Greens Attack Rushed Disability Support Changes
The Government’s disability support law changes are already triggering backlash after Ministers pushed ahead without consulting the very communities most affected by the legislation.
The Green Party is opposing the Government’s Disability Support Services Bill, saying disabled people and whānau have once again been shut out of decisions that directly affect their lives.
“The Government introduced this Bill without consultation with disabled communities, despite acknowledging that the proposals were sensitive and directly affected disabled people and carers,” says Green Party Disability spokesperson Kahu Carter.
“Nothing about us without us. Disabled people and whānau deserve to be part of decisions that affect our rights, wellbeing, and daily lives.”
Why are the disability support law changes happening now?
The Bill responds to a 2025 Supreme Court ruling, which found that some family carers were in an employment relationship with the Government while providing full-time care to disabled family members.
“The Government’s response to the Supreme Court ruling should have been to work alongside disabled people and carers on long-term, fair solutions. Instead, they rushed through legislation that limits employment protections and legal avenues for family carers.”
“Family carers already do an enormous amount of unpaid and often exhausting work supporting their loved ones. They deserve dignity, recognition, and proper support.”
What the Bill leaves out
The Greens are also concerned that the proposed legislation contains no references to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and Enabling Good Lives principles.
“The Supreme Court itself recognised the importance of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in its decision,” says Kahu Carter.
“We know disabled Māori already experience inequities, and there are real concerns these changes could disproportionately impact whānau Māori carers.”
“Disabled people and whānau deserve a government that works with them in good faith and protects the right to live with dignity in our communities.”
“The Greens will continue standing alongside disabled communities and carers as this Bill progresses through Parliament,” says Carter.
Yet more [sigh] fast-track, knee-jerking and spiteful Bills from this CoC-up. You have to wonder how much uglier they can become as they seek to not only distract us, but to harm another faction of our people. I have a disabled g/dau and while we love her very much, it puts a huge strain on family who struggle to balance it all. It must be wonderful to be PERFECT, have ‘perfect’ children, g/children or at least consider yourself to be ‘perfect’. And Winston’s puerile waste of time with his ‘define a woman’ Bill! What if you are neither, where would that leave you pitting against the ‘perfect’ ones? Maybe he should advocate putting all imperfect people down at birth which would solve the problem for the smug, flawless, greedies giving them even more revenue to splash around. Of course we can see where this would lead and it’s too horrible to contemplate!!!