A leaked copy of guidelines issued by Whaikaha Ministry for Disabled People said there would be no net increase in residential places while the freeze was in place.
This means families going through the process of applying for government-funded or supported residential accommodation for siblings or children are now left completely in limbo. As are those with high-needs children who were relying on residential care down the track, or parents who can currently look after children but may not be able to do so in future due to their own health needs, or changed circumstances.
It’s causing huge anxiety among my constituents, therefore I was grateful to host my colleague Priyanca Radhakrishnan at the Labour Rooms in South Dunedin last week, to hold a public forum for the disabled community, as well as a second meeting with community service providers.
The purpose of both was to exchange information, so that we can answer community questions, hold the government to account, and co-create meaningful policies for when Labour returns to government by 2026.
Despite the austerity measures being imposed across all agencies, the National government pretends there are no cuts "to the frontline".
The disabled community have felt it hardest, losing frontline support when the government made the brash decision to cut flexible funding for carers.
As well as the proposed freeze to residential care, National has announced the end of Whaikaha, the ministry tasked with increasing choice and control for disabled New Zealanders, as well as their access to services.
The public service cuts started with border workers.
For months New Zealanders had been told by the government there would be no cuts to the frontline, and then we found out some of the people who work to prevent drugs and pests coming into New Zealand were losing their jobs.
Then it was reading recovery teachers. The people who had been helping teach kids to read for 50 years, and in many cases much-loved specialist teachers who are now being forced into retirement.
Then the government stopped filling doctors and nursing roles. They made big claims saying they were investing properly in the health system, but instead they’re shrinking the workforce to cut costs and putting even more pressure on the system. GPs have been forced to put the price of seeing the doctor up just to cover costs.
We found out about reductions at the suicide prevention office, and jobs being disestablished in the teams that deal with child exploitation, anti-terrorism and online harm. At the same time, up to 190 frontline providers who work with vulnerable children, women and families have had their government funding stopped, and a further 142 have had their funding reduced.
The government continues to claim frontline services would not be touched
Christopher Luxon said they would be "protected" and when Nicola Willis was asked time and time again if there would be any new cuts to frontline services, she said "I make that promise".
What is absolutely clear not even a year into the coalition government, is National has no plans to keep the promises it made to New Zealanders about frontline services, and every plan to keep cutting them.
