The Green Party has announced Neelu Jennings as the candidate for Hutt South.

Neelu Jennings is a disabled disability advocate and former athlete. The mother of two aims to use her platform to call for a fair and inclusive Aotearoa where disabled people are valued and visible on their terms.

"Parliament traditionally hasn't done a very good job at listening to disabled people. But our community has so much to offer,” says Jennings.

"The burden of fighting for individualising benefits, for ongoing covid protection measures, and for choices about where we live shouldn't fall off for disabled or other marginalised communities. The Green Party are committed to an Aotearoa where all people live with dignity," she says.

“When homes are built and cities are designed without our needs in mind, we get segregated and cut off from our wider community. Consequently, we face barriers at every turn, be it crossing a road, accessing transport, or shopping at the supermarket,” says Jennings.

"The climate crisis disproportionately affects indigenous communities and all those who have been forced into poverty and precarious housing situations, including disabled people. We need to adapt for the long term. We need to invest in public housing and care so that everyone can have a secure and accessible home, has enough to live on and can live a dignified life, with the support that enhances their lives."

“By creating an accessible and inclusive Aotearoa, we not only make life better for my disabled whānau, but for everyone in the community,”

Jennings has been working to create a new platform for sports to be played to promote community integration. Working in conjunction with mainstream sports organisations she has helped create new games that any member of the community can play, old young, disabled or not.

“These games allow a much more diverse range of community members to connect through playing a game together, and learn about each other.”

Jennings wants to continue to provide opportunities to integrate the local Lower Hutt community by bringing together community groups who haven’t traditionally worked together.

Editor’s notes: Neelu Jennings (formerly Memon) has climbed Mount Aspiring, paddled across the Cook Strait, and completed the individual multisport race the Coast to Coast all with the support of passionate community members. She also para-cycled to the World Champs on a tandem. She has been vocal about disability inclusion through the Christchurch rebuild and the need for an accessible city to make it easier not only for disabled people but for everyone.

Her initial introduction to the Green Party was through interning for the first disabled MP, Mojo Mathers after her completion of a master's in disability policy from the University of Canterbury. Following this, she worked for the government in the Office for Disability Issues and then started working on personal social change projects. One of these was promoting accessibility through creating WCC awards which gave prizes to accessible services/shops/spaces. She has received several awards for her work including an Attitude award, Next sportswoman of the year and a woman of influence award.

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