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The Government’s move to limit the role of Whaikaha is a major setback for disabled people.

“The Government is reverting to a tried, tested and failed model while neglecting the voice of disabled communities,” says the Green Party Spokesperson for Disability Kahurangui Carter.

“Disabled people know best about the support they need and should be empowered to make the choices that are best for them. Weakening this Ministry does not empower our disabled people – it erodes their agency.

“Once again, the Government has failed to engage and include the views and expertise of disabled people in making major changes to a Ministry tasked with supporting them.

“To shrink Whaikaha to just policy and advocacy functions, the Government is weakening its capacity to deliver, making it less effective.

“The key purpose of the Ministry for Disabled People is being diluted. This risks diminishing support, and means the strong connection between delivery and policy by and for disabled people is broken.

“The Ministry is still in its infancy, and this review should be about improving it, not gutting it.

“Ultimately this Government is prepared to sacrifice advocacy, accessibility and justice for disabled people in order to curb spending so that they can help the wealthy to get richer.

“A funding squeeze to fund trickle-down tax cuts should not be used as a reason to reduce support. We must invest in the support services that are critical to the disabled community.

“The Greens would work with, and be led by, disabled communities in building a system that allows them to thrive,” says Kahurangi Carter.