Submissions

IHC has made a submission on the Emergency Management Bill (No 2), calling for disability inclusion to be built into New Zealand’s emergency management system from the ground up. Drawing on international obligations and evidence from recent emergencies, the submission highlights gaps in the Bill and recommends stronger requirements for accessibility, participation, and local disability leadership. IHC is urging Government to ensure that people with intellectual disabilities are considered in emergencies and actively involved in preparing for them.

IHC does not support the proposed presumption against financial redress for survivors of abuse in care who have later been convicted of serious offences.

Any strategy that aims to improve outcomes for disabled people must include targeted interventions for this distinct group.

Five recommendations for the development of this micro credential.

IHC is concerned that the Electoral Amendment Bill will create additional barriers to democratic participation for people with intellectual disability and other developmental disabilities.

IHC opposes the repeal of the health sector principles in the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022. Removing these principles would further entrench the systemic health inequities faced by people with intellectual disability, particularly Māori with an intellectual disability.

IHC was concerned that the 'Twenty-Third and Twenty Fourth Periodic Reports of States Parties due 22nd December 2021 New Zealand' only discussed disability in the context of health and did not highlight the most at-risk group of disabled people, being Māori with intellectual disability.

IHC recommends that the Plain Language Act Repeal Bill be voted down and strengthened to have meaningful impact on increasing the accessibility of government documents.

IHC says a fair, consistent and transparent disability support system must be guided by data, person-centred principles and real-world experiences.

IHC supports the Mental Health Act Bill’s shift to include supported decision making and the concept of capacity, with a clear presumption that individuals have the capacity to make decisions about mental health care unless they demonstrably cannot, however we must ensure that disability is not used as a basis to assume a lack of capacity to make mental health decisions.