Posts by Angela Hart
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The question is, does the Government have a genuine will to make the best possible decisions for the people of Aotearoa?
Actions speak louder than words and actions taken so far on many fronts simply don't match the spin. Government behaviour indicates that actions taken are directed by two drivers, being party ideology and what is best politically for the current crew. If making good decisions for the whole country was top priority we'd have good government, and we wouldn't have attempts like this one to convince the public that the Government is doing something worthwhile to tackle a problem when it really isn't.
I'm also not convinced that the side effects of this particular scheme will be helpful. Officially labelling the fat kids, for instance. -
There's a balanced piece on Charley Hooper in the Otago Daily Times.
To quote:Society is often quick to judge, but not as ready to offer support.
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Any examination of legislation should consider the current financial, physical and psychological support networks in place for people with disabilities and their families - and the resourcing of these.
http://www.odt.co.nz/opinion/editorial/361302/rights-responsibilities-and-reason
It should astound people not closely linked to the disability community to know that Charley's family is seen by many of us to be one of the lucky ones, because they have ACC support. The support they have access to is the best New Zealand offers.
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Access: Disability as a wicked policy problem, in reply to Rosemary McDonald,
Is there a mechanism whereby FFC participants can communicate with each other...and perhaps organise....in the militant sense of the word?
Unfortunately, no not really. The natural mechanism should be CarersNZ but there are good reasons many of us don't trust that group to advocate well for us. The same applies to other caregiver groups, the most likely ones rely on government funding, which currently has the consequence of gagging them. While FFC carers could set up their own Facebook page, the group it attracted would no doubt be seduced in the same way.
The only DPOs doing decent advocacy right now are CCS and IHC, with perhaps DPA starting to regain some of its mana in that area too. Family carers and their benefit to their disabled kin are incidental to the focus of these groups, not a priority.In addition, of course, those who have FFC are pretty busy managing care and support for some of the highest need band of people. The disability support needs of the people cared for are more urgently and critically important than the financial needs of their whanau. Although of course, if the family is on a more secure financial footing, that reduces stress and potentially broadens the horizons of the disabled person too.
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A later piece provides more detail
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/71512048/mother-and-disabled-son-offered-house-after-five-monthsThe claim that they were bumped off the list in error is all too common and not good enough.
Kudos to the kind HNZ tenant who gave these people a place to live and advocated on their behalf. -
Another example of the yawning chasm between what should be provided and what is. Only because the media got involved does the agency shift its inhuman and surely incorrect position
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/humiliated-and-homeless-one-news-reveals-disabled-man-s-desperate-living-situation-q07605 -
Access: Disability as a wicked policy problem, in reply to Hilary Stace,
I wish I could take the long view Hilary, but I can't. These are people's lives that are being impacted, now and for the foreseeable future. It is totally unacceptable to see and hear all the fine words about the New Model knowing that in practice today for most people they mean nothing. Nada. Zilch.
How did Metge put it? Talking past each other. For people with high and complex needs the cultural disconnect is like the Grand Canyon, except that the authorities haven't even noticed it's there. I'd so love to show them in a very experiental way!In my opinion there is a significant difference in the quality of the two sets of evaluations linked to. It's very interesting to compare.
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Access: Disability as a wicked policy problem, in reply to Rosemary McDonald,
And the Funded Family Care evaluation has just been released for your entertainment, edification and delight
http://www.health.govt.nz/publication/evaluation-funded-family-care
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Access: Persistent Polio, in reply to wendyf,
and now we are all so lucky to have access to safe and effective vaccines, but unfortunately so many people have no experience of serious illness and believe the anti-vaccination crackpots, so that we have whooping cough, measles and other diseases we don't need to be contending with still affecting our children.
I remember having whooping cough along with my three siblings. Poor mum! I also remember being given the polio vaccine on a sugar cube and her relief that this was available. -
Speaker: Why we need to stop talking…, in reply to Rosemary McDonald,
And yet the National government is presently polling higher than it was the month after the election that brought it to power:
Poll results depend on how you ask what you ask and who you ask.
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Hard News: About Campbell Live, in reply to Alfie,
Maybe an easy solution to keep Ms Smalley happy would be to ditch Hosking & Henry from all media. There we go... I fixed it!
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