Council's policy good for disabled

Paul Curry. PHOTO/RUTH KEBER

A champion for the disabled has heaped praise on the council's disability strategy, saying it had the potential to make Tauranga one of the most liveable cities in New Zealand.

Paul Curry, chairman of the council's Disability Advisory Group, said 29 per cent of the city's residents had some form of disability - one of the highest in the country.

He highlighted the baby boomer population bulge moving into retirement and the growth in retirement villages.

Mr Curry, who has been in a wheelchair for 45 years, told the council yesterday that if the strategy was fully implemented, Tauranga could become the most accessible and inclusive city in New Zealand for people with disabilities.

He said the strategy was fantastic because it had implementation targets and deadlines. "It will become one of the most liveable cities in the country.

Mr Curry said it was the group's job to be the council's conduit and he pledged to consult widely. "We would not compromise our own constituency."

He said that over the years, people with disabilities had traded away their rights and accepted lesser standards than what they had been used to. It was not about giving them special rights but enshrining in law the same rights, such as swimming in pools without having to be lowered by hoists, or being able to sit with family and friends at the movies instead of on a plinth by themselves.

A recommendation from the disability group had resulted in the council auditing all its pools so that when the time came for upgrades it would look at installing ramps with water chairs.

Yesterday's main decision saw the council confirm that it will be taking applications next month for grants from a new $50,000 community development fund.

The fund was targeting not-for-profit organisations, communities of interest, and grassroots neighbourhood groups. The council approved the criteria for grants and the process to manage the fund, including that the applicants must contribute half the cost of their project.

Most of the fund will be earmarked for medium-sized grants of up to $10,000, from a funding pool of $40,000 for the 2014-15 year. A total of $20,000 will be available for the first funding round closing November 30. The remainder of the fund has been set aside for small grants of up to $1000 each, totalling $10,000.

The grants were to "help build strong, innovative and vibrant communities" by strengthening and connecting neighbourhoods, revitalising neighbourhood places and spaces, and improving the quality of life in a community.

Paul Curry's Career before arriving in Tauranga:
- Inaugural director of Health and Disability Advocacy
- CEO of the Families Commission
- GM of the Community Development Group for Dept of Internal Affairs
- Member of the NZ Paraplegic Boat team
- Achievements include paddling across Cook Strait and 850km up the Nile