Technology to help disabled have their say on services

Steve Chadwick

Parliament's social services committee will take submissions by phone and video-conference for a wide-ranging inquiry into services for disabled people.

Alleged abuses by agencies such as Focus 2000 sparked the committee's decision last month to hold the investigation, but details published on Parliament's website yesterday show the inquiry will be much broader. It now invites submissions on:

* Home-based, residential, vocational and community services for disabled people, including "the right of those with a disability to live a life of independence and freedom".

* Setting and monitoring of standards of care.

* Advocacy and complaints mechanisms.

* Funding and accountability of ministries and other agencies.

* Training and workplace conditions for people working with disabled people.

* The extent to which the NZ Disability Strategy is central to the wellbeing, rights and care of disabled people.

Disabled Persons Assembly president Mike Gourley said the inquiry's broad scope would encourage many disabled people to take part.

"It's a great opportunity to change things for the better and should be well used," he said.

Health Minister Pete Hodgson initially opposed the inquiry, arguing there was no need for it. But the wide-ranging terms of reference were drawn up through consensus by a four-party subcommittee of MPs Steve Chadwick (Labour), Paul Hutchison (National), Sue Bradford (Greens) and Judy Turner (United Future).

Ms Chadwick said she hoped the committee would encourage disabled people to make submissions by phone or video-conferencing if they could not get to face-to-face hearings.

"Just about every part of New Zealand has a video-conferencing facility at a polytech or a Chamber of Commerce or somewhere," she said.

"They are much more sophisticated now ... I think people will find it less intimidating than having to come to Wellington.

"People can also phone in. People at home with a disability who can't get to a video-conferencing centre can just talk to us and that's just as powerful as a written submission."

Written submissions close on August 25, and Ms Chadwick said it could take up to a year after that to hear submitters.

"This could go on for a long time," she said. "But if it goes on for too long, we are never going to have time to make recommendations to this Government and for this Government to have an opportunity to respond. So it has got to be done in the next two years."