I’d like to start a people-centred movement.
Those who know me well will probably look heaven-ward and think – here she goes again.
Yes – here I go again.
Years ago when Travers was small and I first started out advocating on disability issues Dr David Mitchell from Waikato University said at one of our first Down’s Association meetings – ‘to lobby effectively you need many people saying the same thing’. He gave us all a lot of other excellent advice as well. This particular piece has remained with me throughout my time as being a parent and an advocate.
These new builds are smart, well thought through, use space creatively and for our ever-expanding city, are in the main two or three storied.
So following David’s strategic guidance, what I’d like each of us to do is to talk about, go on social media, start conversations with politicians and anyone else you meet about the fact that currently newly built two-level homes do not have to have a toilet downstairs.
I visited some new housing sites in Tamaki recently. I’ve been inside some of the homes built in the Waimahia area in Manurewa and looked at so many floorplans of proposed new developments that I can probably draw most of them from memory. I’ve met with the ministers involved.
These new builds are smart, well thought through, use space creatively and for our ever-expanding city, are in the main two or three storied.
I don’t have a problem with that in itself. What I have a problem with is that visitors to such homes be they older relatives or friends, visitors with mobility impairments, or young children who are part of our inclusive education system but who can’t climb stairs; face a barrier – no accessible toilet in the downstairs socialisation area.
Talk about, go on social media, start conversations with politicians and anyone else you meet about the fact that currently newly built two-level homes do not have to have a toilet downstairs.
But does anyone care?
Well yes they do. I’ve approached many developers with my – ‘could you change your designs’, ‘how much would it cost’, ‘why not’, questions. And without exception they all agree – a toilet should be able to be fitted in downstairs in many of the houses they design.
But those developers all say that it is the cost, the size of the plots of land they work with rather than an indifferent attitude to the needs of our disabled community and our growing ageing population that drive the decision-making.
Where is the dignity?
Where is the inclusion?
Well there isn’t any actually. So how does this problem manifest itself? A person has to say – ‘I’d love my son to come to Sione’s home for his 6th birthday party, how lovely of you to invite all the class – and by the way I see you live in Inclusion Street which has many two-storied houses, so I need to ask – does your home have a toilet downstairs?’
Building lives and communities by housing New Zealanders. He pukenga wai, he nōhanga tāngata; he nōhanga tāngata, he putanga kōrero.
Surely this breaches the United Nations Convention of People with Disabilities.
Under the general principles of the convention there are notes about inclusion in society, and about accessibility. The convention specifically states that a disabled person should be able to participate in all aspects of life and be able to live in the community with choices equal to others.
But if you have a physical impairment – you can’t do that.
Housing New Zealand’s has a great vision. It states:
Building lives and communities by housing New Zealanders.
He pukenga wai, he nōhanga tāngata; he nōhanga tāngata, he putanga kōrero.
And I quote this vision because the reality is for many disabled people they will have to look at social housing if they want to live an independent life.
So my question to the HNZ Board and CEO, who are the ultimate funders of these developments and who decide the strategy surrounding them, is – where do disabled people fit into this vision of building lives in an inclusive community-focused way? At the moment we feel as though we sit outside any policy and that we are invisible to decision-makers.
Join my voice with yours – many voices do change policy!
To get the ball rolling, we used our voice to get in touch with Housing New Zealand for their thoughts on Colleen's call for change. An HNZ spokesperson said they work to "supply housing that meets the needs of people on MSD’s Public Housing or Social Housing Register," and houses are modified on a case by case basis to suit the tenant. Read their full response here.
Do you think Housing New Zealand's policy is the right way to tackle accessibility problems for Kiwis? Let us know.
