Posts by Angela Hart
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Access: I Can’t See You, But You Should…, in reply to Sacha,
Many of us do know and feel under-appreciated but don't want to risk the blind having this concession removed. Most disabled people face higher costs of living which are not covered by the disability allowance, but just have to get on with it.
The same problem exists with the discrepancies between provision under ACC and that under MOH, there's always the risk that Government will take services down to the lower level instead of doing the right thing. Cost is the first consideration not fairness or need.
How can we get disabled people better represented in the mainstream media? All the media seems to think about when the word "disabled " is mentioned is "human interest" story. Actually it's almost a whole different world that most able bodied people don't notice and don't understand. "Attitude" does show aspects of this, incidental to the person's story.
The whole country should be up in arms over the proposal to allow building owners to upgrade for earthquakes without bothering about access for people with mobility problems. The existing legislation allows building owners an out if making the building accessible is likely to be costly or very difficult. There's really no need for any further concession, the extra cost incurred for accessibility is minimal, or the owner uses the existing out clause. So why this outrageous idea that it's okay to lock people out of public buildings ?
People in general have no idea how frustrating it can be for anyone who can't manage steps. The extra distance you have to travel, the frustration with long winding ramps when everyone else has a quick route; especially when it's wet. Booking into a so- called accessible motel room to find the step to get in the door is impassable. And so it goes on, but most able-bodied people are unaware of the problems because they don't have mobility impaired friends, although eventually age takes its toll and they begin to realise.
I hadn't understood how marginalised we are until I realised that the benefit I survived on for nearly 6 years was more than $200 less than 40 hours at minimum wage, which is currently considered to be too low to live on. -
Access: Who Are Disabled New Zealanders?, in reply to Sacha,
so do you think we need a new organisation to represent the interests of people with disabilities and those who care about a decent society?
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Access: Who Are Disabled New Zealanders?, in reply to Sacha,
Connecting is a bit easier than it used to be, that's not so much of a problem.
Organising though, the DPA used to be high profile and politically active but I haven't heard much from or about them for a few years. We need to organise and be prepared to be politically active if we want to see useful change in our lifetimes. Grey Power is a good example, it has political clout, although some of that is down to Winston Peters.
It's a waste of time demanding from this Government. Look what they did in response to the Carers court case with Funded Family Care. It's a travesty. And they changed the law so that what they've done can't be challenged. New Zealand a democracy? Not with the Nats in charge. In that vein, we are 5 months or so away from an election and the only major party with a clear set of disability policies on their website is the Greens. Why? -
how do you suggest we start fixing it?