Office for Disability Issues: Email Update

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

Part 1: Office for Disability Issues and government news

01: The Frozen Funds Charitable Fund launched

On 14 February 2008 the Minister for Disability Issues launched the Frozen Funds Charitable Trust.

The Trust has been created from the historic “Patient’s Recreation Fund”, which was a general fund created from the interest on individual institutionalised psychiatric and psychopaedic patient trust funds.

In the late 80s this practice was stopped, the funds frozen and interest returned to patients where possible. Over half of the interest money was returned to its owners in the early 1990s.

Substantial efforts were made to trace patients entitled to the interest money and claimants can still come forward.

Any final claims should be directed to:

Crown Health Financing Agency
Phone: 04 472 3310
Postal: PO Box 5358, Lambton Quay, Wellington

The Frozen Funds Charitable Trust Board has been set up to distribute the remaining money for projects run by and for people who use mental health or intellectual disability services. Four of the seven Trust Board members are consumers of mental health or intellectual disability services.

This year the Trust Board will distribute $300,000 to projects that will raise public awareness of the legacy of institutionalisation.

Applications must be received by the Public Trust before 31 March 2008. The application forms can be downloaded from www.frozenfunds.co.nz or requested from the Public Trust.

For more information:
Cheryl Mennie, Public Trust Special Business
Email: Cheryl.mennie@publictrust.co.nz
Phone: 04 978 4558 or 0800 371 471
Postal: PO Box 5067, Wellington, New Zealand

Part 2: Current consultations

02: Update of the New Zealand Transport Strategy - call for submissions by 29 February 2008

The Ministry of Transport is seeking submissions on priorities and targets for the transport sector to 2040. A discussion document is available, which you can access and use to make your feedback. The deadline for submissions is 29 February 2008.

The proposed outcomes and targets are based on the objectives of the New Zealand Transport Strategy. This Update will:

• provide direction for the transport sector until 2040 in the context of the government’s sustainability agenda and other government strategies in the areas of energy and energy efficiency
• translate that direction into high-level targets for the transport sector and intermediate targets for sub-sectors (air, sea, road, vehicle fleet, rail, freight, public transport, walking and cycling) to help achieve the high-level targets
• provide clearer guidelines for decisions about funding allocations
• contain an action plan, including accountabilities for actions, reflecting how we intend to reach the transport targets.

Each section contains proposed targets and key discussion points. Your responses to them will 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.

Also, the Human Rights Commission has released an issues paper on human rights in the Update of the New Zealand Transport Strategy.

More information:
Ministry of Transport discussion paper and submission form
Human Rights Commission issues paper

Part 3: Sector News

03: Building Human Rights Communities in Education Initiative Seminar, 21 February 2008, Wellington

Katherine Covell and Brian Howe, authors of “Empowering Children: Children's Rights Education as a Pathway to Citizenship”, will be speaking at the Centre for Global Action (James Smith Building, Corner Cuba & Manners Streets, Wellington) at 3 – 5pm, 21 February 2008. The authors contend that educating children on their rights empowers children as persons and as rights-respecting citizens.

For more information:
Contact: Rachel Lange, Project Officer, Building Human Rights Communities in Education
Email: racheldlange@gmail.com
Mobile: 021 1174893
Website: http://www.rightsined.org.nz/

Part 4: Events and conferences

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

• Show Your Ability Travelling Equipment Roadshow February-March 2008.
• Association for Supported Employment New Zealand (ASENZ) training courses 2008.
• Australian Albinism Conference 5-6 April 2008.
• Imagine Better 2008 Events Calendar.
• Public Health Association of New Zealand Conference Waitangi 2-4 July 2008.
• Sign Language Interpreters Association of New Zealand Inc. Conference 12-13 July 2008, Auckland.
• Autism New Zealand’s 2008 Conference: Making the Connections: Christchurch 12-14 September 2008.