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Disability sector is in a ‘slow burning crisis’

Annette King

MP for Rongotai

Health Spokesperson

Poto Williams
MP for Christchurch East
Spokesperson Disability Issues

MEDIA STATEMENT

29 August 2016

Disability sector is in a ‘slow burning crisis’

Disability advocates say the sector is in crisis and broken, Labour’s Health spokesperson Annette King says.

“A roundtable at Parliament organised by the Labour Party, heard today how National has left disability services chronically underfunded.

“Providers are having to dip into their own pockets as they are hit by constant cutbacks.

“Funding is adhoc fragmented, and is spread across a myriad of Government departments meaning money is not getting to our most vulnerable.

“Now is the time for strong leadership and a new approach to listen to those who need disability services.

“But the Government is ignoring the sector and providers are saying that they are at the end of their tether.

“As a result families are being bounced around services or left stranded, “Annette King says.

Disability Issues spokesperson Poto Williams said a major issue within the sector was that the workforce was underpaid for the level of care they were providing.

“An aging population will only make that worse. We need to look at services across a person’s lifetime.

“This Government’s $1.7 billion cut in health is putting the disabled and their families at risk. We must do better by them,” says Poto Williams.

ends

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