Disability sector welcomes Productivity Commission report

Disability sector welcomes Productivity Commission report

The Government is being urged to move quickly to adopt many of the Productivity Commission’s recommendations for improving the social services system, to deliver better results for disabled New Zealanders.

The Disability Employment Forum, New Zealand Disability Support Network (NZDSN) and Inclusive New Zealand welcome the Productivity Commission’s report released yesterday.

“The Productivity Commission notes that achieving reform will require active commitment from both government and non-government leaders. We strongly agree that disabled people and those providing services for them must be closely involved in developing those services. We know what works and what services actually cost, and we are keen to work with Government to ensure that public funding is used as effectively as possible.” says Inclusive New Zealand CEO Tess Casey.

Garth Bennie, Chief Executive of NZDSN, agrees that leaders in the disability sector are ready and willing to collaborate with Government.

“The Productivity Commission inquiry has provided a positive opportunity to raise the issues we face, including the systemic under-investment our sector has faced over many years. We are particularly heartened by the report’s emphasis on the need for collaboration, the observation that good design takes time and resources, and that the Government’s investment approach needs to be further refined to better reflect the wider costs and benefits of interventions. We now look forward to helping deliver the benefits the report identifies,” says Dr Bennie.

Grant Cleland, Chair of the Disability Employment Forum, says that those working in the sector see considerable scope to improve the employment rate of disabled people, to the benefit of both the individuals and the economy as a whole.

“Many of the Productivity Commission recommendations reinforce our ongoing discussions with the Ministry of Social Development that we can find better ways to achieve our shared goals.”

“The Productivity Commission report process has provided an opportunity for the sector to think broadly about how we deliver social services and we look forward to a positive discussion on the way forward.”

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