Tauranga woman Amanda Lowry became a tetraplegic after a freak surfing accident in 2013. Photo / John Borren
People born with disabilities will have "bigger better lives" due to a newly established ministry for disabled people, a tetraplegic says.
Tauranga woman Amanda Lowry was left paralysed from her armpits down after a freak accident in 2013 - she was surfing at Mount Maunganui beach when she hit a sandbar and broke her neck.
The 50-year-old is in a wheelchair and has limited use of her hands.
Lowry receives support from ACC, but says she is "lucky" compared to those who are born with a disability.
"You're absolutely in a win position if you acquire it [the disability]."
Whaikaha, the new Ministry of Disabled People, was launched on July 1 alongside Health New Zealand and the Māori Health Authority. It was allocated $1 billion in new funding from Budget 2022.
In the Bay of Plenty, about 73,000 people identified as being disabled in 2013.
As one of them, Lowry said there was a "massive inequality" between those who acquired their disability and those who were born with it.
She said those with acquired injuries received support from ACC which operated as an insurance model, whereas the Ministry of Health supported those whose symptoms or impairments were not caused by accident.
"Insurance models provide the financial means for a 'big life', whereas public provision is primarily focused on maintaining health and delivering functional equipment."
As Lowry receives care from ACC, she got "a lot of support" for equipment to help her have a "better and bigger" life.
"I still swim four times a week, play wheelchair rugby, I cook ... and I'm doing a PhD and I'm working for council."
Lowry said the new ministry was about "levelling the playing field" and believed it would address this discrepancy.
"Which means those with congenital impairments get to have bigger better lives like those who are provided for under ACC.
"I think this is where the biggest gains are going to be in terms of the ministry."
In response to Lowry's comments, Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People interim deputy chief executive operational design and delivery Amanda Bleckmann said it understood the desire for a "greater focus" on improving the outcomes for disabled people in Aotearoa.
A key focus for the new ministry would be to ensure a "smooth transfer of current services and support" for disabled people from the Ministry of Health. This included almost $2 billion in annual funding for about 42,000 people who received support on a daily and weekly basis.
"We are working in partnership with our disabled community and with disability support providers nationally to ensure disabled people get the best quality of support possible."
Western Bay of Plenty Disability Support Trust trustee Wendy Neilson was born with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita - a disability which affects her feet and hands.
She walks with a limp and is recovering from a foot operation, which poses the challenge of using a wheelchair or knee scooter.
"To go into town, I just want a unisex toilet so my husband can help me in the loo."
Despite her disability, the 74-year-old says she has "lived a very good life" as a mother, grandmother, teacher, academic and disability advocate.
Neilson said the new ministry was "exciting" and hoped it would create a better life for anyone with a disability.
"I will really believe it will change our world when we get there."
Chief executive of Arohanui Art and Education Trust - a Tauranga-based service provider for adults with disabilities - Peter Gibson said it was "a good move" to establish one ministry for people with disabilities as it moved away from it being a health-based service.
"Not everyone who has a disability is unwell or in a health service."
Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People deputy chief executive of performance and governance Russ Cooke said the ministry would work with the disability community to drive change towards "a better, more independent future for disabled people and their whānau".
It was established in response to the disability community asking for a ministry focused on improving outcomes for disabled people.
"As well as transforming the disability support system, the aim is to work with other government agencies to help improve outcomes for disabled people in areas such as employment, education, health and wellbeing."
The ministry was developing the plan to nationally roll out Enabling Good Lives, a principle-based approach developed by an independent working group of disabled people, whānau, tangata whenua and service providers.