the ASD Living Guideline Working Group. Any recommended changes and / or additions to the NZ ASD Guideline will then be presented to the Senior Officials Group, which is responsible for overseeing the ASD Guideline development and maintenance.

To view the Request for Tender document, please visit the Government Electronic Tenders Service (GETS) website: www.gets.govt.nz

04: 2007 Guidelines on Insurance and the Human Rights Act 1993.

The Human Rights Commission has published a revision of the 1997 Guidelines on Insurance and the Human Rights Act 1993.

The guidelines are designed to help insurers and consumers to understand their rights and to meet their responsibilities under the Human Rights Act. They will assist in developing best practice throughout the industry so nobody in New Zealand is unlawfully denied insurance.

For more information:
Email: infoline@hrc.co.nz
Freephone: 0800 496 877
TTY: 0800 150 111
Website: http://www.hrc.co.nz

05: Association for Supported Employment (ASENZ).

Audio CDs of the ASENZ Conference 2007 are available for purchase. The details of the current ASENZ Board have been published on the ASENZ website.

For more information:

Contact: Ian Harper, Executive Officer
Postal: PO Box 261 Whanganui Mail Centre. Whanganui 4540
Email: asenz@xtra.co.nz
Phone: 06 342 3899
Mobile: 027 457 4744
Website: http://www.asenz.org.nz

06: Workbridge Booklet "Your Guide to Support Funds".

Workbridge have published a free guide to Support Funds. To obtain copies of this booklet contact:

National Office, Workbridge, PO Box 2560, Wellington 6140.

For more information:

Website: http://www.workbridge.co.nz/support-funds/index.shtml

Part 2: Current consultations

07: Review of Health Practitioner Competence Assurance Act – closes 21 December 2007.

The Ministry of Health is reviewing the Health Practitioner Competence Assurance Act. The consultation document asks a number of questions about the operation of the Act. Submissions are invited. Submissions close 21 December 2007.

Email: hpca@moh.govt.nz
Website: http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/hpca-identification-issues-solutions-consultation-oct07

08: Review of Domestic Violence Act 1995 and Related Legislation 28 January 2008.

The Ministry of Justice is carrying out a review of the Domestic Violence Act 1995 and its related legislation to identify any changes that would make the legislation more effective.

The Domestic Violence Act is the core legislation providing protection to victims of family violence. Improving its operation is an essential part of the continuing focus on reducing family violence in New Zealand.

A discussion document has been prepared for public consultation, to consider issues and proposals to make the legislation more effective. Submissions close 28 January 2008.

For copies of the discussion document and more information:

Email: dvareview@justice.govt.nz
Phone: 04 918 8800
Fax: 04 494 9917
Website: http://www.justice.govt.nz/pubs/reports/2007/domestic-violence-act-review/index.html

09: Update of the New Zealand Transport Strategy - call for submissions on discussion paper 15 February 2008.

On 10 December 2007, the Ministry of Transport released “Sustainable Transport”, a discussion paper that is an important first step towards updating the New Zealand Transport Strategy. Its purpose is to set out the issues and propose a series of transport specific targets in the areas of sustainability, energy and climate change. Each section contains proposed targets and key discussion points.

The public is invited to comment to help the government determine the right approach to the objectives and the targets, how resources should be allocated, and what mix of policies will successfully deliver the vision in the New Zealand Transport Strategy. Submissions are due by 15 February 2008.

For more information:

Email: sustainabletransport@transport.govt.nz
Postal: Sustainable Transport, Ministry of Transport, PO Box 3179, Wellington 6140
Website: http://www.transport.govt.nz/update-of-the-new-zealand-transport-strategy-2/

Part 3: Sector News

10: Free interpreting service offered to Deaf Westpac customers in Queensland and New South Wales.

Westpac Australia has launched a pilot Australian Sign Language (Auslan) interpreter service in Queensland and New South Wales. The service offers free interpreting by appointment through the Deaf Society.

For more information:

Website: http://www.westpac.com.au/internet/publish.nsf/content/wicrcuas%20people%20with%20disabilities

11: Postgraduate Programme in Disability Studies, Massey University.

The Post Graduate Diploma in Disability Studies is being offered in 2008. This programme is taught extramurally (distance education) either full time or part time over 4 years. It focuses on the social and political aspects of disability as debated by disability scholars and activists.

Graduates in Disability Studies have gained employment as policy analysts in NASCs (Needs Assessment and Service Coordination agencies), disability services, education, social work, occupational therapy, advocacy, and in central and local government.

For more information:

Contact: Debbie Hill
Email: D.M.Hill@massey.ac.nz
Website: http://sspsw.massey.ac.nz/programmes/disabilitystudies.shtml.

Part 4: Events and conferences

Information about the following events and conferences can be found on the Office website: Events and conferences.

Conferences

• Bioethics Conference and Secondary Students Bioethics Mini-Conference, February 2008.
• 1 May 2008 - Ninth Global Forum on Bioethics in Research (GFBR9) - Call for Applications.

Events

• February – March 2008: Show Your Ability Travelling Equipment Roadshow