Disabled leaders disappointed non-disabled person will lead set-up of new ministry

Friday, 24 December 2021

Minister for Disability Issues Carmel Sepuloni describes how collaboration with Māori and disability organisations will aid development of the framework of the new Ministry for Disabled People. (First published November 1, 2021)

Leaders from Aotearoa’s disabled community are “gravely concerned” the establishment unit for the new Ministry for Disabled People will be led by a non-disabled person.

Senior government official Justine Cornwall was named executive director of the establishment unit this week. The announcement began by stating a commitment to the disabled community’s call for “nothing about us without us”.

Prominent disabled leaders Pam Macneill, Jonathan Mosen and Huhana Hickey have collectively expressed their concern about the appointment and said the timing of the announcement was “dubious”.

“It appears to have been deliberately designed to slip past disabled people who, like everyone else in the country, are dispirited and exhausted after another long Covid year,” Macneill said.

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Dr Justine Cornwall has been appointed executive director of the establishment unit for the new Ministry of Disabled People.

The Office for Disability Issues said most of the establishment process for the new ministry would be led by people with disabilities.

Green MP Jan Logie published a statement from the Inclusive Greens, her party’s disability caucus, which said governance roles for disabled people were not enough.

“It is not sufficient to have disabled people's leadership only in governance; we must also be represented in the staffing of the new ministry, at all levels,” she said.

Prudence Walker says it’s understandable that disabled people are disappointed about the process.

“The failure to set a precedent now in this regard already begins to erode trust among disabled people that the ministry will truly herald disabled-led change for our community.”

Disabled Persons Assembly chief executive Prudence Walker echoed these sentiments.

“We’ve been pushing all along that it’s really important for the new ministry to be led by disabled people and to employ disabled people throughout.

“I wasn’t part of the recruitment process, so it’s difficult to comment without full knowledge of the process, but it’s absolutely understandable that disabled people are expressing their disappointment about this.”

Disability Rights Commissioner (and former Paralympic cyclist) Paula Tesoriero is reassuring the disability community the new Ministry for Disabled People will be led by disabled people.

Walker, who lives in Rolleston, is able to comment both professionally and personally as someone with physical, cognitive and neurological impairments due to a series of brain injuries.

She acknowledged Cornwall had been appointed executive director of the establishment unit, not interim minister, but added “it isn’t a great start”.

Disability Rights Commissioner Paula Tesoriero said in a statement she was aware of the fears circulating in the community and had met with senior MSD officials to discuss them.

“I’ve made it clear, and will continue to do so, the permanent [chief executive] appointed next year must be disabled.”

She gave personal reassurances, based on a relationship spanning 20 years, that Cornwall was committed to equity, diversity and inclusion.

MSD people and capability deputy chief executive Stephen Crombie said disabled New Zealanders would oversee and have a voice in every aspect of building the new ministry, including choosing its name.

“The establishment unit is tasked with putting the bricks and mortar in place to ensure the new agency gets off to the best possible start.

“Justine Cornwall has been appointed executive director of the establishment unit for a time-limited period. [She] was considered the most appropriate person for the role by a recruitment panel comprised of agency, disabled community and tāngata whaikaha Māori representatives.”

Cornwall had experience as whānau whaikaha, or belonging to a family with disabled members, and a background in disability policy and the establishment of new government entities, he said.

People with lived experience would have key roles across the establishment unit, and a community steering group would be entirely made up of people from the disability community.

Macneill said the concerns were focused solely on the principle of appointing a non-disabled person to the role, not about Cornwall personally, and she “wished every success to Dr Cornwall in her new role”.

The new ministry launches on July 1, 2022.