Strong interest in the development of a refreshed New Zealand disability strategy has been welcomed by Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston.
Membership of the strategy working groups have been drawn from the disabled community, industry and government agencies. The groups will develop actions in the five key areas of education, employment, health, housing and justice.
“There has been a particularly strong response from the disability community, reflecting the commitment of people who want to be part of this important work,” Louise Upston says.
“The Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha received almost 350 expressions of interest from the disability community before making their appointment decisions.
“In total, Whaikaha is announcing 26 members of the groups, including the chairs, who I congratulate today”:
- Education – Grant Cleland
- Employment – Lorraine Toki
- Health – Dr Josephine Herman
- Housing – Daniel Clay
- Justice – Paul Gibson
Dr Josephine Herman is a Public Health Physician and GP and the Chief Clinical Advisor for Pacific Health, with the Pacific Health Directorate, at the Public Health Agency, Ministry of Health. In 2020 as Secretary (Director General) of Health for the Cook Island’s Ministry of Health she helped lead the national emergency health response to COVID-19.
Minister Upston says, “The Ministry is taking a new approach to developing the new strategy, and I will be excited to see the results.”
“Ultimately, the purpose is to improve the lives of disabled people. For instance, recent data from the Stats NZ Household Disability Survey found disabled New Zealanders continue to face many barriers, for example in education, employment and housing.”
