Speaking Truth to Power . . . But Almost Certainly Falling on Arrogantly Deaf Ears

In a speech that lacked the loud arrogance of some in the ruling coalition but spoke volumes in its intelligent compassion, the Greens' spokesperson for disability issues told Parliament last week:  "Knowing this government has made decisions that have profoundly harmed disabled people is distressing."

Kahurangi Carter spoke of the past 14 months' funding cuts, policy rollbacks and lack of consultation that have included, but have not been limited to:

• Restrictions to disability support funding.

• Restrictions of access to equipment like wheelchairs.

• Transfer of disability services to the Ministry of Social Development with NIL consultation of the community that this affects.  (Ed's Note: Interviews conducted by The Customer & The Constituent would indicate that appropriate descriptors might be, "the feared, intentionally incompetent and less than compassionate" Ministry of Social Development when it comes to that agency's treatment of people with disabilities, see this example.)

"And it has stopped the enabling of good lives," said Kahurangi-Carter.

24 Percent of A Population Is A Large Number to Leave Behind

According to Statistics NZ: 

"A total of 1.1 million people (24 percent of the population) were identified as disabled. The results show that 11 percent of children and 27 percent of adults were limited in their daily activities by a range of impairments."

Aside from pointing to this substantial percentage of New Zealand's population, Carter also issued a salient reminder to her fellow Parliamentarians:

"At any time, any one of us may face access barriers due to accident or injury."

(Comment by this publication's Editor)  Despite these realities, unbelievably, the current government has actually prioritised this area for cost-cutting - it being one of the first slash-and-burn targets with which it clearly felt it might gain brownie points with the broader population.

"On budget eve, the Minister for Disability Issues has been confronted by a protestor begging her to address the crowd about changes to disabled funding," the news anchor had kicked off this particular segment with. But it was a plea the "honorable" Louise Upston chose to snub as she walked past, and arrogantly threw open the doors before her ignoring, the woman.

(Upston, of course, was the PM's supposed remedy to the prior disaster made of the portfolio by Penny Simmonds, resulting in the likes of this particular demonstration covered by Radio New Zealand, the collective message of which was best summed up by the RNZ reporter's interviewee:  "We add no value to society as far as they are concerned. This is a despicable government. It does not care about these people.")

Back to Kahurangi Carter:

"This government has prioritised cost-cutting over human lives," Carter told Parliament in her address.

"I have talked to families who are unsure of their futures because of this government. When you boil it down all they really want is safety and stability . . . but that means we must prioritise access for everyone in our society.

"The Prime Minister spoke about personal responsibility – but we ALL as lawmakers have a responsibility to listen to and work with  our disabled communities.

"We HAVE to listen to  our disabled communities:  the systematic barriers, the lack of access, the withholding of dignity . . . it's all a deeply entrenched form of discrimination that continues to make life harder for disabled people."