New Legal Framework to Ease Accessibility Barriers for Disabled People

Radio NZ Morning Report 4 November 2026

New Zealand First says it will establish legally recognised accessibility standards to ensure disabled and access needs people have an "equal opportunity to achieve their goals and aspirations".

The party will introduce legislation to ensure a "fully accessible New Zealand", noting the existing accessibility framework is "fragmented" across multiple laws, policies, and agencies, with many accessibility expectations remaining "voluntary or inconsistently applied".

New Zealand First's proposed Accessibility Standards Legislation would "establish a framework for creating legally recognised accessibility standards and a complaints mechanism to improve compliance and accountability", leader Winston Peters said.

In a policy announcement on Wednesday, ahead of visiting the Disability Expo 2026 being held in Manukau, the party noted the barriers that continue to affect many New Zealanders in their daily interactions with public services, transport, communications, banking, education, justice services, and essential utilities.

It also noted the issue extended beyond disabled people to include older New Zealanders, people recovering from injury, veterans, and others with access needs.

It referenced the 2023 Household Disability Survey that found 17 percent of people living in New Zealand households were disabled, representing approximately 851,000 people, including 98,000 children.

Peters said accessibility could be built in from the beginning when schools, hospitals, social housing developments, footpaths and so on were being designed from scratch.

"This is when standards do the most good and cost the least."

He said the absence of clear national standards meant accessibility was often addressed only after complaints arose, resulting in a reactive rather than preventative approach.

"Better accessibility supports workforce participation, productivity, customer access, independent living and stronger communities. Its benefits extend to older people, families, carers, businesses and the wider public."

Peters also noted the financial benefits in closing the disability employment gap , saying it would add more than half a billion dollars to GDP.

NZ First Accessibility Standards Legislation will:

• Enable Ministers to direct the development of sector-specific Accessibility Standards covering services, facilities, infrastructure, and public-facing organisations
• Require consultation with disability organisations, service providers, the Disability Rights Commissioner, and the Human Rights Commission when developing standards
• Allow standards to require organisations to prepare and publish Accessibility Plans outlining how they will meet accessibility requirements
• Require entities subject to standards to maintain accessible feedback processes, allowing users to raise concerns and recommend improvements
• Establish a formal complaints mechanism through the Human Rights Commission for alleged non-compliance with accessibility standards
• Require accessibility standards to be reviewed regularly to ensure they remain effective and proportionate while avoiding undue hardship on affected organisations
• Strengthen public awareness, guidance, education and compliance support through the Human Rights Commission and Disability Rights Commissioner.

Radio NZ Morning Report 4 November 2026