Access by Various artists

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Access: Disability as a wicked policy problem

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  • Hilary Stace,

    But do we need to change our mind-set or mindset to do that transformational journey?

    I suspect the large number of jobs are the result of the latest restructuring whereby job titles and roles have been tossed up in the air to see what happens.

    But wouldn't it be wonderful if the interview panels could include some of those on the front line desperately needing services?

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Hilary Stace,

    wouldn't it be wonderful if the interview panels could include some of those on the front line desperately needing services?

    That's what a genuine commitment to fundamental change would look like, yes.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/business/the-rebuild/75817624/margaret-mahy-misses-the-mark-for-children-with-special-needs--advocate.html

    Having a look through the CCDU and Cera guidelines for the rebuild they pay lip service to the ideas of 'accessibility' - to them an accessible city means 'transport: connecting cars and otherwise mobile people with commerce'
    ...though there was one piece of clip art of someone being pushed in a wheelchair - box ticked, job done!

    see:
    https://ccdu.govt.nz/the-plan/design-guides

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    - to them an accessible city means 'transport: connecting cars and otherwise mobile people with commerce'

    Around ten years ago I read an article about a woman who, starting in the early 70s, had taken on the then powers-that-be over wheelchair access in central Chch. Simply drawing attention to basic needs such as kerb ramps at pedestrian crossings provoked a memorably arrogant response, the gist of which seemed to be, cripples had no significant part to play in the great game of commerce and consumption.

    Of course no corporate bureaucrat would publicly espouse that kind of nonsense today, it'd be like employing the n-word. Still, the mindset seems very much alive among the muffin-scoffing minions of the Chch rebuild.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    Central govt even funded some well-meaning Chch disability advocates in the aftermath of eqnz. Sadly (as usual) they lacked the strategic nous and coordinated backing to overcome bureaucratic intertia and prioritising of many other interests overseen by that bumbling dinosaur Brownlee. I'm sure there were some uplifting tea and scone gatherings though.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Rosemary McDonald, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    cripples had no significant part to play in the great game of commerce and consumption.

    Of course no corporate bureaucrat would publicly espouse that kind of nonsense today,

    But the lawyer for the Sensible Sentencing Trust will…

    This disabled access, and toilets for the disabled has to be the biggest load of shit in the past 20-30 years, and that’s saying something.

    A little straw poll: who here has EVER seen a person in a wheelchair entering or leaving a public toilet? I have never seen one, ever.

    How many people have seen a person in a wheelchair “accessing” [we used to just “go into”] a building? In my dim dark memory banks I think I might have seen one, once.

    When I was an MP I remember noticing one disabled guy who was a regular user of the Koru club. Whenever I saw him I paid particular attention to whether he used the toilets – from a respectably distance of course! He never did.

    does anyone know the % of wheelchair bound people in NZ? Whatever it is, a massive amount is spent on their potential “needs” – even in ludicrous situations such as that referred to by RRM @ 2.45.

    (emphasis mine.)
    http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2015/09/the_loopy_rules_report.html#com</q>

    http://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-the-greg-king-memorial-blogpost/?p=349148#post349148

    And these people are let to run free without supervision….

    Waikato, or on the road • Since Apr 2014 • 1346 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    a woman who, starting in the early 70s, had taken on the then powers-that-be over wheelchair access in central Chch.

    Was it the Mayor's wife at the time, Alexia Pickering? Made a big difference.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Angela Hart,

    My little neighbourhood has benefitted from years of work by a neighbour who uses a wheelchair to get around. She was in a secretarial role with the council, working for Penny Hulse, I think, before the Super City. When we moved here it was partly because it was accessible.
    In recent times it has become less so and I've had to complain to the Council to get fresh changes made accessible. Things like the new park and ride- when they eventually paint marked the mobility spots, there were no kerb cuts. If you parked in a mobility spot you had to use the road to get to the railway station. It took weeks to get that sorted but it should have been done automatically, as part of the design. Nah, don't be silly. Much better to wait until someone complains and then hire another contractor to fix the stuff up. Ratepayers have stacks of money.
    Raised spots and loudspeakers for the blind go in very quickly; if only the rest of the community were equally considered.

    Christchurch • Since Apr 2014 • 614 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Angela Hart,

    That would be westie champ Sharon Davies.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Angela Hart,

    it should have been done automatically, as part of the design.

    And that was what I and others were working for many years to get done, with only minor success. Councils still routinely plan, built and grant consents for inaccessible buildings and public spaces. Governments let them. Because we're worth it.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Angela Hart,

    Ratepayers have stacks of money.
    Raised spots and loudspeakers for the blind go in very quickly

    A testament to their superior lobbying power, helped by things like a longer history of working together as a community, having their own governing legislation for decades, and being able to keep welfare benefits while employed. For one in nine of all disabled people, they do get a lot of support.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Sacha,

    Councils still routinely plan, built and grant consents for inaccessible buildings and public spaces.

    fresh example:

    Changes may be made to Christchurch's new multi-million dollar playground after concerns about a lack of disability-friendly facilities.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    if you missed it, Jenny Shipley talks with RNZ's Wallace Chapman (ex-disability-beneficiary), including about changing the basis of welfare from entitlement to need: http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/audio/201782633/dame-jenny-shipley

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Angela Hart, in reply to Sacha,

    That would be westie champ Sharon Davies.

    That would be right. I wasn't sure if I should name names. Shaz is a champ alright, and my neighbourhood owes her a lot.

    Christchurch • Since Apr 2014 • 614 posts Report Reply

  • Angela Hart, in reply to Sacha,

    For one in nine of all disabled people, they do get a lot of support.

    and good on them, it's just such a shame the acceptance that public space should be accessible to vision impaired hasn't extended to acceptance of routine accessibility rights for others.

    Christchurch • Since Apr 2014 • 614 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Angela Hart,

    and good on them

    yep. they provide all of us a useful goal for support, just like ACC clients do.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Rosemary McDonald, in reply to Sacha,

    useful goal

    I'll stop laughing in a little while Sacha....but when you have a minute, care to suggest a pathway to such a goal?

    Waikato, or on the road • Since Apr 2014 • 1346 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Rosemary McDonald,

    requires resourced political organising, like most goals involving power.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Marc C, in reply to Sacha,

    Many with disability depend on WINZ support. There was a rewrite of the SSA planned as early as in mid 2013, and a Cabinet Paper from mid 2015 seems to have authorised a rewrite, which will likely bring new, less publicised "reforms" on the back of it.

    I remember that it was planned to present a draft bill as early as September last year, and no later than the end of last year.

    Nothing appears to have been presented so far.

    Does anybody have any more information?

    Here is some older info:
    https://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/work-programmes/social-security-act-rewrite/

    https://www.msd.govt.nz/documents/about-msd-and-our-work/work-programmes/social-security-act-rewrite/social-security-act-rewrite-cab-min.pdf

    https://www.msd.govt.nz/documents/about-msd-and-our-work/work-programmes/social-security-act-rewrite/ssa-rewrite-cabinet-paper.pdf

    http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/social-security-act-set-rewrite

    I suspect, same like with their "social impact bonds" program, they have stumbled across new challenges and issues, plus the difficulty to convincingly present stuff to the public, while other "reforms" are still not showing improvements, so that it has all been put on hold for time being.

    Auckland • Since Oct 2012 • 437 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace,

    The announcement of an important reference group to review the 2001 NZ Disability Strategy.

    http://www.odi.govt.nz/nzds/2016-revision/reference-group/index.html

    Will be interesting to see what happens as a result.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Hilary Stace,

    Quite. I see a few strategic people and a lot of practical ones.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Angela Hart, in reply to Hilary Stace,

    to review the 2001 NZ Disability Strategy.

    A Reference Group will provide advice on the revision process and on the content of the revised strategy. The New Zealand Disability Strategy is being revised in 2016 to ensure that it remains current, is consistent with, and supports the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

    But it's all just fluffy weasel words unless there are meaningful, measurable goals. That's a bit difficult when you are not doing any measuring or monitoring.
    The revised strategy can look/sound wonderful and achieve less than nothing.

    If NZ really wanted to support the implementation of the UN convention on the rights of persons with disabilities it would take the next step and allow complaints to the UN. What we need is sensible actions not nice but toothless words- unless the words specify the actions we need to take and the goals we are reaching for, with timelines, not some vague not in my lifetime future.

    I applaud these people for having faith in the system, mine may return when I see improvements purposefully happening, not just being discussed yet again.

    Christchurch • Since Apr 2014 • 614 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace, in reply to Angela Hart,

    Yes, Angela, the signing of the Optional Protocol was promised years ago but no sign of it happening yet.

    Hopefully we can get someone involved in this group to report here on Access from time to time.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Angela Hart,

    Iain Duncan Smith, British work and Pensions Secretary, has resigned over the cuts to supports for people with disabilities
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/world/299375/uk-minister-resigns-over-benefit-cuts

    Christchurch • Since Apr 2014 • 614 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace, in reply to Angela Hart,

    Yes that is fascinating. He was the architect of all those disability cuts we have seen under the Tories - all sorts of areas cut such as housing and benefits and then that terrible ATOS reassessment system. He came to NZ a few years ago to advise the National government here and I went to hear him and asked him a question (can't remember what it was now). But he really seemed to have a deep philosophical commitment to the belief that this would all help disabled people into work and a better life, and the intellectual argument to back it up from his perspective. Where have we heard that before?

    But he was not from the wealthy privileged elite group who dominate the British cabinet. I think this resignation came down to a basic personality conflict, and the Treasurer happily cutting more than IDS saw was needed. The latest Budget cuts also finally seemed to attract the attention and derision of the mainstream public rather than just the disability sector that has been outraged for the last 6 years or so. Also finally a PR disaster.

    So strange that Iain Duncan Smith comes out on the right side of all of this, as someone with principles. Who would have anticipated that?

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

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