March to Parliament Tomorrow - Thursday 7 March 2024

Watch the March to Parliament speeches on Facebook!

Tomorrow our communities March to Parliament together. Our hearts are full, and we can’t wait to demonstrate the strength and beauty of our communities with you. Here is what you can expect at the March:

Meeting and Departure Points

1. Midland Park

We will be gathering in Midland Park from 12pm, setting off at 12:30pm. There will be a band playing alongside us the whole way to keep our spirits high!

The distance from Midland Park to Parliament grounds is approximately 600 metres.

2. Bunny Street

We will be gathering at 33 Bunny Street, in front of Rutherford House, Victoria University, from 12pm, setting off at 12:30pm.

There are accessible toilets near the Bunny Street location, at the Wellington Station Bus Interchange. This is also the easier spot to get to via public transport.

The distance from Bunny Street to Parliament grounds is approximately 240 metres.

Google Map screenshot of March to Parliament starting at Bunny Street, 210 metres

3. Parliament Grounds

We will arrive at Parliament grounds in front of the Seddon Statue by 1pm, in time for the speeches to begin. You’re welcome to meet us at the end of the March, at Parliament grounds, if you prefer.

Watch out for our marshals in orange hi-vis jackets at the meeting points. We will also have orange ‘accessibility’ balloons with us to give out at both Midland Park and Bunny Street.

Speeches at Parliament

From 1pm – 2pm we will gather in front of the steps of Parliament and hear from the following speakers:

Juliana Carvalho – Access Matters Lead Campaigner and Lisa Seerup – President of Hearing NZ
Hon Penny Simmonds – Minister for Disability Issues will receive the petition and is our first speaker
Debbie Ngarewa-Packer – Member for Te Tai Hauāuru and Co-Leader Te Pāti Māori
Nīkau Wi Neera – Councillor, Wellington City Council
Joanne Dacombe – President of Disabled Person’s Assembly
Lew Findlay – Grey Power
Katrina Matich – Balloon Decor With A Twist
Sean Prenter – Co-President of the National Disabled Students’ Association
Kahurangi Carter – Green Party List Member and Disability Issues Spokesperson

The speeches will be NZSL interpreted.

Please note that due to a late cancellation, we will only have an NZSL interpreter for the 1pm speeches and not during the March itself. We’re very sorry for the inconvenience.

The speeches will wrap up at 2pm, but we’ll keep the demonstration going until 3pm.

Livestream and Social Media

If you’re joining us via livestream, please tune in from 1pm on our Facebook live event page.

Please post about the March to Parliament on your socials before and during the day! Use the hashtags #WeAreMore, #NothingAboutUsWithoutUs and #AccessMattersNZ and tag us at @accessforallnz on all platforms.

Change your profile photo or Facebook cover photo to our logo to show your support! You can download the Access Matters Aotearoa social media assets.

What to Bring to the March:

Your best orange outfit
Your placard or sign
Props representing your disability – whether it be a white cane, a sunflower lanyard, or a white cat pin, let’s make ourselves as visible as possible!
A water bottle
Wet weather gear – you never know!

Sunscreen and facemasks will be provided. We encourage you to wear a facemask for the safety of all our communities, especially those of us who are immunocompromised. Please note that no smoking or vaping is permitted on Parliament grounds.

If you have any questions about the March, please reply to this email or call Isabelle on 022 089 4497.

See you tomorrow!

Whāia te iti kahurangi ki te tūohu koe me he maunga teitei.

Seek the treasure you value most dearly: if you bow your head, let it be to a lofty mountain.

Head shot of Juliana Carvalho