<Day Date Month Year>
Dear Hon Priyanca Radhakrishnan, Minister for Disability Issues
My name is <your name>. I live in <electorate>. I am writing to you in your capacity as Minister for Disability Issues. I am a person with <disability/access need> / who is an ally to the disabled community / who is a carer for a disabled person and have been since <year> / birth.
We all want to live in a country where every New Zealander can fully participate in society. Back in 2018, the Government committed to creating a fully accessible Aotearoa New Zealand through Accessibility Legislation. Unfortunately, the Accessibility for New Zealanders Bill falls well short of what New Zealanders deserve.
As a supporter of the Access Matters campaign, the legislation framework I want to see has five key ingredients:
- Accessibility legislation
- Access standards
- Independent regulation
- A notification and barrier identification process
- An effective dispute resolution process.
I would like to ask:
- Why is your policy only focused on central government? Why not cover local government and business too?
- What evidence and alternative solutions do submitters need to present to the Select Committee to convince the Government to change its Bill?
- Why do you expect disabled people, and other people with access needs, to continue to be the watchdogs for inaccessible public goods, services and facilities?
- Why did you decide not to develop and implement accessibility standards as part of the policy?
We have a chance to make history. Please don’t let this opportunity pass by. Getting this law right has huge potential to achieve equity by reducing and preventing barriers among New Zealand’s disabled and other population groups. The consequences of getting it wrong will take decades to unwind.
I am requesting a meeting with you to discuss Accessibility Legislation in further detail. Please reply to me at <email address> / <phone number> / <postal address>.
Warmest regards
<Signature, if practical>
<Full Name>
Access Matters Campaigner