Disability Connect

We were blown away and humbled to receive three national awards from the Federation of Disability Information Centres at its annual conference last month:

Member of the Year, the Richard Blakeborough Communications Award (for the second year in a row!), and along with Independent Living, the Academy Award for our commitment to professional development.

To everyone who helps make our mahi possible - thank you. We appreciate you!

Our team left the conference with heads full of ideas and hearts full of new connections. We're excited to continue strengthening the information and support we offer to disabled people and their families.

Image descriptions:
1: Mike, Disability Connect's CEO, speaking at the Federation Conference. He is sitting in a manual wheelchair and holding a microphone.
2: A collage of two photos. On top is six members of the Disability Connect team standing behind Mike as he speaks into a microphone. Cherie is holding a framed certificate. Below is a team photo in front of a Federation pull up banner. Everyone is smiling brightly. Mike is holding a certificate and Cherie is holding an award.

There's one week left to have your say on the Disability Support Services Bill before it goes to the next stage of the parlimentary process.

We've developed a draft response and want to know if there's anything else you think we should consider.

In summary, we're advocating for a full redesign of the Bill.

We're highlighting that it does not provide clarity, certainty, or rights protections for disabled people or their families.

Instead, it relies on unpaid labour, expands subjective decision making, and leaves too much power to future Ministers to make changes aligned with a charity framework of disability that other developed nations have moved on from.

We're sharing specific concerns around “natural supports”, the Needs Assessment Tool, NASC decision making, secondary legislation and future policy.

The absence of meaningful consultation with disabled people and families has resulted in a Bill in which disabled people who are carers themselves are not recognised.

Our recommendation is to redevelop the Bill alongside disabled people, their families, and wider support systems, so our rights are restored and upheld.

The process must honour the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, embrace a social disability framework, be consistent with the NZ Disability Strategy, and reflect the lived realities of the people most affected.

Read our full draft submission on our website: https://disabilityconnect.org.nz/disability-support-services-bill-submissions-due-by-12-june-2026/

You can also make an individual submission. More information is available on the Parliament website: https://www3.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/committees-press-releases/have-your-say-on-the-disability-support-services-bill/

We welcome your thoughts and feedback in the comments or by emailing [email protected] by 5pm, Wednesday 10 June.

Image description: Graphic with a question mark on top and text below: "Disability Support Services Bill. Is there anything else we should consider in our submission?"

When you spend most of your week looking after someone else, it’s easy to forget your own wellbeing needs.

If you’re a parent, whānau member or caregiver of a disabled loved one, join us for an online Parent Support Group event with Lee Tempest from VisAble on 10 June.

During this free daytime webinar, we’ll talk about the unseen challenges of caregiving and how these stressors can impact our bodies. Lee will also share simple ways to promote relaxation and support your nervous system.

We often hear how much parents and families value the opportunity to connect with others who share similar experiences. If you’re interested in meeting others in the community, we warmly welcome you to join us.

For more information, including how to register, check out our event page: https://www.facebook.com/share/1HprSfLUq3/

Image description: A promotional poster for the event. The text reads: “Nourishing Our Nervous System. Parent Support Group. Free online event for families. Join us for a webinar on caregiving and self-care with Lee Tempest from VisAble. Wednesday 10 June 2026, 11:00am to 1:00pm. Online via Zoom. Register for the link." There is a photo of Lee beside the text.

To celebrate Mother's Day earlier this month, our Parent Support Group enjoyed a cosy evening together, connecting over hot chai tea and chats about wellbeing.

Thank you to Holistic Wellness Coach Anju Desai for teaching us how to make our own chai and sharing the benefits of different spices, such as turmeric, cumin, fennel seeds and cardamom.

Abdul Eraki from Northwest 7 Day Pharmacy also shared information about prescription-based support services, including for vulnerable families and disabled people.

If you didn’t already know, NorthWest 7 Day Pharmacy offers free delivery service to the wider Northwest area for their prescription. They can also provide support at cost for some non-funded prescriptions and vaccines to help whānau, especially those experiencing financial difficulties, as part of their dedication to supporting the community’s healthcare needs.

Image descriptions:
1: Anju gesturing with her hands while presenting to the group. There are jars of spices on the table next to her.
2: Abdul, dressed in a white pharmacy uniform, presents to the group of parents seated opposite him. There is a table with craft items next to the audience, and two people sit here drawing.
3: Disability Connect team member Jess and Anju stand together smiling in front of a Holistic Wellness banner.

The Disability Support Services Bill going into Parliament this week has unsettled a lot of disabled people and their families. It looks like a simple replacement for the old Ministry of Health legislation, but it opens the door to future changes that could seriously affect those who rely on these supports.

For families providing 24/7 care, the Bill removes any chance of redress for existing claims. It also gives government wide powers to change family carer payments later on, without proper public input. That uncertainty is tough for families already carrying a heavy load, especially where there are high or complex needs.

Most family carers are women, already stretched and dealing with the health impacts of long-term caring for family members.

What worries us is how strongly this Bill leans back toward a charity framework from last century. It assumes families will simply absorb whatever comes.

It puts us back in the position of having to ask friends and allies to help us out, as if disabled people and their families are a cause rather than part of the community. Where is our right to be friends without tags or commitments attached?

Whole families get shunned when systems start treating them as a burden. People start thinking "what do you want this time?" instead of seeing us as people who belong like anyone else.

The Bill overreacts to a very narrow Supreme Court ruling about adults needing 24/7 care and some disabled people who may lack the (legal) capacity to be an employer. Instead of addressing that specific issue, it creates a pathway to reshape the whole family carer system. Families deserve clarity about what that could mean.

Disabled people and their families need legislation that reflects real life, respects choice, and supports self-determination. They need clear, accessible information, and a system that recognises the emotional and physical toll of caring for family members. Government wants clarity and cost control. Families still need certainty.

We will keep speaking up for fairness, transparency, and dignity.

What do you want for your family? We will be making a submission to the select committee. Let us know in the comments.

Know we are standing with you.

Image description: a simple illustration of two bears viewed from behind with their arms around each other. Text above reads, "We're standing with you".

Has your family experienced challenges with the General Election voting system?

The Electoral Commission is developing an Accessibility Action Plan for the 2026 General Election. We’re preparing feedback to advocate for a better experience for disabled people and their families.

Families have told us the current voting process is stressful, confusing, and physically difficult. Many are anxious about making mistakes, being rushed, or not being able to safely access voting places. Some people said they didn't vote in previous elections because the barriers felt too great. Others ended up voting for someone they didn't mean to by mistake!

To make this year's election more accessible, our recommendations will focus on:
• Voting information and digital navigation
• Sample ballots and ballot layouts
• Supported decision-making
• Physical access, including during poor weather
• Independent and secret voting options
• Alternate formats
• Key community languages and cultural needs
• Accountability and reporting

What do you think? Is there anything we should add or change? Do you have experiences to share on these areas of focus?

Leave your thoughts in the comments or email us at [email protected] by 5pm on Wednesday 27 May so we can consider them in our submission.

Image description: Graphic with a question mark on top and text reading, "Voting in this year’s General Election. What would make voting more accessible for your family?"

“That was super informative. All of the information was so relevant to me going flatting. Thank you.”

We recently hosted our annual housing discussion, Kāinga Kōrero. For this year’s session, we focused on taking the next steps into flatting.

Ainsley from Flying Kites shared practical advice on renting and choosing flatmates. She spoke about finding the right people to live with by advocating for our needs and communicating where we can compromise. She also shared an interesting way to test compatibility before signing a tenancy agreement.

Tessa from Habitat for Humanity helped us understand our rights and responsibilities as occupants. She shared simple ways to keep a warm and dry home, and how to communicate with landlords. We also discovered that their Healthy Homes programme can help assess a home. They even provide lovely winter warming care packages.

If you missed the session, a recording will be available on our website soon. We’ll also share key learnings here over the coming weeks.

A big thank you to Ainsley and Tessa for helping families feel more informed and prepared to take their next step into flatting.

For more information on Moving Out, Flying Kite's guide to help navigate a change in living situation, go to their website: https://www.flyingkites.org.nz/resources/moving-out

For more information on Habitat for Humanity and their Healthy Homes programme, go to their website: https://www.habitat.org.nz/programme/healthy-homes

Image descriptions:
1: Ainsley speaking at the event. She sits next to a large screen with a presentation slide on key principles for flatting.
2: Tessa speaking at the event. She is looking up towards the screen, which has information on occupant rights and responsibilities.

Some of our team forgot it was Mother’s Day this Sunday. If you did too, you’re in good company.

To the mums and mother‑figures walking alongside disabled children and adults - the driving, the advocacy, the sleepless nights, the endless forms, the celebrations big and small - you carry so much.

We see you, and we honour you.

May you feel appreciated, supported, and surrounded by aroha. We thank you for all that you do!

Image description: a simple illustration of two bears viewed from behind with their arms around each other. Text above reads, "Happy Mother’s Day!"

Save the date for this year's Transition Expo: Wednesday 9 September at Auckland Netball Centre.

Transition Expo is always a major highlight for our team - we love meeting and connecting with you all.

Is there anything new you'd like to see at Expo this year?

What did you love about last year that you'd like to see more of?

Image description: graphic of an open envelope with the Transition Expo logo on the paper inside. The text "You’re invited!" is above the envelope and "9 September 2026, Auckland Netball Centre" is below.