People With Disabilities Deserve Better

People With Disabilities Deserve Better

People with disabilities in New Zealand deserve better, says Alliance Disabilities spokesperson Chris Ford, who today unveiled the party's disabilities policy.

The key points include:

A pledge to retain The New Zealand Disability Strategy developed in 2001 when the Alliance was in coalition Government

Full support for mainstream supported employment for people with disabilities and a pledge to support full wages and conditions for sheltered workshop workers

Ending the disparity between Ministry of Health and ACC funded disability support entitlements

Adequate funding for mainstream education for children with disabilities within either inclusive settings or special education units within ordinary schools.

"These policies will reinforce the ideal that all people with disabilities should be supported to live within their communities," said Mr Ford.

He challenged Labour to restore full funding in this area, saying the Government had been cutting disability support funding for a number of years in real terms. He also challenged the National Party to state what it would do with The New Zealand Disability Strategy, given their attacks on other minority groups such as Maori.

"Labour is the party of indifference when it comes to disability support funding. National is the party of intolerance when it comes to promoting disability inclusion and human rights," he added.

However, Mr Ford is hopeful that people with disabilities and their families/whanau will cast their party vote for positive, progressive policies on September 17.

ENDS

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