April 29, 2024
No vision for disabled portfolio
The Paediatric Society says replacing the minister is no guarantee disabled Māori children and their whanau will get better treatment.
Penny Simmonds was last week sacked as Minister for the Disabled and the portfolio handed to Social Development Minister Louise Upston amidst widespread anger over cuts in funding for disability support and carers.
Paediatric Society president Owen Sinclair says so far the Government has focused on slashing money rather than presenting a clear plan to address the needs of disabled people.
“The aim of the system should be to support, to allow these whānau – to rather than this being a financial burden and a financial handcuff and that sort of thing – to give them enough support, and enough encouragement and enough of those things like occupational therapy to help you get those things so that you can still thrive as a whānau and contribute to society. I don’t know whether this government is down with it at all,” he says.
Dr Sinclair says there seems to be two tier system of those born with disabilities and those made disabled through accident or illness.