Research: Rebecca Armstrong
Presenter: Val Ockenden
Produced by Louise Ratcliffe and FreeFM89.0

Guests:

Paula Tesoriero, MNZM Disability Rights Commissioner

Disability advocate, former Paralympian and Human Rights Commission’s Disability Rights Commissioner. Working for the rights of disabled New Zealanders, she is an amputee and a mum to a five-year-old son. Paula Tesoriero took up her three-year appointment as the Human Rights Commission’s Disability Rights Commissioner on July 31, 2017. “Ms Tesoriero has a significant record of working to increase awareness of disability issues,” Associate Justice Minister Mark Mitchell said at her appointment in June. “She is well informed on New Zealand’s international human rights standing and her legal background and understanding of the machinery of government will be advantageous in the context of the Commission’s work.” Since February 2016 Ms Tesoriero has been General Manager, Systems and Partnerships with Statistics New Zealand. From 2010-2016 she was General Manager Higher Courts with the Ministry of Justice. Ms Tesoriero created history with her world record-breaking time in the
women’s 500m cycling time trial at the Beijing Summer Paralympics in 2008, securing New Zealand’s first gold medal at the Games.

Hon Carmel Sepuloni Minister for Social Development and Disability issues

Carmel Sepuloni is our new Minister of Disability issues. Carmel is of Samoan, Tongan and NZ European descent. Born and raised in Waitara, she has lived in Auckland since 1996. Carmel has always been committed to improving social, health and educational outcomes for all New Zealanders, but has especially focused during her career on low socio-economic groups; Māori, Pacific, disabled people and sole parents. During her political career Carmel has brought to the fore the slashing of the training incentive allowance, made public the impact of cuts to ACC funding for survivors of sexual violence, campaigned for better legislation around social workers and fought for the right to privacy for social service users. As the Minister for
Social Development and Disability issues Carmel is looking forward to building a fairer welfare system that treats New Zealanders with the respect, upholds their dignity and supports them and their families to realise their potential.Outside of politics Carmel has worked broadly across the health and education sectors as a Literacy Educator with youth in West Auckland, teaching in Samoa, managing equity programmes at the University of Auckland, managing the Pacific nonregulated Pacific health research project, and acting as CEO of New Zealand’s only National Pacific health provider, Vaka Tautua.Carmel is the mother of two boys aged four and 19.

Programme Synopsis

• Understanding the role of the Disability Rights Commission, its relationship with government, its process in resolving issues and advocating for individuals and change
• Overview of government policy and initiatives in the disability space

Music

“Get up, stand up” Bob Marley

Links

• http://www.labour.org.nz/carmelsepuloni
• https://www.odi.govt.nz/nz-disability-strategy/
• Safesquares
• Parent to Parent New Zealand Inc
• Altogether Autism
• Care Matters or 0508 236 236 freephone service for carers
• Mana Whaikaha – MidCentral only