Disability Taskforce Extended As Budget Funding Boosts System
The Disability Support Services Taskforce will be extended for a year to continue its progress in stabilising the disability support system and shaping it for the future.
Minister for Disability Issues Louise Upston says the Taskforce has been extended to 30 June 2026, with its work further enhanced by a billion-dollar funding boost announced in last month's Budget.
'This Government is committed to the ongoing support of the disability community and delivering better outcomes for disabled people, their families and carers,' Louise Upston says.
'We've demonstrated this in Budget 2025, where the DSS Budget received $1 billion in additional funding over four years – that's about $250 million a year of new money.
'This includes $60 million a year in residential care funding increases and about $190 million a year for increases across all DSS services for cost pressures, including care in the community.
'We are making good progress in delivering for disabled people, and the Taskforce will continue to play a key role.
'In August 2024, the Independent Review made recommendations to manage increasing cost pressures faced by DSS.
'The Taskforce was established to lead the implementation of these recommendations. That important work is progressing well, and I am now looking to the Taskforce to lead more work to further strengthen the system.
'The Taskforce has already made significant progress to stabilise DSS, including:
reviewing pricing and contracting arrangements for residential care, which are being implemented following Budget 2025
improving systems and processes for assessing performance and forecasting expenditure
reviewing needs assessment and allocation, and flexible funding settings so they better meet the needs of disabled people, their whānau and carers.
'My expectation is that DSS will continue to involve the disability community in discussions about how disability support services are delivered. I'll have more to say on the next phase of work in the coming months,' Louise Upston says.
Notes:
New funding for DSS in Budget 2025 included:
$1 billion over four years towards meeting the increasing costs of disability support services (including $240 million for residential care) and to support more people to access those services.
$10 million over two years to address the increasing costs for services and support for people with an intellectual disability and complex care needs who live in secure or supervised care under the High and Complex Framework. This will also fund critical workforce training initiatives and essential infrastructure, including repairs and maintenance upgrades.
$9.5 million over four years to recognise and respond to the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry. This includes work to strengthen how DSS audits the quality of its services, critical incident and complaints management processes and systems, and to contribute to other cross agency work to improve recordkeeping and the capability of the disability workforce.
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NZ Herald
2 days ago
- NZ Herald
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With a roll of 1650 students, St Cuthbert's College is set to receive an estimated $1.6 million subsidy from the Government. The amount has increased by $160,000 on the previous per-student rate. Principal Charlotte Avery, who took on the leader's role at St Cuthbert's last year after shifting from a prestigious private girls' school in Cambridge, England, says in real terms the subsidy isn't a large payment at a $100 increase per student. 'We are grateful of course for that recognition, but in the end it's a very small part of supplementing our fee income,' Avery says. 'We recognise that we are a school of privilege – privilege is not a dirty word but it is important in terms of recognising responsibility.' Prime Minister Christopher Luxon (left) and Associate Education Minister David Seymour, who says families are often making big sacrifices to pay independent school fees. Photo / Mark Mitchell At co-educational private school Scots College in Wellington, headmaster Graeme Yule says the funding increase is 'well overdue'. He also argues it shouldn't become an ideological debate. 'It's much, much easier to cry elitism and to cry inequality but the facts don't match that, the finances are different,' Yule says. 'There will always be a perception in this that the Government's robbing the poor state schools and giving the money to the rich independent schools ... but we receive around $40 million in government subsidy and we pay GST on fees to the Government of around $150 million.' That tax on fees, Yule says, can be invested back into the state sector to support public school students. Public versus private school funding Post Primary Teachers' Association (PPTA) president Chris Abercrombie, however, sees another reason for the Government making this decision. 'Well, David Seymour's [Epsom] electorate has a lot of private schools in it,' Abercrombie says. 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In Porirua, Knight believes the $160,000 increase St Cuthbert's College is receiving could make 'a world of difference' at her small school. She says the money would go towards funding two more teachers or more teacher aide support. Eva de Jong is a New Zealand Herald reporter covering general news for the daily newspaper, Weekend Herald and Herald on Sunday. She was previously a multimedia journalist for the Whanganui Chronicle, covering health stories and general news. Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
NZ Herald
5 days ago
- NZ Herald
Labour MP Willow-Jean Prime's claims of fight clubs, meth in youth justice facilities not substantiated by officials
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'My officials advised me they have a range of measures in place to reduce that risk, but are not aware of any recent incidents matching that description, so are unable to investigate or intervene further.' She said she appreciated Prime wanted to protect her source, 'however without more information it is challenging for Oranga Tamariki to take action'. 'Please encourage them to report any incidents involving this kind of harm to young people to Oranga Tamariki, or Police, or consider utilising the Protected Disclosures Act 2022 if necessary.' Children's Minister Karen Chhour wanted more information from Willow-Jean Prime. Photo / Mark Mitchell Officials couldn't substantiate claims - Chhour Speaking to the Herald, Chhour said her focus was on ensuring children's safety. 'If there is an issue or a concern around the safety of young people, I would hope that politics would be put aside and the young people's safety would be put first,' she said. 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She said occasionally illegal drugs were smuggled into residences, 'but no, a significant meth use has not been raised with me'. Oranga Tamariki runs the facilities. Photo / Jason Oxenham Prime told the Herald the information was provided by a 'trusted source'. 'I asked these questions within the context of the minister's statement last year claiming she was confident that young people in facilities were now safe and that those issues were no longer happening. 'This year's Budget then went on to pledge millions for critical safety risks – raising questions about what issues they were addressing. Abuse has been well documented in the history of these facilities, and any concerns that it is continuing must be taken seriously." Prime said, 'We need every confidence that history isn't repeating itself in state care.' Children's Cmmr unaware of meth, fight clubs Children's Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad said she took a close interest in the treatment of children in residences, especially given previous concerns relating to their treatment at Korowai Manaaki. A report by the commission's monitoring team stemming from a visit in February last year found instances there of fighting as well as illegal substances, such as cannabis. However, through the monitoring process, 'we have not been made aware of methamphetamine use in youth justice residences, and we have not heard about fight clubs since the leaked footage reported in 2023'. Video footage in July 2023 showed MMA-style fighting taking place in a youth justice residence. Staff were stood down after the video went public. Iain Chapman, acting deputy chief executive for Oranga Tamariki's Youth Justice Services and Residential Care, confirmed the agency was 'not aware of any recent incidents relating to significant methamphetamine use or fight clubs within our youth justice facilities'. 'The health, safety and wellbeing of rangatahi in our residences is a constant focus for Oranga Tamariki and we have significant work under way to enhance operational security in these spaces. 'We would encourage anyone with any information about harm to young people in residences to contact Oranga Tamariki or New Zealand Police.' The letters come after the Herald revealed last week that Prime ignored and then flat-out declined invitations by Education Minister Erica Stanford about NCEA reform despite Labour calling for cross-party consultation. Prime has since said she could have responded to Stanford to explain why she wasn't taking up the offers, while Labour leader Chris Hipkins has said his MP has 'learned a lot' from the episode. Jamie Ensor is a political reporter in the NZ Herald press gallery team based at Parliament. He was previously a TV reporter and digital producer in the Newshub press gallery office. In 2025, he was a finalist for Political Journalist of the Year at the Voyager Media Awards.
RNZ News
6 days ago
- RNZ News
Inquiry clears SkyCity Entertainment to hold South Australia's only casino licence
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