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Waikato Regional Council 2025/26 Annual Plan | Mahere ā Tau

Posted in Submission, Regional; Tagged Emergency management, Accessibility, Transport; Posted 16 months ago by DPA Less than a minute to read

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To: Waikato Regional Council 
Date: April 2025

 

Purpose

This submission’s primary purpose is to advocate for the active inclusion and leadership of the Waikato disability community across all regional planning areas, particularly in public transport, climate change adaptation, emergency management, and economic development.

DPA aims to ensure that Council services and infrastructure are accessible, inclusive, and affordable, recognizing the significant disabled population in the region and their disproportionate vulnerability to issues like homelessness and climate impacts.

Summary of DPA submission

DPA welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback on the Waikato Regional Council’s Annual Plan, emphasizing the integral role of the disability community in the region, with 11.4% (89,000 people) identifying as disabled. DPA highlights that disabled people, especially disabled Māori, are disproportionately affected by homelessness and poor housing due to low incomes and higher living costs. While acknowledging the necessity of rates increases to fund services, DPA stresses the need to balance these increases with affordability for low-income disabled residents.

In public transport, DPA reiterates the importance of implementing 'whole of journey' and 'accessible journeys' approaches. DPA commends WRC for its pioneering 100% accessibility concession on regional buses (BusIt network), noting its transformative positive impact for disabled users. However, DPA points out the plan's lack of specific reference to accessible public transport as a foundational element for a universal system.

DPA advocates for collaborative solutions with Community Waikato to extend transport reach, improve health service shuttles, and facilitate accessible travel. They also reiterate the need for WRC to fund the full costs of mobility passenger service van fit-outs and advocate for DPO representation on the Regional Transport Committee.

Regarding climate change and emergency management, DPA stresses that disabled people are at disproportionately high risk from climate impacts, often accorded lower priority and systematically excluded from emergency support globally and in New Zealand. DPA recommends that WRC develop disability-inclusive climate adaptation policies through collaborative work with disabled people, citing the Bristol Disabled People’s Forum as a successful model.

DPA emphasizes that involving the Waikato disability community in all aspects of emergency management planning should be a high priority. They also support WRC’s continued investment in flood prevention work, recognizing its importance for protecting accessible housing which is already in short supply for disabled people.

In regional economic development, DPA advocates for funding employment and economic development projects that support disabled people, such as the Mahi Tika – Equity in Employment programme, especially given current public service cuts.

Recognizing Te Tiriti o Waitangi, DPA recommends that tāngata whaikaha Māori be explicitly included in WRC’s iwi relationships and decision-making processes, as they offer unique perspectives as tangata whenua, mana whenua, and disabled individuals.

 

Key Recommendation/Finding:

That the WRC develop disability-inclusive climate adaptation policies through councillors and staff working together with disabled people.

 


Supporting Statement 1:

“Disabled people were likely to be left behind in critical events, such as natural disasters like flooding and fires, and there were a lot of risks for disabled people not being able to be evacuated.”

 


Supporting Statement 2:

“Disabled people must be at the heart of action on climate change. Not only do we have a lot to lose and a lot to gain, but we can bring invaluable problem-solving and leadership skills.”

Download

DPA Submission 2504 Waikato Regional Council 202526 Annual Plan (DOCX)

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