Part One: Office for Disability Issues and government news.

01: Message from Hon Tariana Turia, Minister for Disability Issues

The Ministerial Committee

Our meeting of the Ministerial Committee on Disability Issues on 18 May showed keen interest from Ministers and senior officials for government to step up its performance to improve disabled people's lives.

It was pleasing to hear Peter Hughes, Chief Executive of the Ministry of Social Development, report on meetings of the Chief Executives' Group on Disability Issues. As chair of that Group, Peter will attend each Ministerial Committee meeting.

The group is working with agencies to get a better co-ordinated work programme across government on disability issues. They also aim to identify where better action can be prioritised. As the Social Services Select Committee inquiry into the quality of care and service provision report noted in 2008, while there has been lots of activity by government agencies on disability issues, disabled people and their families say they are not experiencing significant improvement in their lives.

Budget initiatives

Ministers were pleased to note that Budget 2010 prioritised initiatives supporting disabled people.

These include three initiatives that will strength New Zealand's leadership role on disability issues. Over three years, funding is provided for:

• $1.5 million to help promote design standards for homes that are accessible over a person's lifetime
• $2.34 million to help promote, protect and monitor the rights of people with disabilities in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (involving the Human Rights Commission, the Ombudsmen, and disabled people's organisations)
• $3 million for a public awareness campaign to change attitudes and behaviours that limit opportunities of disabled people.

More information at:
www.odi.govt.nz/whats-happening/

Also, I was pleased to announce an extra $93 million for Health-funded disability support services over the next four years. This includes:

• $25.5 million for home and community support services
• $3.4 million for other disability support services
• $21 million for residential services for people with intellectual disabilities.
• $7.9 million for supported independent living.
• $2.7 million for respite care.

More information at:
www.beehive.govt.nz/release/93+million+more+disability+support+services

Other points of interest

Two other items, the Ministerial Committee discussed, show interesting and practical action happening to improve services for disabled people and families.

One is the Ministry of Health's new model for disability supports. It responds to several recommendations in the Government response to the Social Services Select Committee inquiry report, such as increasing disabled people's choice and control over disability supports, allowing more flexibility in how funding is allocated, and introducing a local area co-ordination type service.

The other is the Review of Special Education. We heard how there has been a large number of submissions received during the consultation round. Government will consider recommendations from the Review later this year.

The Ministerial Committee will be following both initiatives, and looking at how there can be more alignment and consistency in approaches for disability supports.

I am committed to having disabled people's organisation part of every Ministerial Committee meeting, where possible. At this meeting, we heard from disabled people's organisations who are leading a programme to monitor rights of disabled people (this is being funded as one of the Budget 2010 initiatives).

Read more about the monitoring rights of disabled people at:
www.odi.govt.nz/what-we-do/un-convention

Mauriora!

Na Tariana

02: Pasifika Church Disability Toolkit.

On 20 May 2010 the Lu'i Ola church disability toolkit was launched by the Minister for Pacific Island Affairs Hon. Georgina Te HeuHeu. The toolkit is to help Pacific churches include disabled people in the church community such as events, activities and church services.

An information manual, a training workbook and promotional materials as well as a DVD will all be part of the toolkit. Some of these resources will be translated into Pacific languages and the toolkit will be circulated to Pacific church communities in the Auckland region