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Far North District Council Mahere ā-Tau - Annual Plan 2025/26

Posted in Regional, Submission; Tagged Emergency management, Accessibility, Maori sovereignty; Posted 17 months ago by DPA Less than a minute to read

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To: Far North District Council
Date: April 2025 

 

Purpose

This submission’s primary purpose is to provide feedback through an "accessibility lens," advocating for the integration of disabled people's needs into FNDC's plans for infrastructure, transport, climate resilience, and public facilities. DPA aims to ensure that all Council initiatives promote equity and access for the significant disabled population in Northland, including tāngata whaikaha Māori, building on recent positive accessibility achievements.

Summary of DPA submission

DPA notes that 23% of Northland’s population (at least 16,428 people) identifies as disabled, a figure expected to increase with the aging population.

DPA stresses that accessibility is a core principle of the UNCRPD and a key outcome of the Aotearoa New Zealand Disability Strategy, encompassing equitable access to housing, transport, public buildings, information, and leadership. DPA reiterates its prior recommendation for all FNDC facilities to be built on Universal Design principles, with clear communication to environmental planners and landscape architects.

For Infrastructure Acceleration Funding, a key ask is that all new housing builds are based on Universal Design, as this is more cost-effective than retrofitting, especially relevant for Northland's aging population. DPA also recommends that the Council Disability Advisory Group and/or an Accessibility Advisor be included as co-design stakeholders in all Council building projects, such as the Kaikohe library and service centre hub.

In terms of transport, DPA requests improvements in accessibility for disabled people across the Northland region, highlighting challenges with wheelchair accessibility on link buses, the prohibitive cost of accessible taxis, and inconsistent accessibility of Intercity buses. They recommend active consultation with the Northland disability community to improve transport options, choices, and accessibility.

DPA supports investments in the Kaikohe wastewater treatment plant and water supply, recognizing their importance for the health and wellbeing of the disability community and suggesting potential employment opportunities for disabled people if an accessibility lens is applied to design. They advocate for input from Northland disabled people, tāngata whaikaha Māori, and the Council Disability Advisory Group into all infrastructure decision-making, including around water.

Regarding climate resilience and emergency preparedness, DPA supports the Council's infrastructure-focused approach but raises concerns about the health impacts of climate change on high-risk groups, including older and disabled people. DPA recommends establishing a voluntary register for disabled people to identify special requirements in emergencies and publicizing emergency preparedness information specifically for disabled people through various networks. They further recommend building the specific needs of the disability community into emergency preparedness and planning for all severe weather events, including flooding. DPA also advocates for the inclusion of accessible playgrounds for disabled children across Northland, citing recent positive local developments.

 


Key Recommendation/Finding:

That Council implements Universal Design with its engineers, architects, environmental planners and landscape architects in all infrastructure design.

 


Supporting Statement 1:

“Our society is undergoing quite rapid social and cultural change. The building industry could grasp this opportunity to promote UD as mainstream. There is an opportunity to pivot from a one-size-fits all approach in our built environment to creating adaptive and inclusive structures that stand the test of time.”

 


Supporting Statement 2:

“According to building research body BRANZ, it’s more expensive to retrofit a structure than to build it from scratch using UD principles.:

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DPA Submission 2604 Far North District Council Mahere ā Tau Annual Plan (DOCX)

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