Rotorua para-swimmer Siobhan Terry hopes to compete in the 2024 Paralympics. Photo / Ben Fraser
The hopes of about 73,000 people in the Bay of Plenty have been bolstered by the establishment of Whaikaha, the new Ministry of Disabled People.
Paralympic hopeful Siobhan Terry is one of about 73,000 people living in the region who identified as being disabled, according to Ministry of Social Development data from 2013.
The 21-year-old para-swimmer said she remembers hearing about the new ministry on TV and via radio.
"I thought it was exciting that there was something being done in this space," Terry told the Rotorua Daily Post.
Since Whaikaha was launched on July 1, it has communicated its aim to lead a true partnership between the disability community, Māori and the Government.
To begin working towards its goals, Whaikaha was allocated $1 billion in new funding from Budget 2022.
While Terry felt she did not know a lot about the new ministry, she fully supported its aim.
"I think it is great, and what I hope to see from it is real action and change for us with disabilities," Terry said.
"Although I am not affected by my disability on the same scale as others, I see it almost every day with the people I work with and in my community."
Terry was born with club foot which affects the bones and muscles in one of her feet.
Her hopes for the new ministry include transparency, actions that match words and actions based on the words of those with disability.
"I think they need to prioritise more accessible and affordable housing, transport and funding."
Whaikaha was developing a 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.
Swim-Able NZ owner Maxine Parker hoped Whaikaha would work towards fully-integrating people with disabilities in all aspects of society.
"There's no 'us and them'. It's not enough to be included. We are one community."
Parker said full integration would involve solutions for problems such as environmental discrimination.
"At the moment people don't think about disability until it affects them," Parker said.
"You don't actively tell somebody they can't do something but you make it bloody awkward."
Parker said things such as hydro slides, beach access, handrails, mobility parking and footpaths needed to have the end-users involved at every stage of the design process.
"I always say people need to try to get around town in a wheelchair where some places have double doors, others have doors that only open one way and reception counters are at standing-shoulder height."
Parker said she hoped Whaikaha's existence would empower those in the disability community and give them a seat at the table.
CCS Disability Action Midland Region general manager Colene Herbert said disability had always been coupled with other needs such as education or health.
"It's wonderful that finally, they have a platform with which to address their needs, a dedicated service."
Herbert said people with disabilities she had spoken to were hoping to have more direct influence over the way resources were distributed.
"They want to live the lives they want to, the same as anyone else."
In terms of immediate needs, Herbert's No 1 concern was the provision of adequate, accessible housing.
"It's thinking about the width of doorways and hallways, thinking about ramps," Herbert said.
"Councils have a minimum requirement and developers are required to meet a basic standard but some of those requirements are actually inadequate.
"The current stock available on the market is woefully inadequate to cater for people with disability."
Herbert said the accessibility of New Zealand's natural environment would also need to be a priority.
"If we make playgrounds, pools, beaches, pavements and walkways accessible for people with disability, we're catering for everyone."
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Tania Thomas, director of advocacy at IHC Group, New Zealand's largest provider of services to people with intellectual disabilities and their families, called the establishment of Whaikaha "a positive step".
"This is an opportunity to see diversity, equity and inclusion in action," Thomas told the Rotorua Daily Post.
Thomas said the process was still "a bit of a wait-and-see game" but there was a general sense of optimism for what Whaikaha could accomplish.
"They have an opportunity to do more than transplant the culture, process, and systems from the previous system."
Whaikaha 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".
"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."