Review of the New Zealand Sign Language Act
This section has information about the review of the New Zealand Sign Language Act 2006, undertaken over 2010 to 2011. You can watch videos with NZSL on the review.
Report of the NZSL Act review
In October 2011, the Minister for Disability Issues released a report on findings and recommendations from the review of the NZSL Act 2006.
You can read:
- the Cabinet paper on the review
- the review report.
A summary of key findings and decisions of the review is available. You can also watch the summary in NZSL.
Read about how the review was carried out over 2010 to 2011
We are keen to receive submissions from Deaf people, their families or whānau, as well as organisations and providers. The success of the review depends on you telling us how the Act is working. You can provide your feedback by attending a meeting, or send in your feedback 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).
You need to send your submission to the Office for Disability Issues by Monday 11 April 2011.
Follow the links below to find out how to make your submission, questions on the review we want your feedback on, and read a message from the Minister for Disability Issues, Hon Tariana Turia. Information is also available as videos with NZSL.
Common questions about the review
Read some questions and answers about what the review is about, why it is happening, who is involved, how it is being carried out and when it will be finished.
Minister Turia announces the review - April 2010
On 30 April 2010, Minister Turia released a video statement announcing that the review will happen. The video has NZSL interpretation, captioning and audio. The text of the Minister's statement follows:
Hello I'm Tariana Turia, the Minister for Disability Issues. This week we are celebrating New Zealand Sign Language week and I am taking this opportunity to announce a review of the New Zealand Sign Language Act 2006.
The review will assess how government agencies are implementing the aims of the Act and suggest improvements that may be needed.
Whether it is about cervical screening, assistance for young people or a civil defence announcement all government services, information or public announcements should be accessible to the Deaf community and that may include the use of New Zealand Sign Language.
The review will also look at how well the right to use New Zealand Sign Language in legal proceedings is being realised, the progress on the development of training standards and competencies of New Zealand Sign Language interpreters and the extent to which government agencies are consulting with the Deaf community about the use of New Zealand Sign Language.
The Office for Disability Issues will be involving Deaf people in planning the review prior to the consultation happening with the Deaf community, interpreters and other interested people.
It is vital to make the Act work for the Deaf community. I look forward to the findings of the review and will report back to Parliament later this year in 2010.
My colleague Minster Wong, on the third of May, will be joining others to learn some basic phrases in sign language at the Turnbull House, in Wellington. She will then join the `line of Signers' outside Lambton Quay and demonstrate what she has learnt.
We want to encourage all New Zealanders to participate in the week in any way that they can. Kia ora.