New Disability Support Investment A Boost For Providers
Quality support needs sustainable funding, its as simple as that. For Disability Support Providers whove negotiated restrictions and uncertainty while last years Independent Review recommendations were being worked through, this is very welcome, …
The Budget's $240m in new funding over four years for disability residential support is a good start and should help make quality support available to more disabled New Zealanders, says the New Zealand Disability Support Network.
The uplift in funding for High and Complex services, funding to meet demand and inflationary pressures across the disability support service portfolio and funding to address the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in care recommendations are also positive and welcome.
'Quality support needs sustainable funding, it's as simple as that. For Disability Support Providers who've negotiated restrictions and uncertainty while last year's Independent Review recommendations were being worked through, this is very welcome,' said Debbie Hughes, NZDSN CEO.
NZDSN is optimistic that sector financial constraints starting to be lifted from 1 July will be a boost for providers and the disabled people they support.
'This is potentially great news, we're looking forward to hearing more about how this will work. There's lots more to do in our sector, and we're keen to work with government to get it done.'
'Since the independent review recommendations were announced last year, there's been lots of consultation and work behind the scenes. The uplift in funding shows the Government listened to the sector during consultation, so we expect providers to be heartened by today's announcements of some tangible support,' said Debbie Hughes.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scoop
2 hours ago
- Scoop
Street Smart And Keep New Zealand Beautiful Partner To Tackle Litter And Protect New Zealand's Environment
Street Smart, a community initiative focused on reducing street litter that enters stormwater systems and pollutes our oceans, has announced a partnership with Keep New Zealand Beautiful (KNZB), New Zealand's leading not-for-profit organisation dedicated to protecting and enhancing the environment. Every year, tonnes of litter dropped on our streets wash into drains and can end up in rivers, harbours, and oceans. Street Smart was created to make it easier for people to do the right thing - right when it matters most. A Simple Solution with a Big Impact Street Smart uses highly visible decals and stickers to signal that a business or household is doing their part - and inviting others to join in. The message is simple: 'My bin – is your bin.' For Businesses: A Street Smart window decal means the business commits to clearing litter within a 10-metre radius of their premises each day. Members of the public are welcome to place street litter in their bin - no need to carry it further or leave it behind. For Residents: A Street Smart wheelie bin sticker shows the household supports the initiative. If there's space in the bin, anyone can drop in litter they've picked up nearby, helping keep the street clean for all. This visible commitment builds a culture of shared responsibility, making it easier for communities to stop litter at the source before it reaches our waterways. Strength in Partnership By partnering with KNZB, Street Smart gains a national platform to grow awareness and participation, while KNZB is able to extend its environmental impact with a practical, community-driven tool. Together, they aim to inspire more New Zealanders to protect their streets, waterways, and coastlines. Quotes: 'Street Smart is about creating awareness that what we drop on the street doesn't just vanish - it travels through stormwater systems and ends up polluting our oceans. Partnering with KNZB allows us to take that message to a national scale.' – Richard Harri, Founder, Street Smart 'Keep New Zealand Beautiful is proud to partner with Street Smart. Together we can empower more New Zealanders to understand the journey of litter and take simple steps that make a big environmental difference.' – Wayne Gazley, National Support Manager, KNZB About Street Smart: Street Smart is a grassroots initiative that raises awareness of how litter on our streets ends up in stormwater systems and pollutes our oceans. Through simple decals for businesses and residents, Street Smart makes it easier for people to do the right thing and take collective action for cleaner communities. About Keep New Zealand Beautiful (KNZB): Since 1967, KNZB has been New Zealand's leading environmental charity, inspiring Kiwis to care for and protect their local environments. Through initiatives like Clean Up Week and nationwide beautification projects, KNZB works to create cleaner, greener, and more beautiful communities.
Otago Daily Times
2 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Govt accepts 'Price it Right' petition
By Anneke Smith of RNZ Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis has accepted Consumer New Zealand's 'Price It Right' petition for accurate supermarket pricing. The petition, signed by 25,000 people, was presented to Willis on the steps of Parliament this morning. Willis wrote to the major supermarkets in June this year, warning them against misleading promotional practices and pricing errors. Consumer NZ chief executive John Duffy said supermarkets have had plenty of opportunity to sort it out for themselves. "It's time for the government to step in and make supermarkets price it right, and tens of thousands of New Zealanders agree. "People want clear pricing rules, automatic compensation and stronger penalties when supermarkets get it wrong." In 2024, the Commerce Commission estimated pricing errors were likely costing shoppers tens of millions of dollars a year. "If supermarkets can't get their pricing right, they - rather than shoppers - should face the consequences," Duffy said. Consumer NZ's petition asked the government to introduce a mandatory supermarket pricing accuracy code: • With clear pricing rules. • Requiring supermarkets to automatically compensate consumers when pricing errors occur. • Requiring shoppers' right to be clearly disclosed both in store and online. • Infringement notice powers and much higher penalties for misleading pricing and promotions. "We know that all the problems in the supermarket sector won't be fixed overnight, but new rules like those in our proposed code will help put money back in the pockets of New Zealanders," Duffy said. 'Time supermarkets pulled up their socks' Willis told RNZ she had received assurances new processes were in place after putting major supermarkets on notice in June. "They then wrote back to me and pledged that they are going to have refund policies in place from now on; in the case of Foodstuffs that hadn't previously been the case. "Now, if a pricing error is found, you get your money back and you keep to you get to keep the goods. "They've also pledged that they will advertise these refund policies and they have pledged that they are investing significant sums and better training for their staff and better systems to stop these errors happening in the first place." They were important commitments and the government would hold major supermarkets accountable to them, Willis said. "I have been consulting on strengthening the infringement regime in the Fair Trading Act, strengthening penalties and potentially introducing civil proceedings so that it is easier to prosecute supermarkets when they do the wrong thing. "I will consider the submissions on that consultation before taking recommendations to Cabinet." Asked if it was fair the onus was still on consumers to notice price discrepancies, the minister said it wasn't. "I do worry that for every person who's noticed it, there are other New Zealanders who've been ripped off and haven't had the opportunity to get redress. "So that's why we are strengthening our approach in this area. We think it's time that the supermarkets pulled up their socks."
Otago Daily Times
2 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
'Price it Right' petition accepted
By Anneke Smith of RNZ Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis has accepted Consumer New Zealand's 'Price It Right' petition for accurate supermarket pricing. The petition, signed by 25,000 people, was presented to Willis on the steps of Parliament this morning. Willis wrote to the major supermarkets in June this year, warning them against misleading promotional practices and pricing errors. Consumer NZ chief executive John Duffy said supermarkets have had plenty of opportunity to sort it out for themselves. "It's time for the government to step in and make supermarkets price it right, and tens of thousands of New Zealanders agree. "People want clear pricing rules, automatic compensation and stronger penalties when supermarkets get it wrong." In 2024, the Commerce Commission estimated pricing errors were likely costing shoppers tens of millions of dollars a year. "If supermarkets can't get their pricing right, they - rather than shoppers - should face the consequences," Duffy said. Consumer NZ's petition asked the government to introduce a mandatory supermarket pricing accuracy code: • With clear pricing rules. • Requiring supermarkets to automatically compensate consumers when pricing errors occur. • Requiring shoppers' right to be clearly disclosed both in store and online. • Infringement notice powers and much higher penalties for misleading pricing and promotions. "We know that all the problems in the supermarket sector won't be fixed overnight, but new rules like those in our proposed code will help put money back in the pockets of New Zealanders," Duffy said. 'Time supermarkets pulled up their socks' Willis told RNZ she had received assurances new processes were in place after putting major supermarkets on notice in June. "They then wrote back to me and pledged that they are going to have refund policies in place from now on; in the case of Foodstuffs that hadn't previously been the case. "Now, if a pricing error is found, you get your money back and you keep to you get to keep the goods. "They've also pledged that they will advertise these refund policies and they have pledged that they are investing significant sums and better training for their staff and better systems to stop these errors happening in the first place." They were important commitments and the government would hold major supermarkets accountable to them, Willis said. "I have been consulting on strengthening the infringement regime in the Fair Trading Act, strengthening penalties and potentially introducing civil proceedings so that it is easier to prosecute supermarkets when they do the wrong thing. "I will consider the submissions on that consultation before taking recommendations to Cabinet." Asked if it was fair the onus was still on consumers to notice price discrepancies, the minister said it wasn't. "I do worry that for every person who's noticed it, there are other New Zealanders who've been ripped off and haven't had the opportunity to get redress. "So that's why we are strengthening our approach in this area. We think it's time that the supermarkets pulled up their socks."
