Advocacy media releases

IHC applauds research on barriers to banking for disabled people
January 21, 2025
IHC welcomes Westpac’s research highlighting the barriers disabled people face in accessing banking services. These challenges, which IHC has raised repeatedly over the past decade, underscore the urgent need for systemic changes to promote financial inclusion for disabled communities.
Woefully underfunded disability allowances failing intellectually disabled New Zealanders
August 1, 2024
IHC is calling for the government to triple the Child Disability Allowance and double the Disability Allowance to improve the quality of life and longevity for intellectually disabled people.
New Report Highlights Challenges and Opportunities in Residential Disability Support Services
July 17, 2024
The recent report by the Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC) on complaints about residential disability support services is a crucial step towards improving the lives of intellectually disabled individuals in New Zealand.
New Zealand’s Intellectual Disability Crisis: Urgent Health Policy Reforms Needed
July 8, 2024
IHC New Zealand says specific, targeted health policies are necessary to bridge the life expectancy gap between people with intellectual disability and the rest of New Zealand.
$90 million investment for specialist schools only supports 0.6 percent disabled learners
June 14, 2024
IHC New Zealand says today’s announcement to invest $90 million into specialist schools is a win for them and the students they serve, however it’s funding that could be utilised to fix a broken system for the 99.4 percent of disabled students who attend their local mainstream school.
Budget funding an opportunity to change the lives of intellectually disabled New Zealanders
May 31, 2024
Director of Advocacy Tania Thomas says targeted support is critical for the pressing needs of this community which has the worst outcomes of all New Zealanders
Charter school funding boost is the wrong step
May 14, 2024
The coalition government’s move to boost funding for charter schools is counterintuitive.
People with intellectual disabilities shut out of tech advancements
May 6, 2024
The IHC report, From Data to Dignity, shows only 69% of people with intellectual disabilities have access to the internet.
Disabled people falling victim to the work-readiness trap
April 19, 2024
IHC New Zealand wants to see more employers cut through the red tape when hiring people, particularly those with an intellectual disability.
Lack of political will to improve lives of disabled people in New Zealand
April 9, 2024
Once again, the one in four New Zealanders with a disability are not a priority for this Government, says IHC New Zealand.
"How do disabled people live their lives when the Government presses pause?"
March 20, 2024
IHC New Zealand is asking Whaikaha to clarify changes to disabled people’s funding and what it means moving forward.
Government report ignores our most vulnerable
March 14, 2024
IHC New Zealand is dismayed that a new Government report, billed as a “nationwide picture of the population’s health,” ignores the 47,000 people with intellectual disability in New Zealand.
IHC says no to boot camps
March 5, 2024
IHC New Zealand says the Government’s introduction of juvenile boot camps for youth offenders will unfairly target young people with intellectual disability.
‘Anguish about the outdated, non-responsive and inadequate Ministry funding for disabled students to succeed is palpable’
February 28, 2024
IHC New Zealand says families of students with intellectual disability are at breaking point as more and more principals are being hamstrung by limited funding.
Intellectually disabled community hidden from government statistics
February 26, 2024
IHC New Zealand is calling on the Ministry of Health to specifically include data on the outcomes of people with intellectual disability in its reporting.
Children with intellectual disability 7 times more likely to be uplifted
February 22, 2024
IHC New Zealand echoes the Chief Ombudsman’s call for the Government to make changes to Oranga Tamaraki so that our most vulnerable children are protected.
Proposed benefit changes will batter New Zealand families living with intellectual disability
February 19, 2024
IHC Director of Advocacy, Tania Thomas, says the Government is making decisions about benefits on the fly and not on evidence, which is putting intellectually disabled New Zealanders at serious risk.
Opportunity for new Government to lift achievement rates for intellectually disabled students
January 24, 2024
IHC New Zealand says although NCEA achievement rates for students with intellectual disability are rising, overwhelmingly there is a massive struggle for these students to access quality education at their local school.
Despite stark warnings, intellectually disabled Kiwis neglected by Government for another 20 years
December 18, 2023
New Zealanders have long life expectancies, but new research from IHC shows that intellectually disabled New Zealanders die up to 20 years earlier than the rest of the population.
Make it fair for ALL!
September 15, 2023
Get on with it and make education fair for ALL
Teacher investment is a start, what next?
April 19, 2023
IHC says more action is needed to adequately resource schools despite welcoming the Government’s announcement to reduce class sizes.
IHC welcomes announcement of new plan for disabled learners
November 17, 2022
IHC is encouraged by the government’s announcement today that it will develop a new funding and support system for disabled learners.
IHC welcomes ERO proposal to give disabled students a fair chance at school
September 28, 2022
ERO report confirms the problems identified in IHC’s legal action against the Crown about the disadvantage and discrimination experienced by disabled students.
Disabled students 5,000+ times more likely to be restrained in residential specialist schools
September 13, 2022
IHC is urging the government to mandate the end of physical restraint in schools.
IHC looks to Ministry of Education to step up for disabled students at Royal Commission
August 17, 2022
IHC looks to the Ministry of Education to step up for disabled students at tomorrow’s Royal Commission of Enquiry to abuse in State Care.

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