DPA supports an overall focus on wellbeing and responding to Covid in the budget, especially since wellbeing and health outcomes for disabled people and their whānau remain much poorer than the general population.

DPA is deeply concerned that if the budget does not include measures that directly benefit disabled people and their whānau, we will only end up seeing the wellbeing of our community fall even further behind.

DPA recommends disabled people be explicitly included in the budget measures with targeted measures to improve wellbeing for disabled people, particularly for whaikaha Māori, Pasifika and children who experience some of the greatest inequality in our communities.

DPA's submission includes 16 recommendations that focus on: sufficient resourcing in the budget be set aside for the IMM 2021 report recommendations to be implemented, transport, housing, benefits, employment schemes, job support, digital access and skills, climate change initiatives, mental health training and services, health literacy and access to health care.  

Read DPA's submission on the Budget Policy Statement (Word Doc)