Mojo Mathers | Engage Aotearoa

Ministry of Justice Proposes Cutting Disability Law Services

Help Save Disability Law

The Ministry of Justice is proposing to withdraw funding for direct specialist legal services for the disability community from June 2013.

This will mean that there will no longer be a community law centre specialising in the complex legal needs of disabled people. There will be no Auckland Disability Law.

Auckland Disability Law is calling for the Ministry of Justice to rethink this proposal.

At Engage Aotearoa, we think there should be specialist disability law services available to disabled people throughout New Zealand, including Auckland Disability Law. We frequently refer people to this service.

Your Help is Needed!

Key Things You Can Do:

Sign the Open Letter to Judith Collins, the Minister of Justice as an individual or on behalf of your organisation (attached (right click the link to save the document) and available on Auckland Disability Law’s Facebook page or by email from info@adl.org.nz). Email to sign the letter and send your organisation’s logo.

Come to the “Save Disability Law” Community Hui

Send a message to the government that we are serious about saving disability law through the continued funding of Auckland Disability Law and extending specialist legal services nationally for disabled people.

When: Monday 30^th July 2012, 1pm till 3pm
Where: Western Springs Garden Community Hall, 956 Great North Road
Invited speakers: Mojo Mathers, Sue Bradford, Clive Lansink

Other Things That You Can Do to Help

Write your own letter to Justice Minister Judith Collins

http://www.beehive.govt.nz/minister/judith-collins

Write to the newspapers, or put out your own press release

Contact Auckland Disability Law for further information

Follow Auckland Disability Law on Facebook

Search and click the ‘like’ button on the Auckland Disability Law Facebook page

Further Information

If you require any further information or you are able to help the campaign in any way, please contact, Auckland Disability Law:

Nicola Owen, Development Manager, Auckland Disability Law

Phone 09 257 5140
Fax 09 275 4693
Mobile 0274575140
email info@adl.org.nz
www.aucklanddisabilitylaw.org.nz

Petition for Disability Accessible Parliament

Mojo Mathers made history on Wednesday, when she delivered her maiden speech to Parliament — in sign language. It was an inspirational moment for the entire deaf community. But the elation didn’t last long.

She’s just been told she’ll have to pay $30,000 for electronic note-taking that she needs to do her job. Student Merrin Macleod thinks it’s unbelievable discrimination — in the last three months of 2011 Parliamentary Services paid $3.1 million for MPs’ travel and accommodation perks alone, yet it’s refusing to support Mojo Mathers’ participation in Parliament.

Merrin’s started a Change.org petition calling on Speaker Lockwood Smith to grant the funding immediately. The issue is attracting intense media attention, and the Speaker’s refusal is being condemned as discrimination against the hearing impaired. If thousands join Merrin’s petition now, while the Speaker is under the spotlight, he’ll have no choice but to listen.

Click here to join her and ensure that Parliament doesn’t make Mojo Mathers pay to participate in the democratic process.

This week should have been a triumph for Mojo Mathers and the deaf community — a powerful symbol of progress for a community that has often been marginalised in public life. But the Parliament’s refusal is putting that progress in jeopardy.

Mojo Mathers says the case would set a “dangerous precedent” in a system still weighted against people with hearing impairments and other disabilities. Funding the note-taking will drain her office budget — she’s essentially being asked to choose between fully representing her party and paying to participate in Parliament.

And the issue doesn’t end with Mojo Mathers. Electronic note-taking would eventually lead to the captioning of television coverage — enabling 700,000 hearing impaired people in New Zealand to access the Parliament they pay and vote for. Ensuring she’s supported by Parliament would be a powerful gesture towards equal access and opportunity for every one of these 700,000 people.

Click here to stand with Mojo and ensure that New Zealand’s Parliament commits to equal access for all.

A Note to Visitors

IF YOU NEED SUPPORT RIGHT NOW:

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Your local crisis team is available 24 hours a day and their number is listed at the front of your phone book and in The Community Resources Directory here on the Engage Aotearoa website. In Auckland phone 0800 800 717 in the ADHB and WDHB regions or 0800 775 222 in the CMDHB area.

CALL 111 IN AN EMERGENCY.

Visit the Coping Kete to find self-help tips for Surviving a Crisis.

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