Wrong.

Unbelievably, despite them installing four new DIY checkouts, not one was accessible for a wheelchair user. The screens were all positioned quite high up, and the EFTPOS terminals even higher, way out of reach for anyone sitting down! Of course, this also excludes children and some elderly folk who might also want to use them.

I find this kinda bewildering, really! It seems like every time we take a step forward in terms of access, someone jumps in and sends us flying 8 steps backward. Good one, Countdown.

It really is a disappointing pricing policy, in my opinion. So many other venues, for both sport and other forms of entertainment, offer discounted wheelchair tickets or a buy-one-get-one-free policy, as more often than not wheelchair users have to bring a friend or support person of some description. At $350/ticket (which is what Eric Clapton’s wheelchair-using fans were asked to fork out), it makes a good night out roll in at around $700, not to mention taxis/food/drink.

What are your thoughts? Should the govt legislate that all entertainment venues must provide discounted ticketing options for disabled patrons? Leave a comment below.

• Matt’s clamped car, with mobility parking permit (albeit expired) displayed in the dashboard)
• Someone bringing new meaning to the term “creative parking”
• The clamper himself. What a good lookin’ fella

We went here earlier in the year and although prices were steep, an adult being $26.00 we did the family pass of 2 adults and children for $52.00 and were told that we could enter and exit the village when we wanted and until the village was closed (but no, we didn’t stay the whole day!)

Firstly, there was a lot of space to park; it was so empty that we didn’t even need to use mobility parking. We were then introduced to the main entrance, a wooden and stable bridge over a river. It was nice and a tad of a thrill as it was a little rough to go over.

The service was friendly and we were briefly told about the actual village, but overall it was only okay. Interestingly, we were told that there was a wheelchair on site for use.

The pathways were very spacious and were levelled so it was easy to manoeuvre around. Indoor was also accessible – the indoor displays being especially spacious as well as the gift store.

The village was very scenic – which I was not expecting. There was a little waterfall that flowed into a river that contained rainbow trout. But as it was rather hard work to get to, I didn’t get to see it and stopped half way. However, as the paths were peppered with plaques containing information of the buried village, which were easy to read due to the height, I was able to entertain myself.

The overall atmosphere of the village was nice and somewhat powerful as it offered a lot of insight on Maori living and showed how the thoughts and views on how the destruction of the eruption of Mt. Tarawera affected them.

Unfortunately, I didn’t need to go to the bathroom (didn’t actually see them apart from the public ones in front of the village) so didn’t check how accessible they were but was told when paying admission that there was wheelchair access.

THE LOWDOWN:

• Service was okay and villagers offered smiles and offered support when needed.
• Both indoor and outdoor access as was full of easy paths that were very accessible as well as the indoor displays were and spacious.
• Visit was full of information to read and full of insight of Maori culture and scenic views but for me, personally, it was a bit too much reading and a bit boring.
• And finally – you must check out the gift store!
• Overall accessibility rating: 3.6/5

Check their website out at buriedvillage.co.nz for virtual tours, admission prices, directions/locations etc…

The best accessible establishment is the Wellington City Library/Civic Square in Wellington. There are numerous designated disability carparks located in front and to the side street of the library, and in the library’s basement carpark. You never have to travel far from the car to the library or the Square. Two sets of lifts take you quickly to any of the three floors of the library and a lovely little cafe which sells the most delicious food. The library is well set out, wheelchairs can move around the library with ease. Many of the computers are set up on low level desk and are easily accessible.

The accessibilty of ramps around the Civic Square adjoining the library is great as it means wheelchair users can attend many of the wonderful events that take place at the Civic Square. The bathrooms in the Square are wheelchair accessible – the basins are set are low, plus the main front door is always open so there is no struggling with having to open doors. On a sunny lunch time afternoon, if the mood strikes you, you can go along one of the numerous ramps to the serene waterfront, the park, the national museum, or catch a show at the local theatre.

This presents two critical issues:

• Firstly, disabled people are being denied choice. Whilst other patrons are able to pick and choose where they sit, and in doing so how much they pay for the privilege, disabled people are being told where to sit, and more importantly, being dictated to as to how much they will have to pay.
• Secondly, it raises the hairy issue of average income. Now, the reality of life means that the income of the average disabled person is well below the income of the average able-bodied person. So why, then, are we being forced to pay an absolute premium for concert tickets? And if, like me, you have to bring a support person with you, Eric Clapton’s promoters – and by association, Vector Arena – are asking disabled punters to front up with $600 to see him perform? Are they kidding?

I’ll forward this on to the people at Vector but until they get back to me, let me know what you think in the comments field below!

But no – TVNZ’s Michael Burgess says:

Just what are they trying to say? That these toilets are for aliens in wheelchairs – or that disabled people have to ridiculed by signage?

I think he’s taking political correctness to the extreme, quite frankly. I love the signage – would be a nice break from the old-school imagery we have here in NZ!

What do you think? Sound off in the comments below.

Letter to The Edge regarding their discriminatory wheelchair seating policy at The Civic

To whom it may concern,

Today I rang The Edge ticketing office to book tickets to Phantom of the Opera in October. I wanted to book three tickets; one for myself, in a wheelchair, and two more for my Mum and my sister, only to be told that I would only be able to sit with one ‘companion’ – the other would have to sit somewhere else in the theatre. I was shocked to learn this, and asked the operator if this was due to physical impracticalities/theatre limitations, only to be told that no, it’s simply The Edge’s policy that someone in a wheelchair should only be allowed to sit with one other person.

This is absolutely absurd. Imagine going to a show and being told you can only sit with one other person, and the rest of your family would have to sit somewhere else. Sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? And yet that’s exactly the ultimatum I’m being delivered here.

Not only is it blatant discrimination but also downright offensive. The contact centre staff told me that 5 days before the show, the wheelchair spaces are in fact replaced with normal seats, so it is quite possible for The Edge to fulfil my request to let me sit with the rest of my family, but they are deliberately choosing to deny me that same right afforded to every other able-bodied theatre patron.

All I want to do is go to see Phantom of the Opera and sit next to my family. Is that asking so much? Yet this incomprehensible seating policy is preventing me from doing so.

I am asking you to please reconsider this discriminatory practice and allow me to sit next to more than one person, just like everyone else. Other entertainment venues like the Vector Arena have no issue with such requests.

You can contact me via this email address or on my cellphone, 021 779 089.

Regards,

Red Nicholson

But it wasn’t until I was sitting in my wheelchair, on the topmost ledge of what is the tallest building in the southern hemisphere, that I really began to question my own sanity. I was crazy, I thought. Falling to my death crossed my mind several times. But as you can see from the picture on the left, I had very little to worry about

So what is the SkyWalk, exactly?
SkyWalk is the name given to the 1.2 metre-wide platform that circles around outside the SkyTower’s main observation deck. There are no handrails, no barriers, just you and a 192-metre drop. Oh yeah, and a harness or two

But you’re in a wheelchair, how did you do it?
Good question, and here’s where it gets interesting! SkyWalk have adapted a fabric chair used for things like paraponting, and hooked it up to an incredibly secure harness, which then gets attached to a pole above the SkyWalk platform, and you simply slide along in this little seat, almost 200m in the sky! It really has to be seen to be appreciated. Check out the video from when Attitude TV took it for a swing.

Are there any restrictions?
To use SkyWalk’s access chair you need to be under the weight limit of 100kgs, and not be reliant on any external apparatus such as ventilators. Other than that, the SkyWalk is pretty much accessible to everyone!

Finally, I want to give the SkyWalk team a massive pat on the back for not only showing me such a great time, but also for making the thrill itself so openly accessible to everyone. My disability was never treated as an inconvenience or annoyance, in fact I’m pretty sure the chair is the way to travel – bugger walking round that track! Totally overrated

For more information, check out their website, or give them a call on 0800 759 586, I totally recommend it!