Who We Are
Our purpose
Access Matters Aotearoa exists to remove the barriers that prevent disabled people from fully participating in everyday life.
We advocate for practical accessibility standards, systems change, and long-term policy reform across Aotearoa New Zealand.
Our vision
An Aotearoa New Zealand where access is universal, disability is valued, and everyone fully participates, supported by what they need to succeed.
Our approach
An Aotearoa New Zealand where accessibility is universal, disability is valued, and everyone can participate fully in society.
We work constructively across political lines, grounded in Te Tiriti o Waitangi, lived experience, and evidence.
Our reason
Right now, too many New Zealanders run into everyday barriers that make it harder to join in at work, in the community, and with whānau. A step at the entrance, a form you can’t read, a bus you can’t board, or a video without captions might seem small — but these barriers add up and shut people out.
Disabled people feel this most in their everyday lives. Alongside disabled people, older people, parents with young children, and people recovering from injury also experience accessibility barriers. Many New Zealanders already understand barriers to access due to their caring roles with whānau.
Accessibility benefits all of us
An accessibility Act will set simple, fair, consistent rules so places, services, and information work for everyone, now and into the future.
Our goal
To win public and political support for an accessibility Act that delivers:
- Clear, enforceable standards for access across public life
- Accountability through an independent body that helps fix barriers
- Disabled leadership, including tāngata whaikaha Māori, through genuine co-design
- Fair, flexible support people can rely on
- A future where accessibility is the norm, not an optional extra.