Politicians and parties were challenged to give disabled New Zealanders winnable positions on party lists, and seats at the cabinet table in the opening address of the New Zealand Disability Support Network national conference this morning. 

“Disabled people have put their names forward for several political parties over the years, but too often they’ve been placed in unwinnable party lists positions,” said NZDSN CEO Peter Reynolds.

“No matter how well-intentioned, how dedicated, and how well-briefed successive Ministers for Disability Issues have been, and many of them have made creditable progress in some areas, the fact there’s not a choice of capable disabled people vying to be Minister of Disability Issues is an indictment on how inclusive of disabled people this country truly is.”

Mojo Mathers and Tracy Martin were acknowledged for their trailblazing work in Parliament and since, but delegates heard that the current Parliament aren’t representative of the needs, aspirations and historic neglect of disabled people.

“This matters to providers, because when there is not a disabled person who is respected as an advocate in the disability community around the Cabinet table, it is too easy for the impact of underfunding and neglect not to be communicated with full authenticity when it matters.”

“A society should be judged on how it treats its most vulnerable, those who can’t speak for themselves. To truly feel heard and seen we need a seat at the table,” said Peter Reynolds. 

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