Media Releases
Breaking Down the Barriers
5 November 2009
Barriers were broken down at a recent Far North District Council hosted workshop attended by around 50 people including individuals working in the disability sector, disabled people, elected representatives and council staff.
The purpose of the workshop was to increase council awareness of disability, build on the council’s interaction with disabled people and explore practical steps the council could take to make the lives of the disabled easier.
The workshop was ably facilitated by Ken Green, a tireless worker for the rights of people with disabilities, who is credited with bringing the participants together and making the day’s discussions happen.
“We can and should do more,” said Far North Mayor Wayne Brown in his opening address. “Complying with the Building Code is not enough; it is not even a minimum – sometimes it’s wrong and sometimes it’s heavy handed.
“Disabled people are at last flexing their muscles and reminding us when we get things wrong. Our challenge is to do what the disability sector wants; to be responsive to their needs and find a way to meet them.”
Workshop organiser Ken Ross said one in five people had a disability, yet society did not act in such a way that they could participate to the full. “Attitudinal barriers are just as important as environmental barriers – accepting and including people with a disability is as important as fixing a concrete kerb to make their access easier.”
Accredited barrier free advisor Vivian Naylor said there were compelling reasons to plan for and meet the needs of disabled people, aside from human rights and legal considerations.
“If you have a shop or some other business, why would you exclude 25 per cent of the population by not making it possible for them to get through the door?” she asked. “And who would you spend money getting it wrong, only to have to come back and spend money on alterations to put it right?”
The day’s activities included a visual presentation of the building design difficulties that challenge the disabled every day and a “wheelabout” from the council offices to the Kaikohe library and back, which revealed problem areas that fully mobile people would not notice.
Mayor Brown was disgusted to find himself stuck in a wheelchair that could not negotiate a pavement crossing, and the shortcoming of other access points and pavement surfaces became apparent generally.
The final activity was to identify actions that the council could take to better provide for the needs of disabled people through infrastructure, environment, strategy, customer interface and training/employment.
Tiaho Chief Executive Jonny Wilkinson said the day was very successful and he was impressed with the outcomes. “Disability has been somewhat neglected in the Far North in the past but now the council is well out in front,” he said.
Ms Naylor described the actions identified as “exciting”. “Good luck to you all, you’ve got the right attitude,” she added
Page created/updated: 6 November 2009 at 8:44 am
