Submissions

To: Dunedin City Council
Date: April 2025

Purpose

This submission’s central purpose is to provide comprehensive feedback from a disability perspective, ensuring that all aspects of the city's long-term planning, infrastructure development, and service provision are fully accessible, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of Dunedin's significant and growing disabled and ageing population. DPA aims to build on past positive collaborations with the DCC's Disability Issues Advisory Group to secure commitments for a more equitable future for disabled residents.

Summary of DPA submission

DPA welcomes the opportunity to submit on the Dunedin City Council's 9 Year Plan, noting that 7% of Dunedin’s population (9,471 people) identifies as disabled, a number expected to grow significantly with an ageing population (18% aged 65+). DPA commends positive initiatives from the previous plan, including the accessible George Street Redevelopment, Universal Design social housing units, the accessible Mosgiel/Taieri Swimming Pool, and the forthcoming accessible South Dunedin Library. DPA highlights the strong, constructive relationship forged with the DCC's Disability Issues Advisory Group (DIAG) and other local disability groups, which has ensured disabled voices are heard within the Council.

DPA supports several key projects within the plan, including the $750,000 funding for a new Changing Places Toilet, which will provide essential accessible facilities in a central location. They also support the $11.22 million proposed for three new destination playgrounds, expecting them to be large and meet the needs of disabled children and their families. For transport infrastructure, DPA supports the $433.1 million spend but recommends specific priorities: improving bus stop accessibility, installing more mobility kerb cuts, road resurfacing, ensuring accessible buses for the Mosgiel park-and-ride service, and addressing hazardous intersections. DPA expresses disappointment with the two-hour mobility park limit in town, suggesting options to pay for longer durations.

DPA urges the DCC to reverse its proposal not to invest in new community housing, emphasising the vital human right to safe, secure housing and the disproportionate rates of poor housing and homelessness among disabled people. They recommend DCC fund new social housing, potentially through partnerships with community housing providers. DPA is also disappointed by the lack of funding for new public toilets (beyond the Changing Places facility) and recommends an audit to identify underserved areas of the city.

DPA supports the South Dunedin Future Project’s infrastructure projects aimed at mitigating flood risk, including the proposed stormwater upgrade and investment in Kettle Park, especially given the disproportionately high disabled population in the area. However, DPA is disappointed that only 4% of the three waters maintenance backlog is planned to be addressed, urging a much greater percentage (15-20%) be brought forward due to the critical risk to health and services. DPA also expresses strong disappointment with the Council’s rejection of investment packages for meeting zero carbon emissions, stressing that disabled people disproportionately bear the brunt of climate change and face higher mortality rates in climate emergencies. They urge the DCC to prioritise spending on meeting its zero-carbon targets as a matter of urgency. DPA also provides feedback on funding for Forsyth Barr Stadium (recommending inclusive events), Tūhura Otago Museum (requesting improved accessibility to the shop and events), waste management (suggesting more flexible bin sizes), and Moana Pool upgrades (recommending accessibility improvements to changing rooms).

Key Recommendation/Finding:

That the DCC fund building new social housing including through partnering with community housing providers.

Supporting Statement 1:

Disabled people disproportionately experience poor housing and homelessness; Census 2023 data estimates that 414.5 per 10,000 disabled people aged five years and over were severely housing deprived, more than double the rate for non-disabled people.

Supporting Statement 2:

Anecdotal evidence from media reports and non-government organizations, along with admissions from the Ministry of Social Development, confirms a significant lack of accessible, suitable housing for disabled people in Dunedin, leading to a disproportionate number experiencing rough sleeping.