Blind and low vision New Zealanders face rising costs and daily barriers - The Front Page

There are huge inequities facing at least 183,000 New Zealanders.

New data from Blind Low Vision NZ reveals how blind, deafblind, and low vision New Zealanders face not only higher costs but also the emotional strain of barriers most Kiwis never encounter.

Stats NZ figures show that 58% of disabled New Zealanders earn $30,000 or less a year, compared with 33% of non-disabled people.

While one in six New Zealanders identifies as disabled, 60% are unemployed or underemployed.

For Blind Low Vision NZ clients, 51% of working-age members are without a job, and 74% of youth clients have never had a part-time or summer job.

The organisation’s community and inclusion general manager, Dan Shepherd, told The Front Page that something as simple as getting your groceries is a struggle.

“For somebody who is blind or has low vision, like me, it takes time to prepare yourself for a trip to the supermarket. I’ve gotta get Ezra, my guide dog, ready. I need to book my taxi. I need to count on the fact that the taxi that comes to pick me up is gonna want him in their car and not drive away like some Ubers or taxis can do.

“Then you get to the supermarket. As somebody with low vision, you’re gonna need some support to find the things you need. You’re counting on awareness from others to get your groceries, and then you’ve got to do all the things and that process in reverse to get home,” he said.

Blind Low Vision NZ clients have reported skipping GP appointments because travel has become unaffordable, and have delayed treatment because forms or health information aren’t available in formats they can read.

“I think in all these scenarios, our clients are making decisions not to attend GP appointments because when you get there, you’re handed a piece of A4 paper with 12-point font on it saying, ‘Can you sit down over there and fill this out?’.

“It’s expecting those sorts of barriers to be put in front of you when you leave your home that is making so many of our clients not leave their home and making the decision not to be overwhelmed by those sorts of barriers,” Shepherd said.

Census data shows the number of people reporting no or limited sight that affects daily activities has risen by about 8% since 2018, from just over 169,000 to nearly 183,000 in 2023.

Over October, Blind Low Vision NZ raises awareness and supports fundraising events in the community. Eighty percent of the organisation’s income comes from donations.

Listen to the full episode to hear more about the barriers blind, deafblind, and low vision Kiwis face.

The Front Page is a daily news podcast from the New Zealand Herald, available to listen to every weekday from 5am. The podcast is presented by Chelsea Daniels, an Auckland-based journalist with a background in world news and crime/justice reporting who joined NZME in 2016.

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