Weekly update: 13 September 2024

Kia ora tatou,

Hello to all of us,

This week I am in Nadi, Fiji learning about the United Nations Convention on the rights of Persons with Disabilities and how this sits alongside the global Sustainable Development goals. This has been sponsored by the International Disability Alliance, the International Disability Development Consortium, and the Pacific Disability Forum. The wisdom in the room from people throughout the Pacific is both a privilege to be part of, and a responsibility to contribute to. We are talking about rights holders, us, and duty bearers, those responsible for actioning our rights across all of Aotearoa New Zealand society.

More next week when I have had time to reflect back on the learning…

Amanda speaking on a panel about the general principles inherent in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: full and effective participation and inclusion in respect of deafblind barriers and solutions.

Amanda and her assistant Telesia standing in front of the Bridge banner.

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More formats available for Disability Support Services update

We have been advised that more documents in alternate formats have been uploaded to the Whaikaha website. Not all formats are up there yet but Whaikaha are working to get them all up there as soon as possible.

Note: many Whaikaha documents can also be found on TellMe option 4.

They include:

summary of Cabinet paper: DSS Review
summary of Cabinet paper: Improving the sustainability of Disability Support Services
summary of review: Rapid Assurance Review: Commercial Management
summary of review: Independent Review of Disability Support Services: Phase One Report
summary of report: DPMC Stocktake
CE response to Minister Upston
CE statement.

Recent documents you might find of interest can be found at the link below.

DSS update supporting documents

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More alternate formats from Crown Response to the Abuse in Care Inquiry

Sent to us from the blind discuss list.

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Both documents listed below are also now up on TellMe.

5 7 7 and 5 7 8.

Please also note that earlier documents are also available on TellMe. Choose option 5 7 and the number which relates to the document you wish to read.

We have been asked to share the following information about recent documents from the Crown Response to the Abuse in Care Inquiry. that In particular, see the most recent documents below.

Find out about urgent payments of $20,000 to eligible survivors of Lake Alice who are terminally ill to help provide end of life care and assist with funeral expenses.

TellMe 5 7 8.

Find out about the announcement of a public apology for survivors of abuse in care and what the PM said during the public release of Whanaketia – Through Pain and Trauma, From Darkness to Light the final report from the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care of the State and Faith-based Institutions.

TellMe 5 7 7.

You can see these along with earlier documents including all alternate formats at the link below.

Abuse in Care Inquiry: alternative formats

Or phone TellMe and select option 5 and then option 7.

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Events

Blind Health Expo 2024

Friday 6 December 2024.

10 am to 4 pm Eastern Time.

Join us for the 3rd annual Blind Health Expo! The Blind Health Expo is the world’s largest virtual expo of healthcare information, products, and services for individuals, organizations, and companies in the health, blindness, and disability communities.

Free to attend and / or exhibit.

More information aabout the Blind Health Expo 2024

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Audio Described Centauria Taranaki Garden Festival

An audio described garden tour for people with low vision. Our professional audio describers will be there to guide you through our wonderful festival gardens. The bus tour, supported by Weir Tours, is a half-day outing, with a morning tea stop on the way.

People with low vision are invited to tour three festival gardens, including one garden from the Sustainable Backyards Trail on this tour. Foliage and flowers, paths and plantings, will be described in detail.

When: Tuesday 5 November 2024, 9:00am.

The tour leaves from the Festival Hub at the Plymouth International Hotel, 220 Courtenay Street, New Plymouth.

Cost is $30 per person which includes the bus tour and garden entry. Service fees may apply.

Bookings are essential as there are limited numbers.

To book your place on the tour you can:

phone 0800 BUY TIX (0800 289 849)
book tickets in person at the New Plymouth Visitor Information Centre in Puke Ariki Museum on Saint Aubyn Street
book tickets online

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Pac Rim 2025: disability-related conference opportunity

The conference is hosted in Hawaii and it’s their 40^th year anniversary.

General conference home page

The strands are:

adapted physical activity
disaster resilience and built environments
early childhood and early intervention
employment
health justice and equity
indigenous epistemology
low incidence disabilities
neurodiversity
STEM pathways
technology.

Strand information (10 areas)

Scholarship opportunities

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Other newsletters

Disabled Person’s Assembly (DPA) Information Exchange: 9 September 2024

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The D*List

The D*List website is an online culture magazine that creates space for disabled people to tell their own stories through features, columns and news reporting. This week, they ask how seriously (or not) malls and supermarkets treat mobility parking abuse.

Link to weekly update below.

The D*List Delivered (Substack)

Following is a link to have a browse of The D*List website or sign up to receive their weekly newsletter.

The D*List

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Be Seen be Heard be Connected Weekly Update

Please note, access to our weekly be Seen Be Heard Be Connected emails is also available on our website via our events page, at the following link.

News and events (Deafblind Association New Zealand)

Ngā mihi mahana,
Warm regards,
Amanda

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Event reminders

Peer-to-peer gatherings

Whakatū / Nelson: Tuesday 10 September, noon-2:30pm.
Taranaki / New Plymouth: mid-September.
Kirikiriroa / Hamilton: mid-October.
Te Papa-i-Oea / Palmerston North: mid-October.
Kāpiti: mid-October.
Te Whanganui-a-Tara / Wellington region: mid-October
Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland: we now have a venue – please let us know if you are interested.

Please contact us if you are interested in attending any of these events by replying to this email or calling Amanda on 0800 450 650.

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Auckland Art Gallery Audio Described The Walters Prize and Aotearoa Contemporary

The Walters Prize is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest and most prestigious contemporary art award. Established in 2002 and now in its 11th iteration, the prize showcases and promotes contemporary art, and has, since its inception, shaped emergent discussion about contemporary New Zealand art.

Aotearoa Contemporary offers a platform for new art and ideas, a showcase for what is new and current in Aotearoa New Zealand’s diverse cultural environment.

Both exhibitions sit side by side, offering a vital platform for the contemporary from Aotearoa every three years at the Gallery.

This tour will be led by the Gallery’s Curator Pacific Art, Cameron Ah Loo-Matamua, and audio described by Nicola Owen.

When: Saturday, 14 September, 2024, 10:30am to 12:00pm. Please arrive by 10:15am to collect your headset.

Where: Auckland Art Gallery, corner Kitchener Street and Wellesley Street East Auckland CBD.

Tickets are free. There are only 13 places available on the tour, including companions. Make sure to book a ticket for your sighted companion. One companion per purchase.

To book: Call Ellie Lim at Auckland Art Gallery on 09 890 2244, leave a message if there is no answer and Ellie will call you back.

Book a ticket for the audio described tour (Auckland Art Gallery)

There will be 2 volunteer companions at the tour. Contact Ellie Lim if you would like to request one of them to walk with you.

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THE BLIND SEA

“THE BLIND SEA is an inspirational and breathtaking documentary about Australian Matt Formston, Paralympian and 4x World Champion blind surfer.”

There are screenings happening in September in Dunedin and Auckland.

Screening details for THE BLIND SEA (Rialto Cinemas)

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Kinky Boots, the Musical

15 September 2024, Palmerston North.

Touch tour and audio described show.

Find out more about Kinky Boots the Musical, touch tour and audio described performance

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Audio described NZ Opera Rigoletto

19, 21 and 25 September 2024, Auckland.

19 and 25 September: Braille and low-vision accessible surtitles and description available.
21 September: Touch Tour, audio-described performance, Braille and low-vision Surtitles and description available.

More details in the 25 August 2024 update.

25 August update

More details about Rigoletto (NZ Opera)

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The Wiggles’ Wiggle Groove Tour now includes a touch tour!

The Wiggles are now offering a pre-show touch tour for this show. Please ensure you are inside the Arena by 9.10am, for the touch tour which will commence at 9.15am.

When: Saturday 28 September 2024 at 10am.

Where: Spark Arena, 42/80 Mahuhu Crescent, Parnell, Auckland 1010.

Details were provided in 19 July update.

19 July update

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Thursday 3 October Deafblind UK Online Conference 2024

Theme: “Standing out and fitting in”. The conference is free and all are welcome.

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DbI Asian Regional Conference Pokhara Nepal

1st to 3rd March 2025.

Deafblind International Notice of Asian Conference 2025

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2024 Audio Described Nationwide Events Booklet

The events list with booklet page numbers was provided in the 23 February update.

23 February update

The full calendar is available as a word document via the following link.

2024 Events Information (DOCX 60 KB)

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Feedback requested reminders

National Housing Survey

The Urban Advisory longitudinal study so there is no foreseeable closing date. The survey asks how people make their housing choices and what they want to see happen with housing in the future, with the intention of helping New Zealand better respond to housing needs and demand.

Completed surveys are eligible for entry into a quarterly prize draw to win a $200 Prezzy Card. It is an online survey through Qualtrics and is expected to take less than 30 minutes to complete. Details were provided in 24 May update.

24 May update

The website link below includes Frequently Asked Questions, an info pack and a contact email address.

New Zealand’s Housing Survey (The Urban Advisory)

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Public library use and accessibility

Blind Low Vision NZ Client Training and Engagement Senior Advisor Tom Smith asks: “Is there anybody willing to be interviewed about their use of public library services and accessibility?”

Details were provided in 14 June update, or email Tom.

tsmith@blindlowvision.org.nz

14 June update

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Ongoing events

No Labels on Wellington Access Radio

You can listen to this edition of the show on Wellington Access Radio on Tuesday just after 1:00pm, or the following Tuesday at the same time.

If you miss the scheduled show, you can check it out later online at the link below.

No Labels (Wellington Access Radio)

Or you can subscribe to the show via your preferred podcast player to check out this episode or previous episodes of the show.

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Living Blindfully

Weekly show hosted by Jonathan Mosen

Living Blindfully audio episodes (Living Blindfully)

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Blind Spot, Radio Southland

Monthly show hosted by Carolyn Weston

Blind Spot on Radio Southland

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Entertainment with Able

Able is a not-for-profit organisation working towards a more inclusive Aotearoa, believing everyone should be able to access news, entertainment and culture. Funded by NZ On Air, they’re Aotearoa’s leading provider of media access services, including captioning services, subtitling and audio description.

Listings are available at the following browser links.

A link to Able’s website to subscribe to the weekly newsletter with listings and picks of the week follows.

able.co.nz

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Deafblind Association New Zealand access to TellMe

See TellMe numbers for your area

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End of report and this week’s update.

Amanda Stevens
Executive Officer
Taringa Turi Kāpō Rōpū
Deafblind Association New Zealand