December Bites
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
We are finally at the end of 2003. What a great year it has been starting with the Youth Leadership Development Programme camp in Hanmer Springs, and ending with the National Assembly in Whakatane. And in between, a flurry of activity.
In this edition of DPA Bites, you will find a report on the National Assembly. But the day just didn't happen. It was the culmination of months of hard work by Beverley Grammer and her team. My thanks to them for pulling it all together so that everything (at least from the outside) ran smoothly.
As for the business session, every year the debating seems to get more and more robust. As we embark on our twenty second year of activity, our maturity as an organisation is just staggering. It wasn't many years ago that we seemed to be pre-occupied with how the t's were crossed and how the i's were dotted in the Constitution. Now we are talking about issues. The challenge now is to raise the bar even more and engage in issues like genetic engineering, or even the fundamental issue of the right to be born with an impairment.
Such issues though can wait for another day. Now is the time to reflect on what has been, take a break and prepare for everything that 2004 has to offer.
Lorraine, Wendi, Robert and I thank you for all that you have done for us, in the Secretariat, this year. We hope that you have a great Christmas and New Year break and we look forward to working with you next year.
Gary Williams
DPA Chief Executive
Business progressed and DPA's 21st birthday celebrated
On Saturday 15 November 2003 DPA held a very successful National Assembly in the War Memorial Hall, Whakatane.
About seventy five people attended from all over New Zealand. Most stayed late into the evening to celebrate DPA's 21st birthday by attending a dinner and dance.
The National Assembly
The assembly began with a Powhiri by Pouroto Ngaropo to welcome all delegates. Beverley Grammer, President of Whakatane DPA introduced Colin Hammond, Mayor of Whakatane, who welcomed all delegates to the Whakatane District.
The Minister for Disability Issues, Ruth Dyson then spoke about the Government's progress on disability issues during the last year. (A summary of her speech follows later in the issue).
After the acceptance of the 2002 national assembly minutes and the confirmation of the president's report, the annual report, auditor's report and the setting of subscriptions for the coming year, Gary Williams (CEO) announced newly elected National Executive Committee (NEC) members.
They are: President Mike Gourley, Vice-President Marion Wellington and committee members: David Corner (Dunedin), Beverley Grammer (Whakatane), Huhana Hickey (National Maori Advisor), Anna Jameson (Dunedin) and Wendy Randall (Wellington). They join Past-President Bill Wrightson (Wellington), Linda Beck (Christchurch), Chris Ford (Dunedin), Lorna Sullivan (Tauranga), Ken Talbot (Timaru) and Dot Wilson (Invercargill).
The new President, Mike Gourley, spoke briefly about his aims and objectives for his term. (An interview with Mike is in this issue of DPA Bites)
Remits
During the next part of the meeting new proposals were put forward and after robust discussion the following summary of remits were passed.
1. The National Assembly encourages the NEC to use co-option to support the development of people with an intellectual disability over the next five years. Regions are also encouraged to mentor people with an intellectual disability onto local committees. The NEC is also encouraged to look at the co-option clause in the constitution to support other underrepresented groups at the national level.
2. That DPA work to ensure post secondary education and training providers not receiving the special supplementary grant (SSG) for tertiary students with disabilities, are welcoming, meeting the needs, and recognising the rights of disabled students. And that DPA lobbies Government for better resourcing to ensure our needs are met.
3. That DPA actively involve the whole family and whanau on issues affecting disabled children and youth, and disabled parents. Collaboration initially is focused on: education issues, and the flexibility of the disability support system, and NASC (Needs Assessment and Service Coordination) agencies.
4. That DPA's policy reflects the relationship between disabled people and their families and whanau through the formation of a working party to consider and recommend changes to DPA's policy and procedures to reflect: The relationship between disabled people and their families and whanau, DPA's relationships with the disabled community including families, whanau and unpaid carers, and with the disability sector including service providers, funders and policymakers. These changes are to be implemented as they arise, or if they are deemed contentious they will be brought to the 2004 AGM for resolution.
5. That DPA lobby to ensure there are greater requirements for provision of accessible housing in the new Building Act and the New Zealand Housing Strategy.
6. That DPA give guidance to Workbridge in respect of the remit adopted about Workbridge in 2001: that the Workbridge Council be made up of a majority of disabled people and if outcomes reflecting the valuing of disabled people cannot be delivered in three years, DPA nominees to the Council advocate the closure of Workbridge.
7. That the DPA conference and AGM have specific workshops, or sections for the corporate members of DPA.
8. That DPA recommend to Government the free provision and maintenance of hearing apparatus for all those who suffer a loss of hearing.
DPA's Youth Policy
The following Youth Policy, presented by Beverley Grammer and Josiah Hickey, was adopted:
DPA believes young people, irrespective of disability, can grow and learn. The years as children and adolescents should be fun, giving a positive self-identity and allow what is necessary to lead full and active lives.
Therefore, DPA supports and advocates that:
1. The needs and aspirations of disabled young people are included in any report/legislation/ delegation relating to young people generally.
2. Accommodation options be developed to allow young disabled people to live as they choose.
3. Opportunities exist for disabled young people to explore and promote their positive self-identity.
4. Disabled young people have the right to participate in the decisions made about their lives and have control over their lives.
5. Disabled young people receive age appropriate and meaningful education and information on sexuality and relationships. And all mainstream sexuality and relationship programmes include our needs and perspectives.
6. All agencies that support young people, work collaboratively to ensure their services are accessible, appropriate and welcoming to disabled young people and their families.
7. Disabled young people are given opportunities and encouraged to take dignified risks.
8. There is an improvement in support to disabled young people during transition between early childhood education, primary school, secondary school, tertiary education and employment/vocational options.
9. Violence or risk of abuse towards young people be eliminated.
10. Young people have access to positive role models.
11. Suicide prevention programmes meet the specific needs and deal with the identity issues of disabled young people particularly in view of the high rate of suicide amongst disabled young people.
After the DPA Youth policy was accepted by those present Pouroto Ngaropo closed the meeting with a Karakia.
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Nathan Bond, DPA Youth Coordinator (left) and Josiah Hickey at the after assembly dinner |
And the party began ...
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Wendy Neilson on the left and Huhana Hickey |
.....starting with a few drinks, and then dinner and a few more drinks
From left: Marion Wellington, David Beck and at the end of the table David Corner.
From left: George Hannah, Carla Hammond, Adrian Wellington and Mike Gourley.
....the 21st birthday cake was cut
Carla Hammond, the Mayoress of Whakatane presents a twenty first birthday key to Bev Grammer,
President of DPA Whakatane and Gary Williams CEO
.....and there was earnest, not so
earnest discussion, and dancing
From left: Dot Wilson and Linda Beck
Mike Gourley new DPA President is pictured sitting on the right of CEO Gary Williams.
They are talking to Tony and Shirley Hazelwood.
New DPA President
At the DPA National Assembly it was announced that Mike Gourley was elected unopposed as the new DPA President.
Mike, a member of DPA for 18 years, says DPA has come a long way since it was created 21 years ago. He says this is an exciting time for the organisation because DPA is now recognised by Government as a leading voice for disabled people.
Mike says, "I think the most important challenge for us right now is to make sure the New Zealand Disability Strategy is embedded in all areas of New Zealand life. I think the principle of inclusion and participation, so central to the Strategy, needs to be promoted as a society-wide vision."
"I also think an important part of DPA's work in the next few years will be to build strong alliances across the sector." Mike emphasises DPA is not the lone voice. He welcomes the launch of People First saying it's great to see people with an intellectual disability taking a leadership role. He says DPA should be a forum where everybody in the sector can air their views, and where agreement can be reached on what we can all take a stand.
"It is vitally important that different organisations have their own autonomy but are able to come together and put their weight behind issues DPA can put forward as the disability sector umbrella group.
"We can do it. We have done it and we will continue to do it,"he says.
"DPA is staunch," says Minister
Before the business meeting started the Honourable Ruth Dyson addressed the assembly. The following are excerpts taken from her speech.
"In the last four years, we have made huge strides. We have:
a Minister for Disability Issues.
the New Zealand Disability Strategy giving us a vision and framework for action, and
the Office for Disability Issues operating out of a social development ministry, with a broad, cross-sectoral approach to disability issues.
Office for Disability Issues
The office has already reached its full complement of 10 staff (which was our five-year goal).
This year it has been working alongside each of the thirty seven government departments and agencies to help them develop more comprehensive plans to implement the disability strategy and ways to measure their activities
. Other work the office is involved in includes developing a disability perspective policy framework for government agencies, to ensure they consider and address the impacts of any legislation, policy, programme or decision on people with disabilities.
In line with objective five of the strategy - fostering leadership by people with disabilities - it is also looking at ways to involve representatives of the disability sector in the provision of advice on an ongoing basis.
Key announcements
During the last three years, a number of key policy announcements have made a difference to the lives of people with disabilities.
From left: Jan Scown, Director, Office Disability Issues, Chris Hansen, Chairperson National Advisory Group for Like Minds, Like Mine Campaign and Ruth Harrison, CEO, Workbridge.
Kimberley
One of these is the decision to close the Kimberley Centre in Levin. The first residents have begun the move into the community, 50 are expected to move by Christmas.
To Have an Ordinary Life
The inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities in our communities has come under scrutiny in a National Health Committee report, To Have an Ordinary Life, released in September. The title of the report sums up its findings. At the moment many do not have the opportunities that most of us take for granted.
The report provides clear recommendations of what needs to be done. It points out that support must be provided in a way that is empowering and focuses on each individual's life and their aspirations. A whole-of-government approach is needed, and change requires everyone to work together - the government, people with an intellectual disability and their families and whanau, service providers and communities.
People First
One group that has always been passionate about the rights of people with intellectual disabilities is the national self-advocacy group, People First.
People First has now set itself up as an independent organisation, with seeding funding and support from IHC. This is a courageous and challenging move for all concerned, and a sign of the growing strength of the self-advocacy movement.
Vocational services
The government's new direction for vocational services, Pathways to Inclusion, is another landmark for people with disabilities, signalling a new employment focus for vocational services.
It includes the repeal of the Disabled Persons Employment Promotion Act, which will remove sheltered workshop exemptions from the Minimum Wage Act and Holidays Act. Final policy papers are due for sign-off, and legislation will be introduced soon.
Government agencies have already begun working with providers to make the transition to the new environment. New funding is becoming available, with the latest increase amounting to $2.35 million from July 2003. This rises to more than $9 million next year and to nearly $12 million the year after.
Other work
Work is going on in many other areas as well, including:
the IHC-led campaign to ensure that Building Industry Authority fire safety standards for community housing do not discriminate against people with disabilities 7 From left: Jan Scown, Director, Office Disability Issues, Chris Hansen, Chairperson National Advisory Group for Like Minds, Like Mind Campaign and Ruth Harrison, CEO, Workbridge.
the review of the Building Act
equity and coherence across government funded support for people with disabilities
payments for family caregivers
the New Zealand Sign Language Bill
the telephone relay service
passing the Intellectual Disability (Compulsory Care) Bill
the Auckland mayoral forum on disability issues - they wanted me!
Statistics NZ's decision to include a disability question in the next Census, provided there is funding for a follow-up survey
the Human Rights Commission's Plan of Action for Human Rights, and
the Workbridge/ACC mainstream review of support funds (and I want to congratulate Ruth Harrison for her work in this area).
Other Major issues
In each portfolio area, I have a list of disability issues on which I am looking to make significant progress. The list is long but, I believe, achievable. It includes the issues I have already talked about, and a number of others as well.
Education
Education is a key priority.
The 2003 Budget included additional funding of $2.8 million for tertiary students with disabilities. That includes increasing the Special Supplementary Grants and new arrangements for provision of accessible format materials for people with sight impairments. We are also developing a Code of Practice to support people with disabilities in tertiary education - and I want to commend the leadership and drive of ACHIEVE in this regard.
The latest disability survey tells us that about eleven per cent of children with disabilities have not always been able to enrol at the school of their choice. There are a number of reasons for this, including the school being unwelcoming, and special services and equipment not being available.
None of these reasons are good enough, and we will work to uphold the right (and provide the necessary support) for all children to attend their local school.
This work will be supported by a ground-breaking research project on children's experiences at school being carried out by the Donald Beasley Institute and the Children's Issues Centre with a $500,000 grant from the Marsden Fund.
Five Dunedin-based researchers are following eighteen children for three years as they make the important transition from primary to secondary school. Nine of the children have a range of intellectual and physical disabilities. They are matched according to age, gender, ethnicity and the schools they attend with nine children without disabilities.
The study is a first, in looking at this age group, and because it focuses on the children's perspective of their experiences. The results will be published widely so that teachers can learn from the findings and schools can become more inclusive for children with disabilities.
Accessible transport
This is a key issue for the independence and participation of people with disabilities. Early this year, Transfund increased its financial assistance for replacement taxi wheelchair hoists from 40 per cent to 60 per cent. This rate is to apply retrospectively from 1 July 2002 until 30 June 2004.
The Minister of Transport, Transfund, and I have written to regional councils to encourage them to take up the offer and cover the difference in the cost of the hoists.
At least 25 of the nearly 130 hoist-equipped vans throughout New Zealand are not expected to pass upcoming inspections, so it is critical that the hoists are replaced to ensure the service continues.
Transfund is currently reviewing its funding policy for Passenger Transport Social Services, which includes Total Mobility. This review, due to be completed by the end of the year, will address the provision of long-term sustainable funding for taxi wheelchair hoists.
Transport Inquiry
The Human Rights Commission has also set up a national inquiry into the accessibility of public land transport for people with disabilities.
While many improvements to accessibility of towns and vehicles, like low floor buses, are being made to accommodate a range of people's mobility needs, much still remains to be done. Lack of accessible public transport is still one of the main barriers preventing people with disabilities from participating fully in our communities.
From April next year, the commission will be holding public hearings to ensure that people with disabilities are closely involved, not just in identifying problems but, most importantly, in developing solutions.
International
In the international arena, the government has agreed that New Zealand will contribute actively to the development of a United Nations convention to protect and promote the rights of people with disabilities. The Office for Disability Issues will coordinate New Zealand's input, in partnership with people with disabilities.
A New Zealand delegation - which included representatives of the Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Human Rights Commission, and disabled people - participated in a meeting about the convention at the United Nations in New York in June. Congratulations to Gary, Dave and Robyn for your contribution to this process.
New Zealand took a very active role, and was commended for its leadership, including being awarded the "Disability Awareness Badge of Honour" on three occasions by non-government organisations attending the meeting.
We have recently been accepted onto the working group, which will meet in January to draft the text of the proposed convention. The government will be represented by Jan Scown, director of the Office for Disability Issues. Another New Zealander, Robert Martin, has been selected by Inclusion International to participate as a NGO representative.
Partnership
Two further issues that have my full support are:
partnership arrangements for developing contracts, as in the process established for developing home care contracts in the lower North Island; and
consumer/client input into auditing of services.
I believe that it is essential for the ‘status' of people with disabilities who receive health and disability services that they have the right to have a say in decisions about their service providers and in auditing those services, and that these principles are entrenched in both policy and practice.
DPA - 21st year
Four years ago when I became the Minister for Disability Issues, I offered to work in partnership with DPA there is only one word to describe your organisation, and that is "staunch".
I appreciate our regular meetings - the professional and considered discussions we have.
I want to express my personal appreciation to Gary, Wendi and Bill.
I want to pay a special tribute to Bill as your outgoing president, and welcome Mike Gourley as the incoming president.
I also want to acknowledge Verona Moynihan, a life member of DPA, who last year earned a New Zealand Honour. This was well-deserved.
I can assure you that I will continue to maintain an open and direct dialogue on disability issues. I appreciate the support and the challenges that the movement offers. I have enjoyed meeting those challenges and sharing many victories. We have many more to come.
In future, we have some incremental changes to make, some structural changes and some big policy moves. A combination of all of the above is needed to achieve our vision of an inclusive society, and to ensure that we do make a world of difference.
Thank you, and happy birthday!
Launch of People First
People with an intellectual disability throughout the country celebrated the launch of their own advocacy organisation, People First, at Parliament in mid-October.
At the moment CEO Bernadette Moses (Ngatiawa/ Tuhoe) and other DPA members are delivering workshops about People First to service users, other than IHC, around the country.
Members advocate for good services, for people to be treated with respect, and to have the right to be included in communities.
In April 2003, People First NZ was incorporated. Groups meet in six regions three to four times a year to discuss issues and elect their regional representatives. The regional presidents form the national committee that governs the incorporated society.
The People First national office is in Wellington. CEO Bernadette Moses says "People First have had really good support from other disability groups such as DPA, the Ministry of Health, IHC and other disability service providers. The McKenzie Trust and Lottery Welfare have also helped with funding.
"It's been great having a like-minded organisation like DPA just along the corridor from us here at national office. They have made us feel like we are just part of the family. Having Wendi and Gary around, with all their experience, has been fantastic for us as we begin our independence. Lorraine has also been great. She has allowed us to use many of her office resources, like contact details, and she has given us lots of administrative advice."
People First CEO Bernadette Moses
History of People First
Historically parents always advocated on behalf of people with intellectual disabilities. They formed the first service provider, IHC, in 1949. Then IHC helped set up People First in the 1980's so people with an intellectual disability could have their own voice.
More than 50 groups have been formed around the country. Since the late 1990's, IHC has supported People First to become independent and people with intellectual disabilities who use services other than IHC, are joining.
The Intellectual Disability (Compulsory Care) Bill passed
After much debate the Intellectual Disability (Compulsory Care) Bill was passed by the house in October 2003.
New laws providing appropriate care outside of prison for up to one hundred individuals with an intellectual disability who commit criminal offences should be in place by June next year.
The purposes of the Bill are to:
provide the courts with appropriate compulsory care and rehabilitation options for people who have an intellectual disability and who are charged with, or convicted of, an imprisonable offence
recognise and safeguard the special rights of people subject to this Bill, and
provide for the appropriate use of different levels of care.
The Bill was introduced because in recent years there has been a lack of legislation to cover care placements for offenders with an intellectual disability. This legislative gap resulted in inappropriate placements for offenders with an intellectual disability, in prison, forensic mental health services, or the community.
How the legislation works
To fall under the provisions of the legislation offenders must firstly be assessed to determine whether they have an intellectual disability. Once that is verified their family must be consulted and a needs assessment started by a compulsory care coordinator. Once the needs assessment is completed a care rehabilitation plan is devised.
A compulsory care order is then made to detain the person as a care recipient. The maximum term of an order is three years, but the Court may extend the term if it considers the person continues to pose a serious danger to themselves or others.
There is provision in the legislation for regular reviews of the person in care to be carried out.
Census 2006
DPA applauds the recent decision by Statistics New Zealand to keep questions about disability in the 2006 census, providing funding for household disability survey after the census is available.
Gary Williams says, "We support the sensible decision of Statistics New Zealand to put in a budget bid to carry out the survey.
NZ Sign Language Bill
New Zealand Sign language is about to be recognised by Government as the third official language of New Zealand with the introduction into parliament of the New Zealand Sign Language Bill.
Minister of Disability Issues, Ruth Dyson says this will acknowledge Deaf people's language and give it equal status to that of spoken languages.
There are 28,000 people in New Zealand who use New Zealand Sign language. The Deaf community and the Deaf Association of New Zealand have been seeking recognition of their language for twenty years.
The immediate effect of the Bill, once it is passed into law, will be to provide people with the right to use NZ Sign language in any legal proceedings. Historically Deaf people report being denied the use of interpreters in court.
Ruth Dyson says Cabinet has agreed to look at ways to improve access to NZ Sign language in health, education, employment and broadcasting as well as for Maori Deaf.
The Bill will be introduced into the house in December 2003 and will then go on to select committee. The Government aims for the bill to come into force on 1 January 2004.
Inquiry into Accessible Public Transport
The Human Rights Commission is currently holding an 'Inquiry into Accessible Public Transport,' mainly focusing on the transport needs of disabled New Zealanders.
The National Secretariat invites all individual, family and corporate members to make submissions directly to the Commission or to contribute to DPA's submission (contact details below) which we will be preparing in March 2004./
Rainus Baker, President, People First, Midland Region and
Shirley Grammer, Whakatane
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 From left: Grace Wheeler, Wairarapa and Verona Moynihan, Napier |
 Sasha and Nikki Guildenlore. Sasha is DPA President Auckland |
Comments from participants of AssemblyIts been a great Assembly. I thought the Youth Policy was particularly good.The remit about DPA, family and the wider disability sector bought up lots of questions for me. I will be interested to see working party outcomes. The work being done by Government on equity issues across the public sector has a lot of potential for change. The whole event was lots of fun and extremely well organised. The food through-out the day was amazing. I ate real country meringues for morning tea! The oysters at dinner were a highlight for me. I was disappointed we werent able to discuss the Youth Policy further, but we just ran out of time. |
DPA details
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