On the third day of Christmas, let's support people with disabilities

On ‘the third day of Christmas’ the Green Party today called for a change in attitude towards helping people with disabilities into work, away from punishment and towards inclusion.

“Everyone deserves decent work, a living wage, and to be treated with respect. For the one in five New Zealanders who experience disability, these things can be hard to come by,” Green Party Disability Spokesperson Catherine Delahunty said.

The first report monitoring New Zealand’s compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was released yesterday.

“The report is very clear that many disabled people have the capacity, skills, and education to meaningfully contribute to the workforce, but are missing out on the opportunity to do so,” Ms Delahunty said.

“The biggest barriers are the misinformed attitudes of many employers towards people with disabilities, and a lack of flexibility in working conditions.

“These findings are timely given the Government’s current focus on moving people off the sickness and invalids’ benefits and into work.

“There is no doubt that people with disabilities are under-employed and consequently many experience severe disadvantage and poverty.

“There is a clear message for the Welfare Working Group and the Minister of Social Development in this report: if you are serious about supporting people with disabilities out of poverty, focus on changing employers’ attitudes and ensuring flexible working conditions.”

Ms Delahunty said she was looking forward to the release of the Alternative Welfare Working Group’s report tomorrow, which she expected would outline some positive options for supporting people with disabilities out of poverty.

“Flexible working conditions for people with disabilities is one of the solutions on our Christmas wish-list that would guarantee the essentials for our kids, narrow the gap between the haves and the have-nots, and help to build a strong community that's better for everyone,” Ms Delahunty said.

Each working day between now and Christmas, the Green Party is highlighting a key issue related to inequality, and presenting Green solutions to those issues.

“Christmas is a great time to look around us and remember that a fair society is better for everyone. Together, we can build strong, resilient communities and families,” Ms Delahunty said.

On the 'fourth day of Christmas' tomorrow, the Green Party will focus on welfare and income support in response to the release of the Alternative Welfare Working Group report.