09/05/2024
Please help the disability community by sending a letter to your Member Of Parliament based on this.
I work in the Intellectual Disability Sector, and I am I’m extremely concerned with the recent announcement by the Government regarding the changes to the rules for Carer Support payments and government funded equipment through Enable Funding. These changes were made to manage Whaikaha’s projected budget overrun of about 10 %.
Subsequently the Government has announced a review of Whaikaha because of this projected cost overrun. For the past 6 years Whaikaha and formerly the Ministry of Health’s Disability Support Services, have runover budget by about 10% per year. This isn’t due to mismanagement by these government agencies, it’s the result of chronic underfunding over decades and the growing and ageing population which it serves.
New Zealand Disability Support Network “estimate a 10.4% increase in funding will be needed just to keep pace with rising demand and costs in the disability sector, with 24% in total needed to make up for historic underfunding. Additionally, the Government must fund the stalled Pay Equity settlement for carers and support workers”
I hope the result of this review will show the Government’s commitment to the disability community and is not just an excuse to cut funding and therefore services.
The Disability sector, supports the most vulnerable New Zealanders and the people who work in the area are either unpaid or paid a low wage to do demanding and very challenging work. Currently nearly all the funding in the sector goes to “front line” services. Without a realistic increase in funding there will be cuts to “front line” services.
The only chance disabled New Zealanders have of a meaningful increase in the quality of their care, is in the hands of politicians. I trust you will support these vulnerable New Zealanders receive the care they need.
