Part One: Office for Disability Issues and government news.
This is the Office's email update of 24 February 2010.
01: Message from Hon Tariana Turia, Minister for Disability Issues
One of the key areas in the New Zealand Disability Strategy is the commitment to promote opportunities for Māori experiencing disability to participate in their communities and access disability services.
In the last month a couple of initiatives have been launched, which I hope will help to support Māori disabled persons and their whānau in actively participating within their communities.
On Waitangi Day I introduced the two translations of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities into Māori, by the Office for Disability Issues; one the official English text and the other is an Easy Read version. I am really pleased that there is a te reo Māori version of the Convention, as this recognises the status of te reo Māori as an official language of Aotearoa. This is significant in supporting Māori disabled people's self determination which is a key concept enshrined in the Convention.
Having access to the Convention through the means of te reo Māori is part of our commitment to ensure that disabled people will able to independently find out about the Convention and their rights in a way that best meets their needs.
I have also been pleased to receive a report on Disability and Māori in New Zealand 2006, from the Office for Disability Issues. The report reminds us that much is to be done to ensure more Māori access disability support services, and more Māori are informed of what services and equipment they can receive. The data showed that the rate of disability is greater for Māori, and that Māori uptake of some disability supports lag behind that of non-Māori.
Another development that has occurred since the last newsletter, is that at the last meeting of the Ministerial Committee on 28 October 2009, we endorsed the establishment of a government agency Chief Executives Group to consider progress on disability Issues.
The next meeting of the Ministerial Committee takes place on 16 March 2010.
I am greatly looking forward to working with other Ministers to ensure that we take collaborative and cohesive action to improve the lives of disabled people.
Mauriora!
Na
Tariana
02: New guidelines for organisations to certify disability assist dogs
The Minister for Local Government Hon Rodney Hide announced the development of new guidelines for organisations to train and certify disability assist dogs. A disability assist dog is trained to help disabled people, and may enter and remain in places where other dogs are prohibited to go.
Hon Rodney Hide said" After talking with the Minister for Disability Issues, I can recommend new organisations to be authorised. This will help to ensure that people whose disabilities fall outside the scope of existing approved organisations can get a disability assist dog."
Minister for Disability Issues, Hon Tariana Turia welcomed the initiative.
For more information:
Contact: Danny Shaw, Regulatory Policy, Local Government and Community, Department of Internal Affairs
Phone 04 495 5703
Email: Danny.Shaw@dia.govt.nz
03: Children's Day – Sunday 7 March 2010
`Praise and encouragement' is the key theme for this year's Children's Day on Sunday 7 March 2010.
Children's Day is celebrated through events organised and hosted by local communities, and an activity kit and scrapbook have been produced to support children and families to have fun.
This year the activity booklet is available in Braille. Copies of this can be obtained from New Zealand Royal Foundation of the Blind resource centres throughout New Zealand.
It is expected that more than 200,000 children and families will be attending events, which is the 10th anniversary of Children's Day in New Zealand.
For more information:
Contact: Sue Lytollis, Manager Children's Day, Child, Youth and Family
Postal: PO Box 2620, Wellington
Phone: 04 918 9072
Email: givingtime@childrensday.org.nz
Fax: 04 499 2649
Website: www.childrensday.org.nz
Freephone: 0800 10 33 22
04: More volunteers needed for Disability Survey
Statistics New Zealand would like to thank everyone who has volunteered to help trial the Disability Survey. They appreciate the support from people from all over New Zealand who want to help Statistics NZ to improve this important survey.
Every five years, Statistics NZ surveys disabled people to collect important information that Government and community organisations use to make decisions that affect everyone living with a disability, including their families and carers.
However, more parents and caregivers are needed to help trial questions in the child version of the questionnaire.
If you are a parent or primary caregiver of a child aged up to 15 years who has a disability or impairment they would like to hear from you or colleagues or friends who might be able to help.
Someone from Statistics NZ can visit you, or you can come to their offices if you are in the Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch regions. The date and time will be arranged to suit you. The meeting will last about an hour, and vouchers are available to cover travel expenses.
All information you give will be kept confidential.
For more information:
Contact: Ninya Maubach:
Email: ninya.maubach@stats.govt.nz
Phone: 04 931 4172 or 0800 104 744 (ask for Ninya on ext 4172)
Toll free: 0508 525 525 (by voice or through NZ Relay)
05: Health and Disability Commissioner updates guidance for open disclosure policies
The Health and Disability Commissioner has revised the "Guidance on Open Disclosure Policies" as at December 2009. The guidelines now apply to a wider range of health and disability service providers, and reflect developments in the area of open disclosure.
For more information:
Contact: Julia Phillips, Executive Assistant to Chief Legal Advisor, Health and Disability Commissioner
Email: jphillips@hdc.org.nz
06: On Line application for Work and Income assistance
Most types of forms Work and Income assistance can now be applied for on line. You can go onto the website, enter your details and it will tell you what financial assistance you may be able to get, and then you can apply for it. You will still need to make an appointment to see a case manager.
This service has been available since October 2009 and feedback has been very positive. Over 7,000 applications have been completed so far.
Future development for the online services is:
- New Zealand Superannuation eligibility assessment being available later in 2010
- appointments made by clients with Work and Income via online
- a "My Account" operating, which will allow clients to view payments, debt balances and to change basic details such as phone numbers.