DPA New Zealand

Bites: June and July 2002

 

Social Policy

DPA believes that all Government policy must incorporate the principles of: equality of access, effective participation, and economic independence.

MSD takes over Disability Issues

The new Office for Disability Issues to be established within the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) on 1 July 2002 must not become a "white elephant", says DPA chief executive, Gary Williams.

Disability Issues Minister Ruth Dyson and Social Services and Employment Minister Steve Maharey have announced that the new office will take over disability issues from the Ministry of Health. It will give policy advice on disability issues, lead the government's implementation and monitoring of the New Zealand Disability Strategy, and report directly to the Minister for Disability Issues.

Six full-time staff will be employed initially, expanding to 10 full-time staff over the next five years.

This move brings to fruition a concept advocated by DPA for years — to separate the government administration of disability issues from that of health. Even so, DPA has some concerns about how the new office will fit within government.

DPA supports the concept of having a policy advice unit outside of health to deal with "whole of government" disability issues, Gary Williams says. But we don't want the disability unit to be a white elephant because its staff hasn't the prerequisite knowledge.

Similarly, DPA does not wish to see the office becoming ineffectual because it is submerged by other sections of the large Social Development Ministry. We don't want its ability to be limited because it is buried within MSD.

MSD has been recently advertising for staff for the new office. Gary Williams believes a pre-requisite knowledge of disability issues is more important and necessary than the case for employing bureaucrats in the positions as he says, DPA expects everybody who is going to work on disability issues to have demonstrable and credible knowledge.

Disabled people have been on an endless journey of educating new people on disability issues for time immemorial. We are tired of teaching "Disability Issues 101" so it would delight us greatly if we could be confident that the people informing the Government, are well-informed themselves.

DPA has been invited to provide a representative on the MSD panel interviewing applicants for roles in the Office for Disability Issues. We are hoping that the new office will be successful and credible. It's a positive move in the right direction but that we think the concept needs a legislative framework.

DI Office will have new "brand"

The Ministry of Social Development is "very excited" about taking on the establishment of the new Office for Disability Issues, according to chief media advisor, Bronwyn Saunders.

She said that in a communication to staff, MSD chief executive, Peter Hughes, had described the establishment of the Disability Issues office within MSD as great news for the organisation as it demonstrates the government's confidence in MSD as a social sector leader.

She said that the new office would have its own "brand" and that it was hard to defend criticism of the office before it had even been established or appointed a director. We are very excited about having this new function. We are committed to making it work.

New Office "cross-sectoral" approach

The new Office for Disability Issues will address the long-standing need for a cross-sectoral approach to disability issues, Disability Issues Minister, Hon Ruth Dyson says.

For years, the disability sector has been concerned about the inappropriate placement of all disability issues in a health context. People with disabilities face barriers in many areas, including education, employment, housing, transport and social services.

The new office will provide strong leadership and co-ordinated action across all sectors. It will support government departments in their efforts to implement the New Zealand Disability Strategy, and monitor their progress. It will also work closely with the disability sector, both during the setting-up phase and in the development of its work programmes.

The Disability Issues Directorate (within the Health Ministry) has done a great job getting the disability strategy up and running. It will have a close relationship with the new office, but will now be able to focus on its core area of responsibility, disability support services.

Meanwhile, Social Services and Employment Minister Steve Maharey believes the new office is a positive extension of the Ministry of Social Development's work, which will raise the profile of disability issues across government.

Challenge in ageing population

Though Dr Cullen resisted the pressure to have a pre-election spending spree, there is now $400 million more in funding going into district health boards.

And Dr Cullen said funding an ageing population will be the biggest challenge for the future.

He said emphasis during the past three years had been on establishing the building blocks to deal with that future challenge while also:

Social services spending aimed at work

Disabled people wanting vocational services and job support won a funding boost of $27.31 million from this year's government spending programme, announced on 6 May as part of the budget package.

Greater participation in the workforce is being encouraged with funding aimed at increasing the participation of people with disabilities in paid employment and in their communities.

Some $24.58 million will go to implementing the Pathways to Inclusion vocational services strategy, phased in over the next four years in chunks: $1.06 million in the first year; $2.35 million in year two, $9.28 million in the third year; $11.89 million in the fourth year and thereafter.

The government aims to reduce disparities in service provision to groups under-represented in current vocational services, including Maori with disabilities, Pacific people with disabilities, people living in rural areas, and those experiencing psychiatric disability.

Strengthening and improving existing vocational services will be the focus of the next two years. More emphasis will be on developing additional services after that, Disability Issues Minister Ruth Dyson said.

Total package $223 million

A total package of $223 million over four years is being allocated to enhance the quality and availability of social services in the community. A range of initiatives will address disincentives to entering the workforce, provide subsidies for out-of-school care, and payments to beneficiaries moving into employment to ensure that there is no discontinuity in income during the transition.

$2.72 million to repeal Disabled Employment Act

Repealing the unacceptable and inappropriate Disabled Persons Employment Promotion Act 1960, and revising the under-rate workers permit system, will cost the government $2.73 million.

Long criticised by DPA, the act has in the past meant many people with disabilities have not received fair treatment in their workplace. Among the grievances, the act has exempted sheltered workplaces from providing minimum wage and holiday entitlements for their workers.

When the act is repealed says Disability Issues Minister Ruth Dyson, people with disabilities in an employment relationship will have the same rights as everyone else.

Budget snapshots

More July Bites:

Bites: June and July 2002 Index | Human Rights | Research | Employment News | Social Policy | News | Disability Services

 

Want to know more?

If you need more information from the DPA National Secretariat on any item in Bites simply phone / ITTY us on (04) 801-9100, fax your request to (04) 801-9565, send it email: gen@dpa.org.nz, or to DPA (New Zealand) Inc, PO Box 27-524, Wellington or check our website www.dpa.org.nz