Disability advocates criticise Wellington Chamber of Commerce campaign

The slogan "Don't start 2020 blind" appeared on marketing material for the Capital Matters Conference held in Wellington this week. Image / Screenshot

Disability advocates have criticised Wellington Chamber of Commerce for a marketing campaign using the slogan "Don't start 2020 blind".

Concerns have been raised the phrase equates being blind with being uninformed.

Wellington Chamber of Commerce chief executive John Milford has since unreservedly apologised for the wording.

The slogan was used in material to advertise the Capital Matters Conference.

The one-day event was pitched as an opportunity for senior leaders to gather in Wellington to address key issues facing business and leadership, with guest speakers including Finance Minister Grant Robertson.

Wellington City Council disability portfolio leader councillor Rebecca Matthews said the slogan "Don't start 2020 blind" was ableist language.

"It suggests that blindness is a quality that we want to avoid and it's an unnecessary put-down of a whole community of Wellingtonians.

"It's very jarring to me that you wouldn't put a bit more thought into the words that you use and I think we can all do a little bit better to be more thoughtful."

Matthews said the chamber would do well to remember that blind people were living, working and studying in Wellington and some were themselves business owners.

Wellington City councillor Rebecca Matthews says the slogan is an "unnecessary put-down" of a whole community of Wellingtonians. Photo / Supplied

Milford said it was not the chamber's intention to offend anyone and the wording was regrettable.

"I want to unreservedly apologise.

"It's a reminder we must be careful with the language we use."

Milford said the chamber had worked alongside the community to champion the employment of people with disabilities and he encouraged members to do the same.

Disability Rights Commissioner Paula Tesoriero said she encouraged the chamber to be aware of the language it used.

"Language that is empowering of disabled people rather than language that implies blindness is a deficit is always preferred."

Tesoriero suggested the chamber could talk directly with organisations including Blind Citizens NZ or Blind Low Vision NZ.

In January, Wellington City Council was accused of a "Blind Citizen Eugenics Program" amid reports of the visually impaired risking their lives crossing at silent pedestrian signals.

Stickers were plastered on broken crossing signals across the city in a targeted campaign to get them fixed.