DPA submissions to Youth Parliament - housing and equitable access to employment

Disabled Persons Assembly NZ -

DPA made two submissions to the Youth Parliament, on housing and equitable access to employment.

Housing Submission

This submission highlights the lack of Universal Design (UD) homes, intertwined with the issue of housing affordability, which has resulted in disabled people bearing the brunt of the housing crisis.

DPA recommends:

  • That Kainga Ora raises its universal design accessibility target to 100%, or close to it, of all new builds and retrofitsThat accessibility and updated building legislation incorporate the need for UD standards to be incorporated into all new housing builds
  • That rent controls be brought in to restrain the rising cost of private sector rents
  • That current barriers to disabled people accessing KiwiBuild and other government funded housing programmes be removed
  • That Government expand on its house buying support programmes by re-introducing very low interest, no deposit loans aimed at low-income groups
  • That the existing housing modification assistance programmes offered by ACC and the Ministry of Health be aligned with one another by removing the requirement for Ministry-funded clients to be means and cash tested
  • that Government work collaboratively with disabled people, and Disabled People’s Organisations to co-design policies and programmes which will improve the accessibility and affordability of housing for all disabled people


Read DPA's full submission on housing.


Equitable access to employment


This submission highlight areas where we can better ensure disabled people have equitable access to employment.

Disabled people often lack access and opportunity through barriers they have no control over, not through lack of potential to succeed. This submission and its recommendations are particularly salient for disabled youth who are not in employment, education or training (NEET).

Key barriers for disabled people becoming employed include inequities in access to technology and transport.

Overall DPA recommends:

  • Ensure the views of disabled people, particularly tangata whaikaha Māori influences the direction of policy in any economic development initiatives.
  • Undertake sustained engagement with the disabled community, particularly tangata whaikaha Māori and disabled people living rurally.
  • Ensure social procurement of disabled-led initiatives.
  • Prioritise removal of systemic barriers, including ensuring affordable accessible transport options are available for disabled people and closing the digital divide.

We also made several recommendations to close the digital divide for disabled people.

Read DPA's full submission on employment.