Collaborative resource set to wake up Councils

7 September 2007

Seven not-for-profit organisations have come together to educate and generate awareness about disability issues. A new publication called ‘Inclusive Communities’, has been produced by the Disabled Persons Assembly (DPA) and CCS Disability Action in partnership with five other organisations: People First New Zealand, IHC, Central Potential Inc, Workbridge and the Deaf Association of New Zealand.

‘Inclusive Communities’ is a resource for councils and district health boards (DHBs), to help ensure the issues of disability are considered and included in local government decision making. Councillors and candidates need a good working knowledge of disability issues; if both are well informed on disability issues it helps strengthen the voice of the disability community.

“Disabled people, their families and whanau are a considerable constituency and all decisions made by councils impact on them”, says Gary Williams, DPA CEO. “For far too long, most of the impact has been negative because we haven’t been consulted.”

Members of the disability community need to be consulted by councils when decisions affecting them are being made. For this reason the ‘Inclusive Communities’ publication is also an important and influential political tool. Voters can use the document to become familiar with issues of disability, and to help identify candidates who are informed and have fair disability policies.

“Disabled people are 20 percent of the population and when families and other networks are factored in, that’s a huge voting power. Savvy candidates need to make us feel included and considered in their campaigns,” says Mr Williams.

The booklet will support councils and DHBs to have closer partnerships with disabled people and their families, leading to a more inclusive society for all New Zealanders. The publication highlights specific ways councils and DHBs can achieve this: by improving consultation between the disability community and local government; providing accessible and properly equipped public transport, and by making disability awareness training mandatory for New Zealand staff.

Peter Wilson, CCS Disability Action National Policy Manager, stresses its value. “‘Inclusive Communities’ provides clear and expert information on the issues of disability, and is a must-have resource for all New Zealand decision makers”.

ENDS

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