Engage Aotearoa

Category Archives: Politics And Policy

Mental Health Commissioner Seeks Service-User and Whanau Feedback: Survey Online Now

February 1, 2013 1:51 pm ⋅

The Mental Health Commission are running a service-user feedback survey, which can be found at:  http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3HCNGRQ

This survey is for consumers only, and is totally anonymous.  People who are family members or supporters of people using services are also able to complete the survey.

It will provide feedback to the Commissioner prior to their community meetings which begin in Auckland on the 15th of February.

If you can’t make it to the community meetings, this survey is your chance to make sure your experiences as a person using mental-health and addictions services are heard by our national policy-makers and funding bodies.

Posted in: Addiction/Substance Abuse, Community Participation, Disability Issues, Families/Whanau, Human Rights and Legal Issues, Maori Communities, Men, Parents and Parenting, Pasifika Communities, People with Disabilities, Politics and Policy, Service-User Movement, Social Change, Women, Young People and Youth Issues ⋅ Tagged: , ,

Mangere Community Law Centre Says “This Is Relevant to YOU”

January 25, 2013 2:08 pm ⋅

A message from Mangere Community Law Centre:

The Family Court is under review. This IS relevant to you! The Family Court deals with a range of things that seriously affect our community, including: domestic violence, parenting, adoptions, wills and divorce. The proposed changes are significant and now is the time to speak out if you don’t agree with them – in part or full. Submissions close 13 February 2013 so don’t put it off.      

The 5 major changes that the Mangere Community Law Centre are concerned about are:

  1. Cost of $897 for mandatory dispute resolution will have to be paid for by the parties – this will be compulsory before a matter can go to Court.
  2. NO lawyers allowed unless the matter involves violence, urgency etc.
  3. Lawyer for child will rarely be appointed.
  4. Free Court counselling will be limited.
  5. No interim orders – parties won’t have a chance to trial arrangements to see if they can work.

Submissions can be in any format – even a simple letter. Click the link below to open the template from Mangere Community Law Centre that you can use to get started and get your thoughts heard!

Family Court Review Submission Template from Mangere Community Law Centre

You can also check out these websites for more information: http://childrenneedavoice.com/ and http://www.familylaw.org.nz/

You can read the Bill at: http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/Legislation/Bills/5/4/2/00DBHOH_BILL11914_1-Family-Court-Proceedings-Reform-Bill.htm 

 

Posted in: Community Participation, Families/Whanau, Human Rights and Legal Issues, Older People and Aging, Online Resources, Parents and Parenting, People with Disabilities, Politics and Policy, Service-User Movement, Social Change, Young People and Youth Issues ⋅ Tagged: , ,

Monitoring Reports on Rights of People Living with Disability Released

December 10, 2012 9:02 pm ⋅

Earlier this year you may have provided feedback on the Human Rights Commission’s Wider Journey Discussion Document. The Commission would like to thank everyone for taking their time to share their knowledge, expertise, advice and pointers, all of which were considered in drafting the final reports.

As a result of feedback and further development of this work the Wider Journey document has been split into three separate reports. These reports were launched on the 3rd of December 2012 to help mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

The three reports are:

1     Better Design and Buildings for Everyone: Disabled People’s Rights and the Built Environment

2     Better Information for Everyone: Disabled People’s Rights in the Information Age

3     Political Participation for Everyone: Disabled People’s Rights and the Political Process

The full reports and short summaries of each report are available in Word, PDF, Easy Read and NZSL on the Commission’s website here. Braille copies are available on request.

Information in these reports has also informed the Commission’s first annual monitoring report on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, also launched on the 3rd of December.

Posted in: Disability Issues, Human Rights and Legal Issues, News, Online Resources, People with Disabilities, Politics and Policy, Service-User Movement, Social Change ⋅ Tagged: , , , ,

Family Court Proceedings Reform Bill Released

December 6, 2012 8:10 pm ⋅

The Family Court Proceedings Reform Bill is currently being read in parliament.

Find out what it’s really about.

Click here to open a pdf copy of The Family Court Bill.

Posted in: Families/Whanau, Human Rights and Legal Issues, Politics and Policy, Social Change ⋅ Tagged: ,

Petition to Save Auckland’s Rape Crisis Line – Again!

December 2, 2012 2:52 pm ⋅

Auckland’s 24 hour rape crisis line is again under threat of closure — less than 12 months since 7,000 people signed the petition that forced PM Key to promise its survival.

2 000 people signed the new petition in the first 24 hours – but it’s not over yet.

The 24 hour rape crisis line is integral to our community. It’s the service that Auckland’s sexual violence survivors can turn to for help. For thirty years, it’s taken a call every hour of every day.

A year ago, PM Key said he’d do his part to help rape survivors by funding the crisis line. But, we always said we’d need to stay vigilant and hold the government to their word. And now that the spotlight has dropped off, the Government thinks it can get away with slashing funding for this essential service. 

The service needs just $116,000 from the government to survive. And we know we can get that commitment again if we continue the pressure. Sign and then share the petition with at least 5 of your friends and have them add their names to support a vital service. An immediate and overwhelming response will show the Prime Minister that we’re still watching.

This service will close unless we act now. The service’s board will soon start offering redundancies to counselling staff — the exact people rape survivors rely on for support and advice in their time of need.

Volunteers and staff are planning some media events and are trying hard to get the word out. But take a moment to share the petition with at least 5 of your friends and do your part to help an essential service that many rely on.

Posted in: Community Participation, Human Rights and Legal Issues, News, Politics and Policy, Service-User Movement ⋅ Tagged: , ,

Medical Council Reviewing its Standards of Clinical Competence and Ethical Conduct

November 27, 2012 4:30 pm ⋅

GOOD MEDICAL PRACTICE

The Medical Council of New Zealand is reviewing its standards of clinical competence, cultural competence and ethical conduct for doctors.

Have your say about ‘good medical practice’ in Aotearoa.

To find out more go to http://consumercollaboration.org.nz/news/good-medical-practice

Posted in: Asian Communities, Community Participation, Maori Communities, Men, Older People and Aging, Parents and Parenting, Pasifika Communities, People with Disabilities, Politics and Policy, Service-User Movement, Social Change, Women, Young People and Youth Issues ⋅ Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

Promoting Participation in General Elections for People with Disabilities

November 21, 2012 9:30 am ⋅

The Ministry of Social Development is looking to improve accessibility of elections processes for people with disabilities.

A consultation document has just been released, with responses due by 14 December. Click on the link below for more information.

http://www.elections.org.nz/study/disability-resources/promoting-participation-in-general-elections-for-disabled-people.html

There’s an accessible Word format document at the above url.

Posted in: Community Participation, Human Rights and Legal Issues, News, People with Disabilities, Politics and Policy, Social Change ⋅ Tagged: , , , , ,

2012 Monitoring Report on the Rights of People with Disabilities in NZ Released

October 28, 2012 12:31 am ⋅

How NZ Treats People with Disabilities

In case anyone has missed this, here is a link to the full report launched last Wednesday 24 October.
http://www.dpa.org.nz/news/3-news/218-2012-monitoring-report-released

Posted in: Accessibility / Transport, Accommodation / Housing, Disability Issues, Human Rights and Legal Issues, Parents and Parenting, People with Disabilities, Politics and Policy ⋅ Tagged: , ,

Community Consultation on The Ministry’s Mental Health and Addiction Service Development Plan

October 12, 2012 3:51 am ⋅

The Ministry of Health is releasing for stakeholder consultation Rising to the Challenge: The Mental Health and Addiction Service Development Plan 2012 – 2017.  The purpose of the Plan is to provide direction for mental health and addiction service delivery across the health sector over the next five years, and to clearly articulate Government expectations about what changes are needed to build on and enhance gains made in the delivery of mental health and addictions in recent years. The Plan incorporates key themes from Blueprint II and advances the Government’s focus on better performing public services. The plan has also been informed by input from preliminary sector consultations.

The consultation period will run from 8 October 2012 to 2 November 2012.  Feedback closes on Friday 2 November 2012 at 5.00 pm. Please note that any feedback forms received after this time will not be included in the analysis of feedback.

How to respond

You can respond using the consultation response questionnaire attached to the consultation document. Email your local coordinator to request a consultation document and feedback form.

Attend a regional consultation workshop in your region during October.

You may already be aware of these meetings.  If not, please email the contact person identified for further details if you wish to attend.

Your views and feedback are welcome and can be provided:

a) by email to:  SDP@moh.govt.nz

b)   in writing to:  April-Mae Marshall, Mental Health Service Improvement Group,  Ministry of Health,  PO Box 5013,  Wellington.

All feedback forms will be acknowledged by the Ministry of Health and a summary of feedback will be sent to all those who request a copy. We look forward to your feedback which will assist us to finalise this document.

Posted in: Addiction/Substance Abuse, Asian Communities, Community Participation, Disability Issues, Families/Whanau, Human Rights and Legal Issues, Men, News, Older People and Aging, Parents and Parenting, People with Disabilities, Politics and Policy, Service-User Movement, Social Change, Women, Young People and Youth Issues ⋅ Tagged: , , ,

Ministry Consultation on Payment for Family Carers

September 20, 2012 12:41 pm ⋅

Please find below the information about the Ministry of Health’s consultation on payment for family carers.

The Ministry is holding workshops in various cities.

  • Workshops afternoon and evening, Dunedin, Tuesday 2nd October.
  • Workshops afternoon and evening, Christchurch, Wednesday 3rd October.
  • Workshops afternoon and evening, Wellington, Monday 8th October.
  • Workshops afternoon and evening, Hamilton, Tuesday 9th October.
  • Workshops afternoon and evening, Auckland, Wednesday 10th October.
  • Workshops afternoon and evening, Palmerston North, Tuesday 16th October.

Please let Auckland Disability Law know if you would like them to coordinate an additional independent community hui in Auckland to discuss the consultation and to assist people in completing their own submissions.

The closing date and time for submissions is 5 pm, Tuesday 6 November 2012

Contact

Auckland Disability Law
Phone 09 257 5140
Fax 09 275 4693
Mobile 0274575140
email info@adl.org.nz
www.aucklanddisabilitylaw.org.nz

Posted in: Community Participation, Disability Issues, Families/Whanau, Parents and Parenting, Politics and Policy ⋅ Tagged: , , , , , ,