“People’s lives turned around overnight as a result of these changes.”
Around 100 members of the local disability community along with their carers shared their frustrations at a meeting with the Labour Party’s spokesperson for disability issues, Priyanca Radhakrishnan, and Nelson MP, Rachel Boyack, last week.
The meeting was in response to the Government’s sudden changes to Whaikaha, the Ministry of Disabled People’s purchasing rules, to clarify how people can use their disability support funding, which previously enabled flexible access to things like respite care.
The changes, which were implemented with immediate effect on 18 March, were due to the funding shortfall at the ministry.
Labour is now fighting for the changes to be reinstated, and it encourages the public to step up and get behind the disability community.
A woman at the meeting shared in the opposition’s challenge by shouting, “we’re tired of fighting, we’re sick of it”.
Priyanca told Nelson Weekly after the meeting that it was evident that Nelson Tasman’s disabled people and their carers are “exhausted and frustrated” and that they must now fight for their entitlements.
“We were moving towards a space where we didn’t just fix what disabled people couldn’t do, but we talked to disabled people to find out ‘what would be a good life for them?, what could they access in terms of support that would allow them to thrive?’,” she says.
“This change on 18 March has derailed that trajectory because it has taken choice and control away from disabled people and many have said their world is now shrinking as a result. It’s significant changes, people’s lives turned around overnight as a result of these changes.”
Minister for Disability Issues, Penny Simmonds, has previously said the funding that the disability community had access to was too flexible, following reports that individualised funding had been spent on Lotto tickets, alcohol, and tobacco.
Rachel Boyack says those comments were “really insulting” to family members who go above and beyond.
“These parents who I talk to of the young people, they love their kids dearly, they want the best for them, and they often get no sleep, they often can’t work full time or at all, they make so many sacrifices,” she says.
“To be insulted in that way was beyond inappropriate, listening to those answers in Parliament as I have, I was absolutely outraged… it’s just so out of touch with what is going on for parents and families.”
Maitai School’s rebuild, which has been put on ice by the Government as it reviews school property, was also a hot topic.
The special education facility is currently at full capacity, and some students would be stranded next year if a rebuild does not eventuate.
Kelly Patchett, whose deaf son attends one of its satellite classrooms at Henley School, said Maitai School had transformed him into a “happy and intelligent” student.
Rachel says she would equally push for the school rebuild, and called on the Education Minister, Erica Sanford, to meet with the school’s community.
