Search

International Day of Persons with Disabilities is a chance to celebrate the progress we have made to improve the lives of disabled New Zealanders, says Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner.

“This year’s theme, Achieving 17 Goals for the Future We Want, draws attention to the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals and how these goals can create a more inclusive and equitable society for disabled people,” Ms Wagner says.

“Our government has been working hard to help us move towards a non-disabling society.

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman and Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner have congratulated the winners of the Attitude Awards, which recognise the exceptional contributions made by disabled New Zealanders.

“This year the Ministry of Health sponsored the Making a Difference Award, which is given to an individual who has made a significant contribution to improving the lives of disabled people,” says Dr Coleman.

A new Disability Strategy will help disabled New Zealanders to participate and contribute to our communities on an equal basis as others, say Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner.

“The vision of the Strategy is to help make New Zealand ‘a non-disabling society, a place where disabled people have an equal opportunity to achieve their goals and aspiration, and all of New Zealand works together to achieve this’,” Ms Wagner says.

The Disability Confident campaign, which supports employers to hire and retain disabled employees, was launched today by Prime Minister John Key.

Disabilities Issues Minister Nicky Wagner says the campaign is about showcasing the wide range of easily accessible and practical information available to support employers of disabled employees.

Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner welcomes the New Zealand Deaf Games 2016, held in Hamilton from Friday 21 to 23 October.

“The Deaf Games is the premier national sports competition for the Deaf in New Zealand. First held in 1969, the Games run every two years and are a fantastic chance for Deaf athletes from all over New Zealand to show their prowess in their individual sport,” Ms Wagner says.

“Around 140 athletes will compete across 11 sports, including basketball, football and touch rugby.

Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner welcomes New Zealand’s accession to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

The Optional Protocol enables individuals or groups, who claim to have had their rights breached under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, to make a complaint to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner welcomes the start of national Blind Week.

“Next week is a chance for us to support to people who are blind or who have low vision,” Ms Wagner says.

“A recent study shows that around 47,000 New Zealanders aged 15 years and over are blind or have low vision. That’s almost enough people to fill Eden Park.

"We all want to make sure that people who are blind or who have low vision are included in our communities and have the same opportunities and outcomes as everyone else.

Sport and Recreation Minister Jonathan Coleman and Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner say the country is extremely proud of what our Paralympians achieved in Rio. 

“Our 31 Kiwi Paralympians achieved 21 medals in total - nine gold, five silver, and seven bronze – that’s three medals over their target,” says Dr Coleman.

“On a medals per capita basis, New Zealand topped the table, maintaining the top position it achieved in London 2012.

Sport and Recreation Minister Jonathan Coleman and Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner wish New Zealand’s Paralympians the best of luck as the Paralympics get underway this week.

“Our 31 Kiwi Paralympians will carry the support of all New Zealanders over the next 12 days as they strive for gold in Rio,” says Dr Coleman. 

“Our athletes will compete in events across six sports - para-sports, para-athletics, para-cycling, para-sailing, para-canoeing, para-shooting and para-swimming.

Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner has thanked everyone who joined the conversation to create a better future for the one in four New Zealanders who have a physical, sensory, learning, mental health or other impairment.

“Over the past month more than 630 people attended workshops from Invercargill to Whangarei to provide feedback on the draft version of a new Disability Strategy for New Zealand,” Ms Wagner says.

Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner welcomes the passing of the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind Act Repeal Bill.

“The Blind Foundation wanted the Act repealed because it caused confusion by incorrectly suggesting that the Foundation is a statutory body. This Bill emphasises the Foundation’s status as completely independent from Parliament,” Ms Wagner says.

Improving the availability of quality information about New Zealand’s disabled community will lead to better decision-making by government agencies, Statistics Minister Craig Foss and Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner say.

The Ministers today opened consultation on the development of a Disability Plan to ensure government agencies have the data necessary to make informed, evidence-based policy decisions.

The captioning of all Parliament TV’s broadcasts will provide better access for deaf and hearing impaired New Zealanders, say Broadcasting Minister Amy Adams and Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner.

“The captioning of Parliament TV is a valuable addition to the captioning landscape in New Zealand,” says Ms Adams.

“The Government, through NZ On Air, funds the charitable trust Able with $2.8 million a year to caption content on free to air TV.

Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner is encouraging New Zealanders to give feedback on the first draft of the disability strategy as the second round of public consultation begins.

“The current Disability Strategy was released in 2001. Since then there have been fundamental shifts in the way New Zealand, and the world, look at disability. That is why we’re building a new disability strategy,” Ms Wagner says.

Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner today launched EmployAbility, an employment programme to assist people with health conditions and disabilities into work to take place in the Bay of Plenty.

“Work and Income will match clients with a health condition or disability to jobs that suit their particular skills. Once a person gets a job, we’ll offer ongoing support to them and their employer, to help ensure it’s successful for everyone,” Ms Wagner says.

Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner says the partnership between the New Zealand Artificial Limb Service (NZALS) and Victoria University, School of Design is making the most of 3D printing to improve the lives of amputees.

“As new technology becomes available, we need to ensure that we use it to our advantage and that is why students from Victoria University are working with the NZALS to explore new approaches to improve the lives of amputees through 3D printing,” Ms Wagner says.

Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner welcomes the tabling of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) which was submitted to Parliament for consideration yesterday.

“The Protocol will provide New Zealand with a useful, independent, international source of expert feedback on areas of New Zealand’s disability policy and provides added protection to the rights of disabled people under the CRPD,” Ms Wagner says.

Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner today thanks all volunteers for their hard work supporting disabled people in their community.

“This week we celebrate National Volunteer Week. I acknowledge and thank all those who spend hours of their time, energy and skills volunteering, including the valuable volunteer work done by disabled people,” Ms Wagner says.

Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner today congratulates Robert Martin as the first person with a learning disability to be elected to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 

“Robert is well respected for his long history of advocacy work on disabled people’s rights both domestically and internationally. His election to the Committee is important because it is the first time that a person with a learning disability has been represented at the highest level. It’s a world first,” Ms Wagner says.

Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner today departs to the United States to support New Zealand’s candidate for election to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, engage with international experts on the employment of disabled people, and discuss emerging international border security trends with Homeland Security.

Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner has congratulated the Parliamentary Service on their outstanding work in making Parliament more accessible for disabled people.

“Over the past year, Parliamentary Service has introduced a significant range of additions to the Parliamentary complex to make it easier for disabled people to use the facilities,” Ms Wagner says.

Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner congratulates those who have been recognised in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours for their contribution to the disabled community.

“This year’s recipients have been recognised across a wide range of areas including Paralympic sport, foster care, special education and support services for disabled people,” Ms Wagner says.

“I congratulate all the recipients on their outstanding contribution to the disability sector.

Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner launched the Hidden Talent Tour today in Hamilton to encourage employers to take on more disabled people.

“The Hidden Talent Tour is based on a similar concept developed in the US, which showcases the skills and talents of disabled people and encourages business owners and employers to hire and retain disabled people,” Ms Wagner says.

Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner says the first round of consultation on the development of a new disability strategy for New Zealand has been a great success.

“587 individuals and organisations completed an online survey and a further 35 submissions were received in other ways – including five providing feedback via video.