Have your say into the review of the New Zealand Sign Language Act

Closing date for submissions for the NZSL Act review has been extended

Due to the earthquake in Christchurch the Office has extended the closing date for submissions for the NZSL Act review. The new closing date is Monday 11 April 2011 for all of New Zealand.

Message from Hon Tariana Turia, Minister for Disability Issues

Tena koto katua. Nga mihi o te tau hou. As Minister for Disability Issues I want to tell you about the next steps we are taking to review the New Zealand Sign Language Act and invite you to take part.

The Act was passed in 2006 and made New Zealand Sign Language New Zealand's third official language. It also guaranteed the right for Deaf people to use it in legal proceedings. It set some principles to guide government agencies when interacting with Deaf people, particularly when providing services and information. The review will cover each of these areas.

I want to know what is working well and what has changed as a result of the Act.  I also want to know as part of the review if any changes to the content or coverage of the Act are necessary or desirable. I would like you to participate by providing feedback into the review to share with me the experiences of Deaf people. 

Has making New Zealand Sign Language an official language made a difference? Can Deaf people use it in legal proceedings and are competent interpreters provided for that purpose? Have government departments reduced communications barriers experienced by Deaf people?

The Office for Disability Issues is leading the review and Jan Scown, the Director of the Office, will explain the areas of the Act and present questions on each area.

During February, you can provide your feedback by attending a meeting, or send in your feedback via email, fax or post to the Office for Disability Issues. You can use New Zealand Sign Language to send your submission in on a DVD or through You Tube.

Deaf Aotearoa will be holding meetings throughout February to assist us. These meetings will be held at the local Deaf Club or somewhere Deaf people gather. Check with Deaf Aotearoa for when a meeting will be held in your area.

I want to thank you in advance for your contribution and participation. You can provide feedback up to Monday 28 February 2011.

Your feedback, and the comments of government agencies, will then be reviewed.  I expect to present the findings of the review to Parliament in May 2011, during New Zealand Sign Language Week.

Thank you for your participation. Kia ora.

Review and Questions

Hello I am Jan Scown, Director of the Office for Disability Issues. I will tell you about the review of the Act and questions for you to answer. After that I will explain how you can participate and provide feedback.

The review of the Act is about two things, as stated in the Act itself.

These are:

• how well the Act has been operating and
• whether there needs to be any changes to the Act - either to its content or to what it covers.

As part of reviewing the Act we are seeking feedback from the public during the month of February. The closing date is Monday 28 February 2011. The same questions that are on this video are also on the Office for Disability Issues website, along with our contact details. Our website is at www.odi.govt.nz.

I will now take you through the Act and as I cover each section I will pose the questions to assist you to provide feedback.

The Act is very clear that its purpose is to promote and maintain the use of New Zealand Sign Language. The Act seeks to do this in four ways.

Firstly: the Act made New Zealand Sign Language New Zealand's third official language.

Question One.

• How successful has its recognition as an official language been in promoting New Zealand Sign Language?

Question Two.

• What are some examples?

Secondly: The Act guaranteed Deaf people the right to use New Zealand Sign Language and the provision of competent interpreters in legal proceedings.

This right covers any court, some tribunals, and any commission of inquiry and applies to any Deaf person whether they be a party, witness, legal counsel, or court official, or any other person with the leave of the Court.

Question Three.

• How successful has the Act been in ensuring NZSL is used in legal proceedings when a Deaf person is involved?

Question Four.

• What examples do you know of where the use of NZSL has been allowed or not allowed?

Question Five.

• Is there anything else needed, or that could be done differently, to ensure this right?

The right to have a NZSL interpreter provided at other stages of the criminal justice process, including police interviews, pre-court meetings and in corrections settings is provided for by the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act.

Question Six.

• What examples do you know of where NZSL has been used or not in these situations?

Question Seven.

• Was a NZSL interpreter provided free of charge?

Thirdly: The Act set up a power for the Government to make regulations, such as stipulating the standard required of New Zealand Sign Language interpreters in legal proceedings.

This power has not been used to make regulations.  Instead, the Ministry of Justice issued instructions that the NZSL interpreters to be used must, as a minimum, have a Diploma in Sign Language Interpreting or equivalent overseas qualification, and two years post-graduate interpreting experience.

Question Eight.

• How successful has this been in ensuring that a competent NZSL interpreter is used?

Fourthly: The Act states principles to guide government agencies in the use of New Zealand Sign Language.

This means information and other communications for the public should be provided in New Zealand Sign Language, where it is reasonable for the government agencies to do so. Agencies are expected to report on the progress they are making on this.

Question Nine.

• How well are government departments using New Zealand Sign Language to tell people about government services?

Question Ten.

• What is your experience of being able to access government services or information in NZSL?

Question Eleven.

• Do you think that government agencies have increased their use of NZSL to promote their services and make information publically available since the Act came into force?

Fifthly we have a question about the scope.

Question Twelve.

• Does there need to be any changes to the Act - either to its content or to what it covers?

That completes the questions.

How you can provide your feedback

You can provide your feedback into the review of the NZSL Act. by:

• attending a meeting, and/or
• send in your feedback using the submission form via email, fax or post.

You can use NZSL by sending a video of your submission (such as on a DVD or through a link to YouTube - but don't email your video).

Submission form

Send your feedback

Feedback should be clearly marked ‘NZSL Act Review' and include your name, or organisation name, and contact details.

It should be sent:

• by post:  

NZSL Act Review
Office for Disability Issues
P O Box 1556
Wellington 6140

• by email: odi@msd.govt.nz   (your Word document, or text in your email, or link to a video clip - but not your video clip)
• by fax: 04 918 0075.

Remember, the last day for submissions is Monday 11 April.