SEPTEMBER 2022

Aloalo tou vaka, alo tonu ki mua. Sa kilo ki peau I ou tafa.

Paddle your vaka (canoe) looking straight ahead and pay no attention to the waves around you. Tuvalu proverb on perseverance.

Tēnā koe!

In a significant week on the world stage, as the life of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was honoured and remembered, the constant refrain was of the late Queen’s devotion to service. It was a devotion exemplified irrespective of challenges. Such a dedication to serving others is something we at NZCCSS are privileged to see in the work of our member organisations. While undertaken in more humble settings, the commitment to serve the interests of others, even, and especially, in less-than-ideal circumstances, reflects the same heart and concern for people. As we have honoured a servant Queen this week, we want to also honour the everyday servants working tirelessly in communities throughout Aotearoa.  Ngā mihi nui.

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
Galatians 6:9

Noho ora mai rā
The Team at NZCCSS

In this month’s Policy Watch:

Summary of recent NZCCSS submissions

Family Court (Family Associates) Legislation Bill
NZCCSS supports the kaupapa to introduce the role of Family Court Associate, through the Family Court (Family Court Associates) Legislation Bill. We support the provision of timely access to justice services through the Family Court for tamariki and whānau.  Read more here. >
See all NZCCSS submissions on our website here.

Webinar tonight: Dementia challenge in new health ecosystem

As part of marking World Alzheimers Month, Alzheimers New Zealand invites you to join a webinar discussing with Te Whatu Ora the growing challenge dementia poses to our health system as our population ages. The discussion will also cover what ‘the system’ is doing to make sure people living with dementia receive the help and support they need to live with dignity and purpose.

Speakers include: Catherine Hall, Alzheimers NZ Chief Executive, – Keriana Brooking, Health NZ Acting Head of Commissioning, – Dr Etu Ma’u, University of Auckland Senior Lecturer in Psychological Medicine.

WHEN: Wednesday 21 September

TIME: 6.30pm to 7.30pm

WHERE: Zoom

Register for the Webinar here >

Share your views in hikoi on workforce development

Over the next six months, Toitū te Waiora will be holding 25 events across the country to discuss how they can partner with communities to help transform education, and support workforce development from regional stories, knowledge, and lived experience.

Toitū te Waiora (Community Health, Education and Social Services) Development Council is keen to hear from Hapū, Iwi, Māori, Pacific Peoples, Tāngata Whaikaha, and anyone in the Community, Education, Health and Social Service sectors. It is especially interested in hearing from Māori and Pacific businesses on how Toitū te Waiora can support future business success for Aotearoa/New Zealand.

The first six of these regional events are taking place in October in the South Island and Wellington regions.

See the dates and venues/register here >

Find out more about Toitū te Waiora here >

Tool to build a clearer picture of food assistance 

Kore Hiakai Zero Hunger Collective is inviting the community food distribution sector to join in using the Aotearoa Food Parcel Measure (AFPM). Developed and tested over the last year, the AFPM is a calculating tool that quantifies the volume of kai assistance being given in our communities, distributed through food parcels compiled against the measure. The AFPM collates the data provided by individual food distributors on a dashboard, showing the assistance provided throughout Aotearoa month by month. The dashboard shows only data and any commentary or insights distributors are willing to share. Providers are not individually identified.

The main aim of the AFPM is to build a better understanding of the number of people requiring food assistance. The AFPM also provides the means to measure the volume of nutritionally adequate food being distributed through consistently counted food parcels accessed through foodbanks and other community food organisations. To aid that consistency, last year Kore Hiakai also launched a nutritional guide for food parcel compilation, with a balance of good foods across the food groups. The guide sets the parameters for what should constitute a standard food parcel – that it provides for 4 people, for 3 meals a day, for 4 days, and be compiled at up to 80% of the nutritional guide (and not below 50%).

See the food parcel measure dashboard here >

Find out how to onboard the AFPM here >

Find the nutritional guide for food parcels here >

… And the demand is only likely to increase 

In an interview with Stuff business editor, Susan Edmonds, ANZ chief economist Sharon Zollner notes that the relative price of food is rising again. She attributes recent rises to a number of factors including “increasing supply challenges in global food products.”

Zollner says it’s likely that the rises will continue. “That’s bad news for humanity, but good news for New Zealand – although the gains from that are not evenly distributed. It’s happy for food exporters but unhappy news for households, particularly low-income ones.”

Read the full Stuff article here >

Mokopuna views sought for NZ Curriculum Refresh

The Office of the Children’s Commissioner (OCC) is working with the Ministry of Education to ensure mokopuna have a say in the NZ Curriculum refresh. They are setting up three Youth Voices Groups to work with them over the next two years:

  • Rangatahi Māori – mokopuna from diverse backgrounds who whakapapa Māori
  • Disabled Youth – mokopuna from diverse backgrounds living with a disability
  • Diverse Youth – mokopuna from diverse backgrounds including Pacific and other ethnic backgrounds.

Currently, the OCC is seeking nominations of mokopuna from organisations, schools and other agencies who hold trusting and sustained relationship with the mokopuna they are nominating and who are prepared to support them throughout their involvement.  Recruitment is through an expression of interest process that closes on 16 October.

Find out more about nominating mokopuna here >

Register for online information sessions here >

Find out more about the NZ Curriculum refresh here >

Better Pathways invests more in young people 

The government is upping its investment in Aotearoa’s young people, extending support to youth engagement and employment programmes with the aim of seeing thousands more young people learning and earning.

The Better Pathways package is the Government’s response to a spike of young people, even children, putting themselves and others in harm’s way through high-risk activities such as ram-raiding and smashing shops, particularly in Auckland. Among other measures, the package ups the investment in the Ākonga fund which supports iwi and community-based youth development providers, and provides new funding for He Poutama Rangatahi.  He Poutama Rangatahi supports programmes for the hardest to reach young people, including those experiencing challenges in accessing education or employment.

See the Government’s announcement here >

Learn about the Ākonga Fund here >

Find out about the He Poutama Rangatahi funding here >

Controversial OT Oversight Bill passed

When introduced, the Oranga Tamariki Oversight Bill received widespread criticism from the child and family sector. Concerns centred around the removal of a genuinely independent monitoring agency at a time when the system is under great pressure and around the increased complexity to the process of bringing complaints. Despite those criticisms continuing, Parliament passed the Bill at the end of August. The legislation will see the replacement of the Children’s Commissioner with a three to six-person board and split oversight of Oranga Tamariki between a new Independent Monitor and the Ombudsman.

Respecting disability rights amidst diminishing COVID protections

As we enjoy the fresh freedom of mask-free living, Human Rights Commissioner Saunoamaali’i Karanina Sumeo reminds us that end of the COVID-19 Protection Framework exposes disabled people and those with health conditions to greater risks.

The Commissioner asks that we support those at risk “by choosing to wear masks on public transport or at public indoor gatherings and respecting people who wear masks either for their own or their loved one’s protection.”

Among other things, the Human Rights Commission is recommending:

  • free, good quality masks be made available for immune-compromised and disabled people and whānau
  • information be available immediately to disabled people in alternative formats, including on the eligibility for anti-viral medication
  • clarity be given on the definition of disability-related residential care and if community services are included in mask mandates
  • information be provided on what comprehensive support is being considered for schools and immune-compromised students and teachers
  • a plan for any future service disruptions of disability support services due to any future variants
  • communications supporting people’s choice to continue to wear masks – given international experiences of harassment when mask mandates are removed
  • support workers and carers wear masks when visiting disabled and immune-compromised people in their homes.

Read more about the Commissioner’s recommendations here >

Legislation to address modern slavery supported

The Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment has released a summary of the feedback on its consultation on a proposed legislative response to address modern slavery and worker exploitation. Modern slavery includes practices such as forced labour, child labour, debt bondage, and human trafficking.

The proposed legislative response would see the introduction of responsibilities across the operations and supply chains of all types of organisations in Aotearoa New Zealand, with the aim of building practices based on fairness and respect. Those responsibilities vary depending on the size of organisations.

Ninety percent of the more than 5,600 submitters supported a requirement for all entities to ‘take reasonable and proportionate action’ to address modern slavery.

See the summary of feedback here >

First ever NZ Sign Language-led consultation underway 

The Ministry for Social Development and the Office for Disability Issues are talking with the Deaf community to understand their views on some ideas for changing the NZSL Act. They are also seeking feedback from the wider community.

The Government aims to build on the progress achieved by the Act’s introduction in 2006. In particular, Disabilities Issues Minister, Hon Poto Williams, is interested in learning from Turi Māori and their whānau about how the NZSL Act could better reflect Te Tiriti o Waitangi and support the leadership of Turi Māori.

Consultation on possible changes to the NZSL Act closes on 11 November 2022.

There are three ways to provide feedback:

Attending an open community meeting that will be led by Deaf presenters in NZSL Find our more here > 

Attending a hui for Turi Māori and whānau that will be led by Deaf presenters NZSL. Find out more here > 

Making a NZSL video or written submission. Find out more here >

Read the Government announcement here >
We welcome your feedback on POLICY WATCH and other publications produced by the Council, email: [email protected]

Ngā mihi nui

From all of us in the team at NZCCSS