Posts by Angela Hart
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The Spencer case is in the High Court this week
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11589868 -
So… the blurb is saying apply this to your pasture, it’s perfectly safe and saves a lot of hassle, but the stuff is an environmental hazard and toxic to humans.
We are in New Zealand aren’t we?She'll be right. Yeah. Right.
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Access: Zika and microcephaly: things to…, in reply to George Darroch,
I hope you're right. I know you can't rely on information found online but according to Wikipedia
A mosquito population capable of carrying the Zika virus has been found in a Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C., and genetic evidence suggests they survived at least the last four winters in the region. The study authors conclude that mosquitos are adapting for persistence in a northern climate.[29]
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Access: Zika and microcephaly: things to…, in reply to Thomas Lumley,
if NZ is safe from direct transmission, it’s thanks to biosecurity as well as climate and distance.
There are a number of types of mozzie which can spread this and it's likely that our climate would/does support some of them. I doubt we are safe from direct transmission, although our biosecurity people will do their best.
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Access: Disability as a wicked policy problem, 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.
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Access: Disability abuse: it’s not OK, in reply to Hilary Stace,
serious collaborative self-reflection and ask whether they are the problem or can actually work with families to find proper community-based, person-centred solutions.
I don't think much has changed in the way of achieving proper community based person centred solutions. One house move ago our neighbour's son jumped off the harbour bridge after being taken off his medication by the mental health people supposedly taking care of him. He had been doing well on the meds. There were signs he wasn't after they stopped. But he died. End of problem. He was a fine young man, albeit not your average bloke.
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Access: Disability as a wicked policy problem, 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.
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Access: Disability as a wicked policy problem, 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.
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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. -
But that requires a change in bedrock philosophy from no-one with a disability is entitled to any support , which is the Ministry of Health and therefore the Government's core belief, to a philosophy which entitles people to the essential support they need, as with ACC.
Until that philosophy changes, the Ministry of Health will continue to keep disability costs in check by curtailing necessary support. It doesn't help that there is no ring-fenced budget for disability or that MOH reporting rolls disability/aged care and health supports together. I don't think you can find out what is actually spent on disability support and I don't think that's accidental.
I'm not convinced the MOH is capable of changing its model or that it wants or intends any real change. I also think it is dysfunctional. While this situation exists it is unlikely that genuine people centred change will occur.
I think there needs to be a stand alone Ministry to cater properly for people with disabilities. The MOH has demonstrated over years that it cannot do the job.