Indicator 38: National disability plan

Since 2002, the Office for Disability Issues, within the Ministry of Social Development, has been the focal point within government on disability issues. The office promotes and monitors implementation of the New Zealand Disability Strategy (2001)^[1] and uses the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as a guide.^[2] The office reports to the Minister for Disability Issues and supports the Ministerial Committee on Disability Issues.^[3]

The New Zealand Disability Strategy identifies barriers for people with impairments in different age groups, including older people. There are 14 objectives, including four that focus on population groups (Maori, Pacific peoples, children and youth, and women). There is no objective focused on older people.

Reports on the implementation of the strategy are published each year at www.odi.govt.nz/resources/publications/new-zealand-disability-strategy.html. There is little disability data available to monitor the strategy.^[4]

The Disability Survey data is the only comprehensive source of national disability statistics.^[5] It is run after each Census, and the next survey is planned for 2013.

The First New Zealand report on Implementing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was published in March 2011.^[6]

The Ministerial Committee sets priorities under the Disability Action Plan. A reporting framework has been established. It is strongly focused on reporting descriptive information about:

• government agencies' roles and services;
• relevant legislation and regulation requirements; and
• recent activity updates from each agency.^[7]