News

Media Release: The Access Alliance

Accessibility advocate, Mary Fisher, in collaboration with the Access Alliance and the New Zealand Human Rights Commission, have launched a photo library to encourage the public to notice access barriers in our everyday lives.

Countdown Hawera has re-opened its doors today as the country’s first ‘Be. Accessible’ accredited supermarket, after a significant refurbishment put mobility and accessibility at the heart of the store’s redesign.

Access Matters Advocates gathered to learn about the experience of creating accessibility law in Canada. David Lepofsky, leading Canadian disability rights lawyer, activist and advocate, who has advised on accessibility legislation for over 25 years, addressed the meeting as the Blind Foundation's international guest and as a strategic advisor to The Access Alliance.

Our campaign has reached a milestone today with an announcement from the Minister for Disability Issues, Hon. Carmel Sepuloni, in Parliament this afternoon.

‘Leave No One Behind’ - Progress towards developing New Zealand’s Accessibility Law - Access Alliance

Media Release 03 December 2018

On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the Access Alliance are standing in support of the Minister for Disability Issues in her efforts to advocate for Government to commit to introducing a national accessibility law.

The Access Alliance recently co-hosted Lainey Feingold, an American disability rights lawyer who focuses on digital accessibility.

David Lepofsky, a leading Canadian disability rights lawyer, activist and advocate, who has advised on accessibility legislation for over 25 years, addressed the Auckland University Policy Law School on the 12 Nov 2018.

In this lecture, David discusses why we need legislation and how it might be implemented with some lessons from the Canadian experience. 

Christchurch disability activists join the nation-wide movement for disability rights law – Canadian Disability Advocate calls for a campaign for the New Zealand Government to “just say yes” to a New Zealand accessibility law

On Tuesday 12 November from 1pm to 2pm media are invited to attend a news conference at the Blind Foundation, 4 Maunsell Rd Parnell, Auckland to hear Canadian disability rights advocate and blind law professor David Lepofsky report his 8-day blitz across New Zealand, as a guest of the Blind Foundation and Access Alliance. As part of this blitz, last Friday 9 November, people with disabilities, whanau and their allies discussed what needs to be in New Zealand’s accessibility legislation, to make Christchurch accessible for everyone.

Chrissie Cowan - Access Alliance Chair

"Korihi te manu, takiri mai i te ata,
Ka ao, ka ao, ka awatea,
Tihei mauri ora.

E te Atua tēnā koe
E te Minita Sepuloni tēnā koe
E ngā manuhiri tēnā koutou
Tēnā koutou ki a koutou kua tae mai nei ki te tautoko te kaupapa o tenei rā. No reira tēnā koutou katoa

Minita Sepuloni, e te whaea Poto Williams chair of the Parliamentary Champions for Accessible Legislation (PCAL), members of PCAL, members of parliament, Paula Tesoriero, Acting Chief Commissioner and Disability Rights Commissioner, Office for disability issues representatives, other government officials, Access Matters Campaigners and Access Alliance organization representatives nau mai, haere mai, welcome.

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge Alani Vailahi from Minister Sepuloni’s office and David Cunningham from Parliamentary Security Operations for helping our team to find a warm and dry venue here at Bowen House ngā mihi ki a korua ...