We’ve now lodged our submission to the Social Services and Community Select Committee on the Disability Support Services Bill.
As the national peak body for disability support providers, we have approached this submission from the perspective of disabled people, whānau, providers and the workforce who will ultimately be affected by this legislation.
Our submission raises significant concerns about the Bill, including:
- The lack of meaningful consultation during the Bill’s development
- The compressed timeframe for public submissions and parliamentary scrutiny
- The extent to which key policy decisions have been left to future regulations, operational policies, and Ministerial direction
- The potential impact on disabled people’s rights, autonomy, choice, and control
- The risk of increased reliance on unpaid family and whānau support
- The absence of sufficient detail regarding eligibility, assessment, funding, and safeguards
- The lack of a clear implementation and transition plan
NZDSN’s primary recommendation is that the Committee recommend the Bill be returned to Disability Support Services for proper redevelopment through genuine co-design with disabled people, whānau, providers, Māori, Pacific communities, and the wider disability sector.
We would like to thank the many members who have shared their experiences, concerns, and insights throughout this process. Your perspectives have helped shape our submission and ensure the voices of providers, disabled people and whānau are reflected.
The future of disability support services is too important to rush. Good legislation requires meaningful consultation, transparency and sufficient time to get it right.
We’ll continue to keep members informed as the Select Committee process progresses.