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Disabilities (2005) 

 

LABOUR’S VISION 

Labour is committed to building a nation where disabled people are valued and able to contribute to their maximum capacity.  Labour's approach to disability issues will continue to be based on an on going commitment to human rights, partnership and inclusion.

ACHIEVEMENTS

Labour has:

  • Introduced New Zealand Relay – a telecommunication service for people with hearing and speech impairments
  • Introduced the New Zealand Sign Language Bill, which recognises Sign Language as an official language
  • Established a Minister for Disability Issues and an Office for Disability Issues
  • Developed and begun implementation of the New Zealand Disability Strategy, with the goal of eliminating the barriers that people with disabilities face in participating fully in the community
  • Expanded employment services as part of a five-year action plan aimed at providing genuine employment opportunities for people with disabilities

Labour will:

  • Implement initiatives to raise public awareness of disability issues
  • Ensure access for disabled people to supported independent living by investigating more flexible funding arrangements for supported living
  • Continue with the ongoing implementation of the NZ Disability Strategy
  • Ensure that services available to people are determined by their level of need rather than the cause of their impairment
  • Work to improve access for the disabled to all forms of passenger transport including:
    • Ensuring passenger rail services purchased with government funding allow access for the disabled
    • Ensuring that more of the urban bus fleet is accessible to the disabled
  • Implement the recommendations of the Review of the Total Mobility Scheme for people with disabilities.
  • Continue to increase support for disabled people in employment, vocational services and community participation
  • Ensure disabled people’s views are incorporated in the policy making processes at central government level
  • Develop further initiatives to ensure all disabled children have access to quality, inclusive education
  • Continue to fund and support research into disability issues, including the post-census survey
  • Continue support for the development of a United Nations Convention on Disability Issues
  • Encourage the implementation of the Tertiary Education Code of Practice
  • Address the insufficient wages and conditions that exist in some parts of the support workforce, by applying the substantial injection of funding for the sector in Budget 2005. This, in turn, will reduce high staff turnover.

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