Minister Upston’s announcement on Disability Support Services consultation

I want to update you on the next steps our Government is taking to consult with the disability community, as we stabilise disability support services, and work to a system that is fair, consistent, transparent and sustainable.

The Review of Disability Support Services was released in August. It was commissioned to provide advice on the future sustainability of Disability Support Services.

The review recommended immediate actions to provide disabled people, their families and carers, with certainty around what they can access.

At the time, I committed to consultation with the disability community, and the initial part of that consultation started at the end of October and is now complete.

I want to acknowledge and thank the many people who participated in the DSS survey. There were over 1,550 responses and each one makes a difference.

You were clear about what you think needs improving, and DSS is taking feedback on board as it forms its opinions and advice to the Government.

I’m now pleased to let you know that I have directed the Disability Support Services team to begin the next phase of community and sector consultation, early in 2025.

Next year’s community consultations will be held both face to face and online, and will build on your feedback from the earlier survey.

Cabinet has agreed that community consultation will focus on how we can improve the consistency of DSS services across New Zealand, through assessment and allocation settings, and the criteria for, and guidelines on flexible funding.

More targeted consultation with the sector will focus on how we develop future residential care contracts and pricing models. This will happen on a fast track than the community consultation.

Following consultation, officials will report back to me and let me know what you told them, so Cabinet can make its final decisions.

I expect to go back to Cabinet early in the year for the residential care pricing decisions, and towards the middle of the year for decisions on assessment and allocation settings and flexible funding.

More information about the consultation plan and timing will be on the DSS website soon.

The Government’s focus right now is on the urgent work needed to stabilise disability support services, to support our move to a system that is fair, consistent, transparent and sustainable.

I’ve asked the DSS team to undertake its work with urgency, to provide cabinet with options to achieve this, and respond to the recommendations of the independent review panel before considering further work on the future of Disability Support Services.

Thank you for continuing to share your insights as we work to create a system that meets the needs of disabled people, their families and carers, both now and into the future.