DSS Bill amendments
Changes made to the Disability Support Services Bill improve the legislation and provide greater clarity and assurance for disabled people and their families. The Government must now build trust and practical solutions through constructive consultation with disabled people, whānau and the sector.
We are pleased some of IHC and IDEA Services' recommendations are reflected in the amended Bill. These include:
- a requirement for consultation with disabled people and their representatives before Disability Support Services programmes are developed
- stronger decision-making principles that recognise disabled people's choices and preferences, safety, dignity, and long-term needs and circumstances, and
- a statutory review of the legislation within five years.
We also welcome the change to the language relating to families' responsibilities. Replacing "responsibility in the first instance" with "a responsibility to contribute to" the wellbeing of family members better recognises that disability support is a shared responsibility and that family involvement may not always be available, or appropriate.
We will take the time to carefully consider the committee's amendments and their implications. We will continue working with disabled people, whānau, our community, and Government to make a disability support system that is fair, transparent, and based on the rights and wellbeing of disabled people.
