DPA New Zealand

DPA Bites – December 2008/January 2009

The end of a busy 2008 – a message from the CEO

We are at the end of 2008 and I am amazed at how much we have achieved this year.

We elected Eamon Daly as our new President at a very successful DPA AGM and Conference, we’ve seen a change in Government, had our country ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, we’ve partnered with People First and CCS Disability Action to win the grant associated with the Franklin Delano Roosevelt International Disability Award, we’ve seen Anne Hawker inaugurated as the Rehabilitation International President and presented the audio-visual “Our Story” at their World Congress in Quebec and we’ve held three DPA Regional Capacity Forums and strengthened DPA’s relationships with our allies.

My personal highlight this year was the ratification of the UN Convention. This represented another huge step on the human rights journey for disabled people. We only have time for a quick pause, because the next phase is the biggest – implementation. It is where the real difference in disabled peoples’ lives will occur. It is also where we must be active partners with our Government so that the words of the Convention can deliver on their promise.

But that is for next year.

In the meantime, the team at the DPA National Secretariat – Lorraine, Wendi, Robert, Alex and I – thank you for your on-going support. We hope you have a great Christmas and a restful New Year break – you’ve earned it.

Gary Williams

A change of Government – and a new disability minister

DPA’s Policy Researcher, Wendi Wicks, reflects on the new National-led Government’s Minister for Disability Issues, Paula Bennett, who is also Social Development and Employment Minister …

With the change of government in November, disabled people now find themselves with a new Minister for Disability Issues: self-confessed ‘westie’ Paula Bennett. This seems likely to bring change and learnings, both for disabled people and for the new minister, whose recent political responsibilities have focused more on the community and voluntary sector than specifically on disability.

First, some background: Paula Bennett brought up a daughter alone and then went to university to earn a degree in social policy. She worked in Human Resources before entering Parliament. She has a strong interest in early childhood education.

Her previous community sector focus could prove useful; the links between disability and non-disability organisations in the community and voluntary sector have, at a national level, become closer recently. Both groups share common ground over the desire for multi-year funding to give greater stability and security and to allow capacity building.

Given the minister’s exposure to this desire in the wider non-governmental sector, disabled people can expect she will readily support multi-year funding, as indicated in the National Party Manifesto.

However, one cannot assume Paula Bennett has an extensive knowledge of the issues of disabled people, nor of the principle that it is disabled people themselves who speak as the authentic and authoritative voice of disability. DPA and other organisations of disabled people will be keen to have an ongoing dialogue with her to expand on the message of “nothing about us, without us” and to continue a productive relationship with the Minister for Disability Issues.

One of the most outstanding triumphs of the now-ratified UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is that it gives a concrete example of the advantages to governments of working in true partnership with disabled people. Disabled people were part of writing this convention and the speed with which it was completed (not to mention the all-of-Parliament party support it achieved in New Zealand), shows how good a partnership model it is. We want to continue to apply and strengthen this approach.

We have fought long and hard to make the Government understand that disability is a distinct policy area; it is neither a ‘health subset’, nor part of some ‘medical model’. We hope Paula Bennett will call on her social policy training to recognise the real (‘social model’) context of disability. Whakanui Oranga, the New Zealand Disability Strategy, makes it clear that disability ‘rules of engagement’ – as distinct from health ‘rules of engagement’ – are the preferred pathway for us and our allies.

There are many challenges ahead for the minister and DPA will be sure to offer its assistance to her to meet these challenges.

Sean Parker, new NEC member, talks to Bites …

Feilding-based Sean decided to put his name forward for DPA national representation because he wanted to make a difference in the disability community and felt it was time to ‘step up’. He regards being elected to the National Executive Committee (NEC) as a “huge honour and pleasure” to be on “the ultimate representative committee in New Zealand for people with disabilities”.

He has the credentials to fulfil his desire to make a difference, having spent the last 10 years practising as a social worker within New Zealand’s disability sector; currently he is employed as a community social worker with the non-profit organisation Manchester House Social Services. Before this, he was a newspaper journalist for seven years. He has extensive previous experience in governance, including on CCS Disability Action committees. With this background, Sean brings a wealth of understanding to the NEC, of supporting people facing struggles in society.

Whanau life is very important to Sean and his wife Maxine. Together with 10-year-old daughter Shawanda, they are looking after their seven-year-old nephew and are also caregivers for Child, Youth and Family.

“I am really looking forward to working on the NEC and making sure the new National-led Government is kept honest in its dealings with the disability community,” said Sean.

Quality and provision of support services for people with disabilities – report of the official inquiry …

In September 2008, Parliament’s Social Services Committee presented its report of the inquiry into the quality of care and service provision for people with disabilities. We summarise their findings and recommendations …

Summary of the findings:

During 2005 and 2006, evidence of unacceptable conditions and abuse of disabled people in care were the triggers for the official inquiry and there were also simmering questions about poor management and funding within the disability sector, particularly with the provision of disability support services.

The inquiry, announced in May 2006, found that overall “the provision of disability services lacks direction and leadership, services are variable throughout the country, and significant systemic problems have developed unchecked”. In particular, the New Zealand Disability Strategy had not been effectively implemented. It was a focus of the Committee to report on the adequacy of services to enable people with disabilities to lead independent lives.

The report acknowledges the positive changes in legislation affecting people with disability since 1993, but finds that the absence of government accountability for the disability sector and the provision of disability services are proving damaging. “Without the establishment of a single, overarching entity with responsibility and accountability for the disability sector, we are concerned that the required changes may not be achieved,” says the report.

Another area for concern expressed in the report is that people with disabilities “often feel they have little control over the services they receive, and funding is relatively inflexible”. Also, although the large institutions that used to dominate the disability sector have been abolished, hundreds of miniature institutions have since sprung up “where people with disabilities still have little say over their daily lives”.

The Committee expresses its dismay in the report that monitoring and auditing of disability service providers mostly fail to consider the quality of life offered to people with disabilities who receive services and do not seek feedback form staff, residents, or residents’ families.

The Committee considers that advocacy services for people with disabilities need to be expanded and expresses concern about working conditions in care and support services in the disability sector, noting in particular that something needs to be done about unreliable and abusive staff. The Committee also believes that improvements in the disability sector should be monitored by Parliament.

Summary of the key recommendations:

There are also a number of “Other recommendations” contained in the report.