Government must heed latest court victory for carers

Today's victory in the Court of Appeal for families caring for disabled family members should be taken notice of by the Government, Green MP Catherine Delahunty said today.

Parents caring for their disabled children haven't been paid for this work. However in 2011, the Human Rights Review Tribunal ruled that such families were being discriminated against. The Government appealed this decision to the High Court and the Court of Appeal. Today the Court of Appeal upheld earlier decisions siding with the carers.

"The Government must cease any further legal action," said Ms Delahunty.

"The Government needs to start working with the families caring for their own disabled family members.

"All the carers want is the same amount that a stranger providing the same standard of care would receive," said Ms Delahunty.

"The years of legal action by the Government have been hard on the plaintiffs who have just been trying to get some financial assistance for the work they do caring for their disabled family members.

"The money the Government has spent on legal fees fighting these families would be much better spent on providing financial assistance to these carers."

Earlier this year, in response to an oral question from Catherine Delahunty, it was revealed that the Ministry of Health and Crown Law had spent just under $1.4 million in legal action relating to this case.