On 29 October Hon Carmel Sepuloni, Minister for Disability Issues and Hon Andrew Little, Minister of Health, announce a new Ministry for Disabled People to lead ongoing transformation of the disability system across government.

The announcement was hosted on the Attitude TV website and you can watch it here:

There were four initiatives announced:

• Establishing a Ministry for Disabled People
• Implementing the Enabling Good lives approach to Disability Services on a national scale
• Introducing the Accessibility for New Zealanders Bill – this is new legislation that will progressively make Aotearoa more accessible
• Establishing a new Accessibility Governance Board

Manawanui CEO Marsha Marshall said she welcomed the announcement.

“We think it’s a great step forward, but the next 7-8 months will be important to see if true transformation is what we will see. We will keep you updated on progress and let you know how you can get involved and have your say.”

So, why not have your say? Let’s get the conversation going - let us know your thoughts. Do you think this will improve your life? Is there anything you think was missed?

Manawanui would love to hear from you, and to pass your thoughts on to the Ministry on your behalf. If you are a customer of Manawanui you can access a simple form to complete here