Disability Taskforce Extended As Budget Funding Boosts System
Minister for Disability Issues
The Disability Support Services Taskforce will be extended for a year to continue its progress in stabilising the disability support system and shaping it for the future.
Minister for Disability Issues Louise Upston says the Taskforce has been extended to 30 June 2026, with its work further enhanced by a billion-dollar funding boost announced in last month's Budget.
'This Government is committed to the ongoing support of the disability community and delivering better outcomes for disabled people, their families and carers,' Louise Upston says.
'We've demonstrated this in Budget 2025, where the DSS Budget received $1 billion in additional funding over four years – that's about $250 million a year of new money.
'This includes $60 million a year in residential care funding increases and about $190 million a year for increases across all DSS services for cost pressures, including care in the community.
'We are making good progress in delivering for disabled people, and the Taskforce will continue to play a key role.
'In August 2024, the Independent Review made recommendations to manage increasing cost pressures faced by DSS.
'The Taskforce was established to lead the implementation of these recommendations. That important work is progressing well, and I am now looking to the Taskforce to lead more work to further strengthen the system.
'The Taskforce has already made significant progress to stabilise DSS, including:
reviewing pricing and contracting arrangements for residential care, which are being implemented following Budget 2025
improving systems and processes for assessing performance and forecasting expenditure
reviewing needs assessment and allocation, and flexible funding settings so they better meet the needs of disabled people, their whānau and carers.
'My expectation is that DSS will continue to involve the disability community in discussions about how disability support services are delivered. I'll have more to say on the next phase of work in the coming months,' Louise Upston says.
Notes:
New funding for DSS in Budget 2025 included:
$1 billion over four years towards meeting the increasing costs of disability support services (including $240 million for residential care) and to support more people to access those services.
$10 million over two years to address the increasing costs for services and support for people with an intellectual disability and complex care needs who live in secure or supervised care under the High and Complex Framework. This will also fund critical workforce training initiatives and essential infrastructure, including repairs and maintenance upgrades.
$9.5 million over four years to recognise and respond to the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry. This includes work to strengthen how DSS audits the quality of its services, critical incident and complaints management processes and systems, and to contribute to other cross agency work to improve recordkeeping and the capability of the disability workforce.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scoop
4 days ago
- Scoop
Largest Maritime Navigation System Upgrade In Decades
Associate Minister for Transport The Government is making New Zealand more attractive to international shipping lines with the first major investment in navigation services in more than 30 years. Land Information Minister Chris Penk says the $28.6 million Budget 2025 funding secures the future of shipping, tourism and the maritime economy – highlighting the Government's commitment to back economic growth. "The investment enables safer and faster access to New Zealand's ports, keeping trade flowing smoothly and reliably and provides confidence in shipping. This is key as more than 99 percent of our imports and exports move by sea. "Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) and Maritime New Zealand are working together to create high-tech digital navigation tools based on the global S-100 standard. These tools will make navigation more precise, helping ships save fuel and cut costs while operating in our waters. 'The initiative will transform how mariners access and use data such as electronic charts, water levels, ocean surface currents and navigational warnings.' Associate Transport Minister James Meager says the investment benefits both economic growth and maritime safety. 'Modern digital maritime data and services will enable freight-efficient, environmentally responsible shipping routes that boost trade and investment across the Pacific. 'The investment in high-tech infrastructure ensures our maritime and tourism sectors are ready to thrive, while enhancing safety and efficiency. 'Importantly, it positions New Zealand at the forefront of the shift to digital navigation technology, and signals to the world that we're serious about supporting innovation, sustainabilitty and welfare at sea. 'Beyond New Zealand's coastline, this initiative supports safer, more efficient shipping across our wider maritime region – including Antarctica and South-West Pacific nations such as the Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Niue, and Tokelau. 'As we celebrate Matariki and reflect on New Zealand's rich cultural history of navigating by the stars, now is the perfect time to look ahead toward building a resilient maritime economy for future generations.'
The Spinoff
4 days ago
- The Spinoff
Census scrapped as Stats NZ eyes cheaper data future
The government has announced a major overhaul of population data collection, but experts say the new approach carries serious risks, writes Catherine McGregor in today's extract from The Bulletin. See ya, census After nearly 175 years, New Zealand's national census is coming to an end, reports Kelly Dennett in The Post (paywalled). Statistics minister Shane Reti confirmed that the five-yearly population count will be replaced with an annual survey model from 2030, which will mainly rely on data already collected by government agencies, known in the trade as administrative data. Reti says the move reflects the need for more timely and cost-effective insights, pointing to the $325 million cost of the 2023 census and an expected $400m for the next. Under the new model, a smaller sample survey will be combined with existing government datasets – from tax records to school enrolments – to produce population statistics on an annual basis. Reti described the overhaul as a reset of Stats NZ's priorities, saying it would 'get back to basics – measuring what matters'. He also provided details of the plan to start delivering a monthly Consumer Price Index from 2027, which was announced in Budget 2025. The government will invest $16.5 million to adjust the CPI from quarterly to monthly, 'bringing New Zealand into line with other advanced economies'. A troubled recent history The census has played a central role in shaping New Zealand's social and political landscape since 1851, albeit one that initially excluded Māori. But its recent history has been plagued by controversy. The failed digital-first approach of the 2018 census produced the lowest response rates in decades, especially among Māori and Pasifika, and government statistician Liz MacPherson resigned amid the fallout. Five years later, the 2023 census saw a marginally improved response, but was marred by a data breach involving subcontracted collectors at Manurewa Marae. A public apology followed, and chief executive Mark Sowden stepped down. The repeated controversies have shaken confidence in the census, laying the groundwork for its eventual demise. Bridging the trust deficit Despite a 99.1% total population coverage in 2023 thanks to the inclusion of administrative data, the census response rate sat at just 88.3% – well below the 95.1% recorded in 2006. So-called 'hard refusals' more than doubled from 2018 to over 10,000 in 2023, with anti-government sentiment cited by over a quarter of those refusing to participate, reported Laura Walters in Newsroom. 'People are busier… there is suspicion about giving their data to Government Inc,' Sowden told a select committee last year. The anti-government sentiment was likely magnified by the 2022 Parliament protest and the proximity of the Covid-19 pandemic, he said. The huge increase in cost between the 2018 census ($123m) and the 2023 version ($326m) was directly attributable to the challenges of getting people to take part, Sowden said. Stats NZ needed to double the number of field workers, and did about five times as much community engagement. Though Stats NZ has legal powers to fine non-compliers, it chose not to issue infringement notices in 2023, citing resource constraints. A bold experiment with high stakes Writing in Newsroom, former government statistician Len Cook warns that the shift to a survey-based model carries serious risks. Unlike countries such as the Netherlands or Israel, which use surveys alongside compulsory population registration, New Zealand has never maintained a formal population register and does not issue identity cards. As a result, Stats NZ will struggle to ensure data quality is maintained – yet it's vitally important that the government has the demographic data it needs. Leaving policy settings as they are in the face of falling fertility and rising life expectancy 'will have the same effect as a fall in government revenue of more than 30% by 2045', Cook warns. 'Almost all publicly funded services will face pressures of a far greater magnitude than we are currently seeing. Without regular knowledge we can trust, we will have little information to plan with.'
Scoop
4 days ago
- Scoop
Making It Easier For Chinese Travellers To Transit Via New Zealand
18 June 2025 The Government is boosting tourism and trade by making it simpler, faster and cheaper for Chinese nationals to transit via New Zealand. From November, Chinese passport holders will no longer need to obtain a Transit Visa before transiting through New Zealand airports. Instead, they will be able to get a New Zealand electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA). 'International connections are a crucial part of our plan to drive economic growth. We rely on robust and affordable air connectivity to bring people to our beautiful country, and to get our high-quality products out to the world. Alongside the announcement of a new route from China to South America via Auckland, we expect this will significantly boost the number of passengers that choose to transit through New Zealand. 'Instead of spending $235 and waiting four days, individuals can pay as little as $17 and can be processed in 24 hours,' Immigration Minister Erica Stanford says. An NZeTA is also valid for up to 2 years, meaning that someone can travel multiple times without needing to apply again. 'Our Government has taken action to enable another route to be opened from China via New Zealand. This will allow Auckland Airport to be a hub for further airline connections. Removing the cost and time barriers of a transit visa makes this route a more attractive option for both tourists and airlines,' Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says. 'Every additional passenger transiting New Zealand on their way to South America or back to China will help to lower the cost of a plane ticket, which makes it cheaper for other waves of tourists to come and see what our country has to offer. 'More capacity from airlines will make it easier to visit New Zealand and adds cargo capacity, driving economic growth and supporting the Government's goal to double the value of tourism exports by 2034.' 'This Government is focused on delivering smart, flexible responsive nuanced immigration solutions such as this to support New Zealand's growing economy,' Ms Stanford says.
