Cross-party cooperation on carers funding needed

Cross-party cooperation is needed if New Zealand is to have long term, sustainable solutions to provide funding for family caregivers of disabled adults, says Labour’s spokesperson for Disability Issues, Clare Curran.

“It’s an enormous relief that the government has come to its senses and will not be appealing the Court of Appeal decision in the Ministry of Health vs Atkinson case.

“Labour acknowledges it has been an incredibly tough time for all the families involved. Hopefully they can now look forward to the next stage of their lives, which will provide recompense for the extremely important role they play in caring for disabled family members,” Clare Curran said.

“Now that Tony Ryall has committed to addressing the discrimination current Ministry policy inflicts, we need to find a solution that provides security and support for these families now and into the future.

“However, these families cannot wait six months for a Human Rights Review Tribunal hearing.

“It is unclear from the Minister’s statement today as to whether his government will seriously consider actual payments to the caregivers for disabled family members.

“The Budget allocation in 2012 for disabilities does not cover such payments and it would be disappointing if Tony Ryall attempted to dupe the public into believing his government had fulfilled its obligations to improve the lives of people with disabilities.

"Labour knows that resolving this issue in the current financial circumstances is difficult which is why we encourage Tony Ryall to commit to working with other parties, including Labour, to achieve a long-term funding solution that reassures these families that any change to the system will be maintained under future governments.

“I congratulate the plaintiffs for their determination and perseverance. The additional stress of the legal battle, on top of their daily struggles, makes their fight all the more admirable.

“I am pleased by today’s outcome and look forward to the opportunity to work with these families as they look forward to a new future,” Clare Curran said.