Workbridge Issues Paper - June 2012

							Workbridge Issues Paper – June 2012

Introduction
This report has been developed for the Board by Karen Beard and Grant Cleland, in
consultation with the Workbridge Council. It includes information relating to
employment and disability information, for consideration by the Board.

EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION

1. Department of Labour Quarterly Statistics – January to March 2012
   The latest Household Labour Force Survey results indicate that the labour market
    continues to recover slowly, with 9,000 (0.4%) more people employed in the
    March 2012 quarter.

   Unemployment rose by 9,000 people, leading the unemployment rate to rise from
    6.4% to 6.7% this quarter. This rise was larger than expected and was due to the
    rise in the labour force participation rate, from 68.2% to 68.8%, which meant the
    size of the labour force increased by 18,000 people.

   Part-time employment increased by 13,000 and full-time employment fell by
    3,000. The net effect of these changes was a 0.1% increase in total hours worked.

   Part-time workers wanting to work longer hours increased by 3.8% over the year.
    This is due to firms either reducing the working hours of existing staff or creating a
    larger number of new part-time jobs and both trends may continue due to the on-
    going global economic uncertainty.

   Auckland continues to show signs of strong employment growth. Auckland’s
    employment rate (seasonally adjusted) increased from 63.7% to 63.8% over the
    March 2012 quarter. The Department forecasts Auckland’s employment to increase
    by an average of 2.0% per year over 2013/14, just below the national average of
    2.1% (includes Auckland).

   Employment in Canterbury also increased in the March 2012 quarter, as in the
    previous quarter.

   The Department forecasts the national unemployment rate to gradually decline to
    6.0% in 2013 and 5.6% in 2014.

   Employment in the public sector service industries declined in the quarter and in
    the year to March 2012, although employment is forecast to grow in 2013 and
    2014 by 0.8% and 0.7% respectively.

   Employment increased in most private sector service industries with the exception
    of wholesale trade. The Department forecasts employment to grow in these
    industries by 1.7% in 2013 and 2.0% in 2014.

Source:
http://www.dol.govt.nz/publications/lmr/lmr-hlfs.asp
Labour Market Factsheets are available to give quick facts about key interest groups in
the New Zealand Labour Market: http://www.dol.govt.nz/publications/lmr/quick-
facts/index.asp

Key information from regional areas is:
 The labour force participation rate rose in eight of the 12 regional council areas
   between the year ended March 2011 and March 2012. The rate grew the most in
   the Southland region (up by 2.2 percentage points).
 Drops in the participation rate were most significant in the Canterbury region
   (down by 2.0 percentage points).
 Over the year to March 2012, employment rose by 1.4% for New Zealand as a
   whole. Six out of 12 regional council areas experienced employment growth
   between the year to March 2011 and March 2012.
 The strongest growth was in Auckland, which saw employment grow by 6.6% from
   the previous year.
 Among all the 12 regions, Canterbury experienced the largest fall in employment
   (down by 5.4%) between the year to March 2011 and March 2012.
 The unemployment rate for the year ending March 2012 fell for six out of the 12
   regional council areas.
 Auckland saw the largest unemployment rates drop by 0.8 percentage points.
   Waikato and the Tasman, Nelson, Marlborough and West Coast region saw the
   largest unemployment rates increase (up by 0.6 percentage points).

Source:
http://www.dol.govt.nz/publications/lmr/regional/joint/index.asp

2. Work and Income Benefit Numbers
At the end of March 2012, 323,000 working age people were receiving main benefits.
This compares with 266,000 in March 2007 and 332,000 in March 2011.

At the end of March 2012, 53,000 working-age people (aged 18–64 years) were
receiving an Unemployment Benefit. Over the year to March 2012, the number of
recipients on an Unemployment Benefit decreased by 6,000, or 11 percent.

Of those receiving an Unemployment Benefit at the end of March 2012:
 Two in three (69 percent) were male.
 Two in five (41 percent) were mature job seekers (aged 40–64 years).

At the end of March 2012, 58,000 working-age people (aged 18–64 years) were
receiving a Sickness Benefit. Over the year to March 2012, the number of Sickness
Benefit recipients decreased by 1,000, or 2 percent.

Of those receiving a Sickness Benefit at the end of March 2012:
 Over one in four (28 percent) were Māori, and 7 percent were Pacific people.
 Three in five (60 percent) were aged over 40 years, while 15 percent were aged
   18–24 years.
At the end of March 2012, 84,000 working-age people (aged 18–64 years) were
receiving an Invalid’s Benefit. Over the year to March 2012, the number of Invalid’s
Benefit recipients decreased by 1,400 (2 percent).

Of the Invalids Benefit recipients at the end of March 2012:
 Three in four (74 percent) were aged 40 years or over, including over one in three
   (36 percent) who were aged 55 years or over.
 8 percent were aged 18–24 years.

Source:
http://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-
resources/statistics/benefit/2012-national-benefit-factsheets.html

3. Review of the Flexible Working Arrangements (Part 6AA) section of the
    Employment Relations Amendment Act 2007
The Employment Relations (Flexible Working Arrangements) Amendment Act 2007
came into force in July 2008. The amendment added Part 6AA to the Employment
Relations Act 2000 (the Act), to provide eligible employees responsible for the care
of any person the right to request flexible working arrangements (variation to their
hours of work, days of work, or place of work).

The Department of Labour has released a report that reviews the Flexible Working
Arrangements amendment to the Employment Relations Act.

The key findings from this review are:
 The review process found no reported problems with Part 6AA, and employers had
   not experienced any significant costs associated with it.
 Part 6AA has not changed the widespread practice of employers and employees
   developing formal and informal flexible work arrangements that suit their
   particular needs beyond caring responsibilities.
 Awareness of Part 6AA has declined in New Zealand between 2008 and 2010.
 Almost all requests for flexible work arrangements took place without any recourse
   to Part 6AA, and likewise the majority of requests were accepted by employers
   without referring to the provisions of the Part.
 Flexible working arrangements are common in many workplaces throughout New
   Zealand, with 70 percent of employers reporting that some or all of their
   employees work flexibly.
 The remaining 30 percent of employers reported that they did not have any
   employees working flexibly.
 Uptake of flexible working arrangements is by both men and women, and a
   significant proportion of these employees have no caring responsibilities.
 There are some groups of workers who may have little or no access to flexible
   work due to both perceived and real barriers, including limited bargaining power,
   the culture of the workplace, and operational constraints within some workplaces.
   These workers are more likely to be low-income employees, employees with no
   qualifications, and Pacific workers.
   Employers widely perceive flexibility as delivering positive business benefits,
    including improved retention and recruitment, reduced turnover, and improved
    employee motivation and loyalty.
   New Zealanders value flexible work and are more likely to rate their work-life
    balance and productivity highly if they have flexible working arrangements.
   Australia, the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland all have legislation providing
    ‘right to request’ flexible work arrangements. To date, each country has confined
    the right to request flexible work arrangements to employees with caring
    responsibilities, although some countries are extending these provisions to all
    workers.

It is interesting to note that the 2006 Census found flexible work hours was the most
frequently required support for disabled staff at work.

Overall, stakeholders unanimously preferred an extension of the provisions of Part
6AA to all employees, not just those with caring responsibilities. Most stakeholders
also recommended that any extension be accompanied by awareness-raising
measures among employers and employees.

Workbridge supports work-life balance and in the financial year from July 2011-June
2012 staff could formally negotiate flexible arrangements through the Journey
Through Workbridge reward and recognition programme. Eligibility is based on tenure
and is subject to the availability of funds in any given year.

Flexible arrangements have also been a necessary by-product of post-quake working
life in Christchurch for Workbridge staff. At about the same time a more mobile
service delivery model was adopted within the organisation, emphasising increasing
engagement with jobseekers and employers in local communities. This has seen
increasing numbers of staff taking up flexible options and seems to be working well.

Source:
http://www.dol.govt.nz/er/bestpractice/worklife/flexiblework/part-
6aa/ReportofreviewofPart6AAMay2011.pdf

The Department of Labour has a section on the benefits of work-life balance for both
the employee and the business.

Source:
http://www.dol.govt.nz/er/bestpractice/worklife/benefits/index.asp

4. Mental Health and Employment Support Pilot
An Evidence-based Supported Employment (EBSE) programme for people with mild to
moderate mental health conditions is being incorporated into GP practices for the first
time in New Zealand. It is being implemented through the Midlands Health Network in
the Waikato and aims to work with 80-100 people between February 2012 and June
2013.
The demonstration programme is jointly funded by Workwise and Waikato Work and
Income and has a monitoring and evaluation framework in place to capture the
lessons learnt from implementation and to understand the costs, benefits and overall
impact of the programme.

The approach varies from other supported employment models in its key principle
around the integration of employment consultants within health settings so that
getting work is a part of the person’s treatment. This increases awareness and
encourages support agencies to plan jointly.

“It’s a fact that over the past decade people with mental health issues have become
the largest proportion (up to 40 per cent) of people claiming invalid and sickness
benefits,” says Warren Elwin, Chief Executive of Workwise. “People with a mental
health issue are twice as likely to exit their employment than people with other health
conditions or disabilities. They have become a significant group experiencing poverty
and income inequality.”

Workbridge has been approached about a similar project being developed in Dunedin.

Source
http://www.dol.govt.nz/er/bestpractice/worklife/benefits/index.asp

5. Research shows benefits of overseas worker scheme
New research on the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme shows it continues
to have major benefits for workers, employers and the countries involved, says
Immigration Minister Nathan Guy.

“The RSE policy was designed to help with seasonal labour shortages in the
horticulture and viticulture industries, and this new research by the Department of
Labour shows the scheme is working well.

Research on earnings and return rates found that the majority of new workers will
return to work another season in New Zealand, many for the same employer.

RSE workers are paid the same rate as New Zealand workers and have the same
protections under law. Data shows that mean gross seasonal earnings are around
NZ$12,700 per worker, most of whom spend between three and seven months
working in New Zealand.

The 2011 survey of RSE employers found that most have enjoyed better quality, more
productive workers and a more stable workforce. Many say that RSE workers have
helped their businesses to expand.

Up to 8,000 overseas workers come to New Zealand under the RSE scheme every
year. Employers have an obligation to get unemployed New Zealanders into jobs, but
there are some industries that just cannot find enough workers, particularly at peak
times.
Up to 50,000 seasonal workers across New Zealand can be required at harvest time
and RSE workers make up 6-7,000 of that, which equates to 10-15%.”

Source:
http://www.dol.govt.nz/publications/research/rse-return-workers
http://www.dol.govt.nz/publications/research/rse-employer-survey2011.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1205/S00539/research-shows-benefits-of-
overseas-worker-scheme.htm

Workbridge employment consultants report that migrant workers are providing tough
competition for seasonal vacancies because of their high motivation and skill and
because some local jobseekers do not pass pre-employment drug tests.

Historically, a portion of Workbridge jobseekers have obtained seasonal work. This
year many teams are reporting that the opportunities for seasonal work have declined
due to weather conditions, competition for these jobs and the recession.

6. Refugee experience of employment in Wellington
A new report highlighting the factors that enable people from refugee backgrounds to
gain employment was launched at the National Refugee Resettlement Forum on 30th
May 2012.

ChangeMakers’ report, People with refugee backgrounds can do the job: Refugee-
background experiences of employment in Wellington, is based on interviews and
focus groups with 17 people from refugee-backgrounds who have employment.

‘People from refugee backgrounds have said that being unable to get a job is a major
barrier to successful resettlement’. Participants identified the need for individualised
employment programmes and commended initiatives such as Refugee Services’
Pathways to Employment and MCLaSS’ ESOL Assessment and Access Service that
enabled them to get a job.

Participants also saw volunteering, internships, and job placements as mechanisms of
obtaining work experience. These are similar initiatives being advocated for the
disability community as well.

This and overseas research outlines that individualised support programmes enable
people to identify their career aspirations and to develop a pathway to realise these
aspirations.’

Source:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1205/S00514/mainstream-employment-solutions-
failing-refugees.htm
7. Valuing our Caregivers
The Human Rights Commission has released Caring Counts Tautiaki tika, the report of
the inquiry into equal employment issues in the aged care workforce today. The main
finding of the inquiry concerns the inequity in pay rates that sees care workers in the
community, funded by District Health Boards through providers, often paid $3 to $5
an hour less than the caring staff directly employed by the DHB.

Equal Employment Opportunities commissioner Dr Judy McGregor said the costs of
pay parity would be offset by savings in recruitment costs given the current high
turnover of carers and a reduction in hospital admissions through improved care of
older people in the community. Some participants in the Commission’s national
inquiry said that higher labour costs could also be offset against slowing the capital
expenditure of DHBs.

“This not about whether we can afford to fix the problem given the economic climate;
it is about whether fixing this injustice is a priority for New Zealand as a society. The
nearly 900 people we spoke with for the inquiry throughout New Zealand
overwhelmingly want this sorted”.

Source:
http://www.hrc.co.nz/eeo/caring-counts-report-of-the-inquiry-into-the-aged-care-
workforce.

The National Council of Women of New Zealand (NCWNZ) President Elizabeth Bang
has said

“The issues raised in this report need to be addressed urgently as our rapidly ageing
population will require greater access to appropriate aged-care services.

Recognition needs to be given to the fact that care-giving is a job which demands
training and professional skills, as well as personal qualities that enable a worker to be
caring, understanding and able to cope with unhappy, unwell or difficult clients.

For some time now, NCWNZ has recommended that there should be a meaningful
career pathway for aged care workers with pay increments linked to training,
experience and skills.

As a society we need to ask how much do we value the elderly and therefore what
value do we place on those who care for them in their homes, in residential care
facilities or in hospitals?”

This is welcome news to Workbridge as well, given that the aged care industry
provides employment for a number of disabled people through Workbridge services.

8. Living Wage Campaign
The Living Wage campaign was launched on 23 May 2012. Initiated by the Service
and Food Workers’ Union Nga Ringa Tota, the campaign is a broad-based union and
community campaign aimed at ending poverty wages and growing inequality.
“We have too many hard working New Zealanders that are not earning enough to
support themselves and their families,” says Ged O’Connell, EPMU Assistant National
Secretary. “Low wages condemn people to the poverty trap with all its negative
consequences.”
Mr O’Connell says the EPMU will be seeking membership support and endorsement for
the Living Wage campaign when it holds a series of nationwide meetings of
manufacturing workers over coming weeks. He expects the campaign’s themes and
aims will find their way into discussions at bargaining tables across the country.
Source:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1205/S00367/epmu-a-need-to-take-notice-of-the-
living-wage-campaign.htm

9. Report on Industry Training
A growing number of adults have been participating in industry training and gaining
new qualifications. This paper investigates the labour market benefits that were
obtained by working adults aged 20–64 who trained during 2003–2008.

About 40 percent of trainees in the study population completed a qualification (mostly
at levels 2–4 on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework), and a further 10 percent
completed a limited credit programme.

Trainees who did not complete a qualification and those who gained level 1
qualification did not experience any increase in earnings growth relative to the
comparison group, over the pre-training to post-training period.

Trainees who completed a qualification at level 2 or above experienced earnings
benefits and these generally increased as the level of the qualification increased.

The 2006 Census found that disabled students are twice as likely to leave school
without a qualification, than their non-disabled peers. Therefore access to industry
training is very important for the economic development and employment of disabled
people.

However, many disabled people don’t reach level 2. We therefore need to look at how
to make these industry based training programmes more inclusive to a wider group of
disabled people. Schools and the MoE also need to address why so few disabled
people achieve qualifications at school.

One opportunity from the Christchurch earthquake are discussions between the Lead
School Transition Service, CPIT and industry training providers looking at how to
make this and trade training more inclusive.

Source:
http://www.dol.govt.nz/publications/research/returns-to-industry-training/
DISABILITY INFORMATION

1. The Budget and Disability
The following information was supplied by Tess Casey of VASS:
The greatest spending increase for disability is through Vote Health. There are very
few changes to funding for vocational and day services funded through MSD.
Vote Social Development
1. $287.5m Up-Front Investment In Welfare Reforms
The Government is making an up-front investment of $287.5 million over the next
four years in the first phase of its welfare reforms.
The phase 1 funding includes $81.5 million of additional money, with the remainder
reprioritised from within Social Development spending.
This additional money is budgeted for initiatives that include:
 $55.1 million over four years for 155 dedicated Work and Income staff to support
   job seekers and sole parents into work.
 $1.1 million over four years for Work and Income’s board.
 $148.8 million over four years for youth services, including wrap-around support.
The second phase of reforms will be funded in Budget 2013. The entire welfare
package is expected to cost at least $520 million and is expected to save $1 billion
over four years.
The first bill in the programme of welfare reform is before select committee and, if
passed, will take effect from July. The second bill, containing an overhaul of benefit
categories, will be introduced this year and, if passed, will take effect from mid-2013.
http://beehive.govt.nz/release/2875m-front-investment-welfare-reforms
2. Extra Support For Vulnerable Youth
Budget 2012 includes an $18.3 million investment over the next four years in mental
health services for children and young people. Twelve youth-focused One-Stop Shops
will deliver a range of health and social services around the country.
   Youth One-Stop Shops ($600,000 in 2012/13).
   Mental health information and support for families and parents ($1 million over
    four years) - a new contestable fund for non-government organisations to get
    information to parents, families and friends who are worried about young people.
   Mental health youth workers in secondary schools ($8.7 million over four years).
   The Social Media Innovations Fund ($2 million over four years) -to help service
    providers use social media to reach young people with mental health issues.
   Support for vulnerable children ($6 million over four years).
http://beehive.govt.nz/release/extra-support-vulnerable-youth
3. 3,000 More Youth Guarantee Places Funded
Continued support for foundation training for young people, with 3,000 more places
funded over the next four years under the Youth Guarantee Scheme.
http://beehive.govt.nz/release/3000-more-youth-guarantee-places-funded
4. Re-prioritisation of Spending
In total, Budget 2012 includes new spending initiatives worth $4.42 billion in the
current year and over the next four years, paid for by $4.39 billion in savings and new
revenue initiatives. Savings initiatives include:
   Reprioritisation of $193.5 million in Vote Social Development to help fund the
    Welfare Reform package. This includes:
    Reprioritising the Youth Transition Services for Youth Services, including wrap-
    around support ($58.8 million over four years).
    Part of the funding reprioritised from the Quality Services Innovation Fund ($38.3
    million across the current year and the next four years).
    Cuts to Work and Income employment assistance ($96.4 million over four years).
The reprioritisation of funding is part of the Government’s Investment Approach,
which underpins Welfare Reform. Under this approach funds will be invested in
programmes and services that are ‘shown by evidence to be most effective at
supporting people to move off benefit and into employment’.
The Investment Approach is flexible, so funding can be moved quickly to where it will
have the greatest impact.
http://beehive.govt.nz/release/budget-frees-44-billion-higher-priorities
Vote Health
$144m more for disability support, including
   $54.7 million over the next four years for more home and community support
    services, such as help with showering, getting dressed, preparing a meal, and
    house work. This will help people with disabilities to continue living in their
    community rather than having to enter residential care.
   $1.3 million one-off funding for additional cochlear implants and follow-up services
    for adults and children in 2012/13.
   $20.7 million over the next four years for more help with supports like hearing
    aids, hoists and wheelchair access.
   $57.6 million over the next four years for the increasing numbers of disabled
    people using residential support services.
   $9.4 million over the next four years to give more people greater choice and
    control of the services they receive (Individualised Funding).
Vote Education
$110.9m to increase early childhood participation.
This includes $47.9 million over four years to target areas of high need, such as
support for priority learners (Maori, Pasifika and children with ‘special needs’) and
communities.
http://beehive.govt.nz/release/1109m-increase-early-childhood-participation
Investing in Services for Outcomes

The Government wants to enhance the way we work with the social services sector to
achieve better results for vulnerable children, young people and families.

The Investing in Services for Outcomes approach will involve simpler and consistent
contracting and aligning the Ministry of Social Development’s $550 million investment
in social services with achieving Government’s results for families and communities.

It will also ensure Government priorities drive funding decisions, that funding is
shifted to services that make a proven difference and that results are demonstrable.

The approach will be implemented over the next 18 months and is expected to be fully
operational by December 2013. This is likely to have on impact on Workbridge
contracts and others working in Supported Employment.

The specific detail includes:
1. Funding decisions will be driven by the Government’s priorities for families and
   communities:
   Under this approach, Government will detail its vision for the social services funded
   by MSD including what it wants to fund, the groups those services should be
   targeted at and where they will be located. Communities will continue to have
   opportunities to identify the results they want achieved for their children and
   young people.
2. A capability framework is being developed which community social services can
   use to strengthen their organisation, their responsiveness to their community and
   alignment with Government priorities:
   A Capability Investment Resource will be established from July 2012, with $31.65
   million reallocated from the existing Quality Services Innovation Fund over the
   next four years. This will improve the quality of social services funded by
   Government, provide incentives to achieve real results for clients and families and
   assist providers to join up in communities to achieve better outcomes for their
   clients, families and their communities.
3. Community social services funded by the Ministry of Social Development will have
   results-based contracts which focus on achieving real and lasting results:
   All providers will have more explicit result measures in their contracts. These will
   be agreed between the Ministry and providers and will be closely monitored. This
   will ensure better monitoring of outcomes for individual clients and at a population
   level so that communities can see what progress is being made. Ineffective
   services and those that are not performing well will no longer be funded.
4. The Ministry of Social Development’s funding and contracting services will move to
   a more streamlined approach:
   The Ministry of Social Development will streamline its relationship management
   approach that will include simplifying contracting processes for providers and use a
   variety of funding methods to ensure contracts are fit-for-purpose.
   This will support community-based providers to deliver better quality services and
   be accountable for results. It aims to strengthen the delivery of the social services
   funded by the Ministry, increase collaboration and reduce duplication

Recognising the on-going impact of the Canterbury earthquakes, the Government is
investing an additional $13 million over the next two years in social services for the
region. This is in addition to the $20 million already provided to non-government
organisations since the September 2010 quake.

Source:
http://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-
work/newsroom/factsheets/budget/2012/investing-in-services-for-outcomes.html

To view the full Budget and related documents go to:
http://www.treasury.govt.nz/budget/2012

2. Reduction in Residential Special Schools
The Ministry of Education proposes reducing the number of Residential Special Schools
and instead providing new “wrap-around” services. These will involve a lead worker
coordinating a range of specialised help for an individual student.
CCS Disability Action expect this to free up resources to provide more individualised
support for students with special needs in their local communities. Currently, there
are a number of Residential Special Schools where a small number of students with
special needs can attend for up to two years. While these schools provide significant
support, they also take students away from their families, homes, and communities
and are expensive to run.
David Matthews, CCS Disability Action chief executive, said wrap-around services have
the potential to support more students compared to Residential Special Schools.
The Government has reversed its decision to increase class sizes.
Source:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/ED1205/S00149/reducing-residential-special-school-
numbers-is-positive.htm

4. Health and Charitable Sectors Bills Passed
 State Services Minister Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman has welcomed the passing of the
 New Zealand Public Health and Disability Amendment Bill, the Mental Health
 Commission Bill and the Charities Amendment Bill (No 2) into law.

The three Bills, which until recently formed collectively the Crown Entity Reform Bill,
brings structural changes to government health and charitable agencies from 1 July
2012.

“The changes reduce state sector fragmentation; make government functions more
viable and efficient by having delivery carried out by larger, more resilient agencies,
and by reducing duplication of services and back-office functions,” Dr Coleman said.
The New Zealand Public Health and Disability Amendment Act establishes the Health
Promotion Agency, replacing the current Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand
(ALAC) and the Health Sponsorship Council (HSC).

The Crown Health Financing Agency will also be disestablished with the Treasury and
Ministry of Health now carrying out its functions.

The Mental Health Commission Act disestablishes the Mental Health Commission. It
will establish a Mental Health Commissioner within the Office of the Health and
Disability Commissioner.

The Charities Amendment Act (No 2) transfers the functions of the Charities
Commission to the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA). This law changes machinery
of government arrangements for the charities sector; it does not change the current
functions of registering and supporting charities under the Charities Act 2005.

Source:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1205/S00552/health-and-charitable-sectors-bills-
passed.htm

NEWSLETTERS

The following are excerpts from recent newsletters within the disability sector.

1. IHC Hot Issues – May 2012
Family carers win right to be paid
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the Ministry of Health’s appeal against paying
family carers. The case, which was first lodged in 1999, argued that not paying family
caregivers of disabled people was discriminatory. The win means that the families can
now go through a process to assess how much they should be paid. This ruling
provides another marker in how New Zealand can better value carers. The recent pay
disputes in the aged care sector and the sleepover decision reflect the journey we are
on to better respect the lives of elderly and disabled people by improving the value we
give to the people who provide their care.

Health Crisis For Those With Intellectual Disability
IHC’s unease about the lack of action over the past decade was confirmed with the
data in the Ministry’s own report: life expectancy 18 – 23 years less than other New
Zealanders; 1.5 times more likely to receive treatment for cancer; twice as likely to
receive renal replacement therapy; twice as likely to receive treatment for coronary
disease; twice as likely to receive treatment for diabetes. The list is long and
shocking.

The Ministry told IHC that they would develop a publication responding to the Health
Indicators report, which they said would report effective health strategies for people
with an intellectual disability. This has yet to occur.
The British General Medical Council has developed a website for doctors wanting to
learn more about interacting with patients with intellectual impairment (or learning
disabilities to use the local term), which should also be useful for New Zealand
clinicians. The website includes advice on communicating with a patient, seeking
consent and assessing an individual’s need. Doctors can also gain a certificate to
demonstrate the skills they have developed from using the site.

Report To United Nations Includes New Zealand Disability Data
The current session of the United National Committee on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights includes reports from New Zealand NGOs as well as the Human Rights
Commission. There is also a significant report on the state of disability in New Zealand
compiled by the International Disability Alliance.

Human Rights Commission Guide To Complaints About Disability Discrimination
The Human Rights Commission has produced a short guide to the definition of
disability in the Human Rights Act, including what is covered and how to complain.

The Euthanasia Debate
A bill allowing for the euthanasia of terminally ill people is being developed by Labour
Member of Parliament, Maryan Street. If her End of Life Choice bill is drawn from the
parliamentary ballot MPs will likely be allowed a ‘conscience’ vote, meaning they do
not have to follow a political party direction. It is already attracting much debate.

Euthanasia is a sensitive topic for many in the disability community as disabled people
have been the target of euthanasia policies in the past. Disabled people, particularly
those who do not use words to communicate, are particularly vulnerable. The issue for
many is when does a right to die become a duty to die for an old, sick or disabled
person? When does euthanasia become eugenic? Will legalising euthanasia make us
more tolerant of other eugenic interventions?

Common eugenic practices have included sterilisation of disabled women without
consent. New interventions use surgery and medication to arrest the development of
disabled children, such as the ‘Ashley treatment’ in use in the United States.

Links to source documents can be found on the IHC website.

Source:
http://www.ihc.org.nz/items/ihc-hot-issues-may-2012/

EVENTS

1. The 22nd Rehabilitation International (RI) World Congress
The World Congress will be held this year in Incheon, Korea from 29 Oct to 2 Nov.

Source:
http://www.riincheon2012.org/world/
2. New Zealand Federation of Vocational and Support Services (VASS) 2012
   National Conference: People, Place, Belonging
Wednesday 31 October and Thursday 1 November 2012, Headingly Centre, Richmond,
Nelson.

Source:
http://www.nzvass.org.nz/

3. The 47th Annual Conference for Australasian Society for Intellectual
   Disability: Research to Practice
Wednesday 7 - Friday 9 November 2012, Wellington Town Hall

The theme is Unity in Diversity: different perspectives, common purpose. It
acknowledges:
 The rich diversity of perspectives that contribute to our shared knowledge base –
   philosophies and values, cultural diversity related to ethnicity, place in the lifespan,
   gender, as well as different consumer perspectives.
 A desire across Australasia to move from splintered and uncoordinated support
   frameworks to a more integrated approach to individuals, family and social groups,
   and communities.

Source:
http://www.asid-2012.org.nz/



Karen Beard
Workbridge Quality Coordinator

In association with the Workbridge Council and Grant Cleland