Key Messages

• The establishment of the portfolio of Minister for Disability Issues is valued by the disability sector and recognises the significance and place of people with disabilities in New Zealand society.
• The portfolio is based around the Minister’s advocacy role for people with disabilities.
• The ongoing development of the Minister’s relationship with the disability sector presents a number of challenges because of the different perspectives and different interests within the sector.
• The Office for Disability Issues has been established to provide policy advice to the Minister for Disability Issues. The Office is being set up through a staged process.
• The placement of the Office within the Ministry of Social Development fits well with the Ministry’s cross-sectoral strategic social policy role. It also meets sector demands for a broader approach to disability policy.
• The disability sector has a high level of expectation about the role and functions of the Office for Disability Issues. As a result building effective relationships within the sector is a key priority for the Office.

History of the portfolio

Prior to the 1999 General Election, no Minister or Ministry had overarching responsibility for disability issues. The portfolio of Minister for Disability Issues was established after that election. Hon Ruth Dyson, also the Associate Minister of Health with the delegation for disability support services, was appointed to the new portfolio in December 1999. Hon Lianne Dalziel held the position of Minister for Disability Issues from November 2000 to June 2001, and oversaw the launching of the New Zealand Disability Strategy in April 2001.

Roles and responsibilities of the Minister for Disability Issues

The New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act 2000 sets out specific duties for the Minister, in Part 2: Responsibilities of Minister, Section 8: Health and Disability Strategies. These are oriented around the preparation of a strategy for disability support services, “the New Zealand disability strategy”, to provide the framework for the Government’s overall direction for the disability sector and for improving disability support services. The legislation empowers the Minister to amend or replace that strategy at anytime. It also requires the Minister to:

• consult any organisations and individuals that the Minister considers appropriate, before determining the New Zealand disability strategy;
• report each year on progress in implementing the strategy; and
• make publicly available, and present to the House of Representatives, a copy of the strategy, or any amendment of it or replacement to it, and to report as soon as practicable after its determination or completion.

Major achievements

The major achievements of the portfolio so far have been the development of the New Zealand Disability Strategy (New Zealand Disability Strategy (NZDS) itself), and the development of an effective basis for liaison with the disability sector.

The New Zealand Disability Strategy (NZDS) was prepared over 2000-2001, following wide consultation with the disability sector, and was released in April 2001 by the Minister and the Prime Minister. The Minister provided the first progress report on the Strategy to Parliament in December 2001.

The widespread consultation with the disability sector during preparation of the New Zealand Disability Strategy (NZDS) helped develop good relationships with the sector. Ongoing liaison has continued through a regular Ministerial newsletter to disability-related organisations. In addition, the Minister’s advocacy role involves numerous community visits and meetings with representatives of the sector, and this has strengthened relationships. This personal contact is clearly valued by people with disabilities and disability sector organisations.

Response of the disability sector

The establishment of the portfolio of Minister for Disability Issues, and the achievement of the New Zealand Disability Strategy (NZDS), has enhanced government credibility with the sector. For example, in its 2000 annual report, the Assembly of People with Disabilities (DPA)1 reported a “changed environment” with the appointment of the Minister for Disability Issues and the subsequent development of the New Zealand Disability Strategy (NZDS). The report concluded:

It is important and heartening that the Government is now more cognisant of disability issues, and that we in turn are more able to contribute to government social policy on matters concerning disability.

In the consultation on the New Zealand Disability Strategy (NZDS), the disability sector demonstrated unanimity in supporting a human rights approach for people with disabilities and for their empowerment within society. However, the sector has traditionally been characterised by tensions between groups in pursuit of specific interests, including different views over who has the right to speak for the sector. These inherent tensions are likely to complicate the ongoing development of the Minister’s relationship with the sector.

Relationship with government agencies

The portfolio mandates the Minister to require all government departments to meet their responsibilities towards people with disabilities. Government departments recognise this requirement in relation to the New Zealand Disability Strategy (NZDS), with their commitment to provide annual plans and reports on progress in implementing the New Zealand Disability Strategy (NZDS) for their areas of responsibility.

This is reinforced by Cabinet requirements introduced in September 2001 that:

• where appropriate, Cabinet committee papers include a disability perspective;
• Ministers direct departmental Chief Executives to ensure that their staff are familiar with the vision, objectives and actions in the New Zealand Disability Strategy (NZDS); and
• officials consult the body co-ordinating policy on disability issues – now the Office for Disability Issues – at the earliest possible stage on papers being submitted to Cabinet committees in cases where the New Zealand Disability Strategy (NZDS) suggests a disability perspective would be desirable.

Establishment of the Office for Disability Issues

In March 2002, Cabinet agreed to the establishment, from 1 July 2002, of the Office for Disability Issues within the Ministry of Social Development, to provide policy advice to the Minister for Disability Issues. Prior to this date, the Ministry of Health, through its Disability Issues Directorate, provided services to the Minister for Disability Issues, including leading the development of the New Zealand Disability Strategy.

The placement of the Office within the Ministry of Social Development fits well with the Ministry’s cross-sectoral strategic social policy role. It also meets sector demands for a broader approach to disability policy that focuses on influencing the attitudes and behaviour of society and working towards the New Zealand Disability Strategy (NZDS) vision of a more inclusive society.

The Office for Disability Issues has its own identity and branding within the Ministry of Social Development. This includes its own website, at http://www.odi.govt.nz, which has been designed to achieve the highest level of accessibility for people with disabilities, especially for those with vision impairments.

An official launch of the Office by the Minister for Disability Issues is planned for September 2002, subject to the availability of the Minister. Representatives of a wide range of disability organisations will be invited to attend, as will other key stakeholders.

Status and role of an Office for Disability Issues

A formal agreement between the Minister for Disability Issues and the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Social Development specifies the services to be provided by the Office for Disability Issues. Because the Office is funded through Vote: Social Development, the Minister of Social Services and Employment co-signs the agreement.

A draft agreement has been prepared for Ministers’ consideration, which requires the Office to:

• lead and monitor the implementation of the New Zealand Disability Strategy;
• provide high level strategic policy advice and co-ordinate disability policy across government;
• provide policy advice to the Minister for Disability Issues on any disability-related policy or issue;
• provide ministerial services and support to the Minister for Disability Issues;
• maintain effective communication and relationships with the disability sector; and
• provide a first point of contact for government, disability sector organisations and individuals regarding disability issues.

Functions of the Office

The key functions to be undertaken by the Office, crucial for the successful implementation of government’s goals for disability policy, are:

• acting as lead agency for the implementation and development of the New Zealand Disability Strategy (NZDS);
• providing policy advice on disability issues, including leading the development of strategic and cross-sectoral disability-related policy advice; and
• supporting the Minister for Disability Issues.

The key deliverables relating to each of these three key functions are outlined in Appendix 1.

Capacity of the Office

The capacity of the Office will determine the extent to which it can carry out its functions. The achievement of the full range of the deliverables requires a resource of 10 full-time staff, as well as access to relevant expertise within the Ministry of Social Development.

The Office is being established within existing departmental baseline funding through a staged process. For its first year of operation, from 1 July 2002, the Office has six full-time staff to undertake high priority tasks immediately required by the Minister for Disability Issues. The annual work programme will be extended each year as the capacity of the Office increases.

The Ministry of Social Development is committed to resourcing the Office to its full capacity of 10 staff much sooner than the five year timeframe agreed by Cabinet. Work is currently under way to source the additional funding required. The current staffing resource and its expected resource when fully established are set out in the table below:

Number of Full Time Equivalent staff (FTEs)	2002/03	Fully established
Director	1	1
Senior policy analyst	1	2
Policy analyst	1	2
Graduate policy analyst	1	2
Communication and sector liaison	0.5	1
Administration	1	1
Secondee to Minister’s office	0.5	1
TOTAL	61	102

¹ Figures are based on FTEs assessed to undertake proposed work programme for 2002/03.
² Figures are based on FTEs assessed to undertake functions in Appendix 1.

In addition to its dedicated staff resource, the Office can access expertise such as monitoring, evaluation, research and communications assistance from the Ministry of Social Development. Its administration and overhead costs are minimised through the economies of scale available through being part of a larger corporate structure, including access to the Ministry’s extensive nationwide network of Work and Income service centres.

Work priorities

Lead agency for the New Zealand Disability Strategy (New Zealand Disability Strategy (NZDS))

The Minister is required to report annually on the New Zealand Disability Strategy (NZDS)’s implementation 2, and is also committed to conducting full reviews of progress after five and 10 years of its development (respectively, in 2006 and 2011). This means that ensuring progress on the implementation of the New Zealand Disability Strategy (NZDS) will be a critical function of the Office. The high level of expectation in the disability sector for progress in terms of the New Zealand Disability Strategy (NZDS) means strong performance in this area is essential.

Initially we will focus tightly on areas where there are significant early gains, while at the same time growing the capability and capacity of the Office. In a second phase, we will broaden this approach out to encompass all New Zealand Disability Strategy (NZDS) objectives.

In addition to reviewing progress on each departmental annual implementation plan, useful and meaningful ways of measuring overall progress towards the objectives in the strategy need to be developed. The Ministry of Health, in consultation with the Ministry of Social Development, the State Services Commission and the Treasury, has undertaken some preparatory work for this task. The Office will complete this important task in its first year of operation, assisted by Ministry of Social Development inhouse evaluation expertise.

Policy advice

The establishment of the Office addresses the current absence of a lead agency with responsibility for strategic and cross-sectoral disability policy. This role is essential for achieving the New Zealand Disability Strategy (NZDS) objectives, most of which rely on strong leadership and co-ordinated action across a variety of sectors.

For 2002/03, the proposed priority policy work is developing a framework to ensure that government-funded services and support for people with disabilities are provided in a coherent and equitable way. The framework will clarify the overall strategic direction for government-funded services and support for people with disabilities, and clarify responsibilities for ensuring this is maintained.

Preliminary work has been undertaken by the Ministry of Social Development for the Minister for Disability Issues, and Cabinet agreement to the development of the framework will need to be sought. The work will also include improving data collection across government agencies on the use of services and support, as well as improving information for clients on the availability of and ways to access services and support.

In addition to the cross-sectoral policy leadership role, the Office is responsible for providing input to policy development across the range of portfolio areas that may affect people with disabilities. Current issues of particular interest include transport, telecommunications and building codes. Other policy work items have been identified in discussions between the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Development. Information on key policy issues is detailed in Chapter 4.

Supporting the Minister for Disability Issues

The other key function of the Office is providing support to the Minister for Disability Issues. This involves drafting replies to ministerial correspondence, Parliamentary Questions and requests made under the Official Information Act. It also includes providing support for Select Committee activities and other machinery of government processes.

Another important task is preparing notes and briefings for the Minister’s speeches and sector visits.

The advocacy role of the Minister means that the effective management of Disability Issues ministerial correspondence is critical for developing and maintaining credibility with the sector and the public. Specialist staff within the Ministry of Social Development support the Office in providing services to the Minister. We will provide staff resource for the Minister’s office to ensure the support needs of the portfolio are met.

Priority tasks for the Office

The disability sector has high expectations of the Office for Disability Issues. The Director will manage these expectations while building the capacity and capability of the new Office. A proposed work programme for the Office identifies high priority issues that need to be progressed in 2002/03.

During the establishment of the Office, considerable effort will be made to develop and maintain effective relationships with the sector. Effective relationships will also be built with other government agencies to ensure that they recognise and are supported to fulfil their respective responsibilities regarding disability policy and issues.

Endnotes

1. The New Zealand Disability Strategy, developed with extensive input from the disability sector, uses the social model of disability. This approach is detailed in Chapter 4 of this briefing.
2. Refer to Chapter 3 for more detail.

For further information contact the Office for Disability Issues.