Kia ora John,

Disabled people, carers and the wider disability community deserve to lead meaningful and dignified lives. They deserve a fully-fledged ministry that serves them and is a strong advocate.

After months of targeting disabled people, the National Government has dealt its harshest blow yet by hollowing out Whaikaha, the Ministry of Disabled People.

National is stripping Whaikaha of its main functions and resources. They're taking away the Ministry’s control of $2 billion of funding for disabled people.

The Government has also paused the nation-wide roll-out of the Enabling Good Lives programme, leaving its future uncertain. Enabling Good Lives gives disabled people greater choice and control over the support they receive, so that they can plan for the lives they want.

National claims this is about saving money – but doesn’t know how much money they hope to save. This is poorly thought-out spin at the expense of disability communities.

The only thing we can be sure of is that disability communities will be missing out, while tāngata whaikaha Māori will be disproportionately impacted. 

Add your voice: Email Christopher Luxon and Louise Upston to share why these changes must be stopped

What are the problems with these changes?

• Whaikaha is diminished: Shifting $2 billion worth of disabled support services to MSD means stripping significant resources away from the very Ministry meant to serve disabled New Zealanders.
• Enabling Good Lives progress stalled: EGL was set up by the previous National Government and continued by Labour. It gives disabled people more choice and control – now disabled New Zealanders must wait longer for this.
• Nothing about us, without us: Disabled people deserve to have their voices heard on changes that affect them, and yet again, National is leaving them behind.

Please share this news with friends and family and encourage them to have their say.

Add your voice: Share your concerns with National

Together, we will fight to ensure disability communities have their voices heard.

Priyanca Radhakrishnan,
Spokesperson for Disability Issues
Labour.org.nz