walking . is . overrated

I’m sure you all know it’s election year. On second thoughts, it seems a few of you don’t, but I digress.
On Thursday the 14th of August, there will be a pre-election forum with all of the political leaders who will shape the future of the disability sector in Auckland. Representatives from Labour, National, NZ First, […]

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As far as I can see - nothing!
I’m really putting this out there to see if anyone within the disability sector, with more expertise in such things than I, can explain if the budget, released yesterday by Finance Minister Michael Cullen, should have included any provisions for the movement towards a wholly inclusive New […]

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Okay, so for all those who’ve been badgering me about the interview I did with Ruth Dyson, Minister of Disability Issues, last month, the wait is over! I’ve broken the interview down into several segments, as detailed below. Click on the link to hear the clip streamed online (good for Broadband users), otherwise right-click the […]

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How’s this for a fantastic initiative? The NSW Govt has announced the ‘Companion Card‘, enabling disabled people to take a carer with them to sporting matches, movie theatres, and even aboard public transport for the price of a single ticket. So now whenever Aussies with disabilities are out and about and want to go to […]

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Well - have you?!
I’m pleased to announce I’ve scooped an interview with the Minister for Disability Affairs, Hon. Ruth Dyson, at the end of next week, and I’d love to know what you’d like me to ask her!
Leave your questions for the Minister in the comments below, and I’ll try to squeeze them […]

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I’ve written about Ryan Leitch before, but for those of you who don’t recognise the name, he’s the 18 year-old Auckland boy who topped the world in the Cambridge Geography exam last year. He’s also got muscular atrophy, and I reckon he’s a real inspiration for young disabled people in this country. Yet despite this, […]

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Perhaps it’s old hat now, considering it’s been more than 400 days since the Ministry of Health agreed to replace the ageing wheelchair stair-lift that was forcing Arthur and Barbara Broomes’ lives apart, but I’d like to join the growing public cry to hurry up and fix this ghastly situation!
For those of you who […]

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Taken from stuff.co.nz:
A centre that cares for severely disabled people faces having to turn people away next year because the Government is refusing to provide extra funding. The Chris Ruth Centre offers long-term, one-on-one care and specialist services for people in Christchurch with very high special needs who are too old to stay in the […]

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Check out the picture on the left. This is what you get when you type “invalid” into Google. Honestly, I like to put the word “invalid” along with “wheelchair-bound” in the ‘Words That Really Piss Me Off’ bucket. Namely because they are such archaic vernacular, not to mention their grossly offensive connotations, and being so […]

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Gosh, this is such a tough one. I know I’ve harped on about this before, but reading this article in the Herald today made me think about it all over again, and I’m interested in your thoughts too. The gist of it is this: that a new law being introduced next week will make it […]

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