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Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner is welcoming the decision to include questions on disability in the 2018 Census.

“The Census collects important data about who we are as New Zealanders. Including a question set to identify people who are disabled will provide us with valuable information about their lives,” Ms Wagner says.

The questions are based on the Washington Group Short Set of Questions on Disability — considered best practice internationally for identifying disabled people in population censuses.

Disability Issues and Associate Health Minister Nicky Wagner says a hard-working and talented group has produced a high-level design for the transformed disability support system.

“The co-design group, which includes disabled people, worked intensively over several months to create and shape the framework for this new system,” Ms Wagner says.

A new set of questions is being included in national surveys to improve information about disabled people and their lives, Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner and Statistics Minister Scott Simpson say.

The questions, known as the Washington Group Short Set of Questions on Disability, will be included in the New Zealand General Social Survey, carried out every two years, and annually in the June quarter of the Household Labour Force Survey.

The Government will join an international treaty to improve access to written materials for blind and visually impaired New Zealanders, Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Jacqui Dean say.

The Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled is an international framework that will enable the reproduction and distribution of books and other literary works in accessible formats.

Budget 2017 will invest an extra $205.4 million over four years to maintain and improve disability support services, Health Minister Jonathan Coleman and Associate Health Minister Nicky Wagner say.

“The Government is committed to providing disabled people with more support so they can have greater independence and live better lives in their communities,” Dr Coleman says.

“The sector will receive an extra $52.3 million in 2017/18, taking its total funding to $1.2 billion for the year.

Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner is welcoming a review of the disabled people-led monitoring initiative.

The initiative involved training over 50 disabled people to interview other disabled people about their experiences. It is governed by the Convention Coalition Monitoring Group, which monitors how New Zealand is implementing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner is marking the end of New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) week by announcing funding for 17 NZSL projects.

The NZSL Board, established to promote and maintain NZSL, allocates $1.25 million annually to a range of initiatives and activities throughout New Zealand.

“As another successful NZSL Week comes to an end, I’m delighted to announce funding for 17 projects supporting a wide range of NZSL needs,” Ms Wagner says.

Evaluations of the Christchurch and Waikato Enabling Good Lives (EGL) demonstrations will help guide the transformation of the disability support system, Disability Issues and Associate Health Minister Nicky Wagner says.

“The Phase Two evaluation reports show disabled people and their families really value having more choice, more control and more flexibility when it comes to the support they receive,” Ms Wagner says.

Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner is welcoming a free online initiative to help New Zealanders learn New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL).

Learn NZSL is an e-learning resource developed by the Deaf Studies Research Unit at Victoria University of Wellington. It covers everyday vocabulary, phrases and conversations, supported by interactive tasks and 660 videos.

The Government contributed $230,000 through the NZSL Fund, administered by the NZSL Board.

Disability Issues and Associate Health Minister Nicky Wagner today announced the group responsible for designing the new disability support system.

“The co-design process is an exciting opportunity for leaders in the disability sector to work in partnership with government to transform the disability support system,” Ms Wagner says.

Sport and Recreation Minister Jonathan Coleman and Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner say the New Zealand Special Olympics team should be extremely proud of its outstanding results at the 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games held in Graz, Austria.

“The 13 athletes who competed in last week’s games have returned to New Zealand today with 18 medals,” says Dr Coleman.

“What’s even more impressive is that all members of the team have achieved personal best results.”

Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner today congratulates Robert Martin on becoming the first person with a learning disability to sit on the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

“Robert will soon be heading to Geneva, Switzerland to serve a four year term on the Committee. He will be working as an independent expert to monitor countries and their implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,” Ms Wagner says.

Associate Health and Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner today announced a three month co-design process with the disability sector to begin a nationwide transformation of the disability support system.

“The current system does not work well for all disabled people. What we are working toward is a new system, based on the Enabling Good Lives (EGL) vision and principles, including individualised funding,” Ms Wagner says.