Erin Geaney Scholarship 2026 recipient announced
Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People congratulates Kerri Butler, the recipient of the inaugural Erin Geaney Scholarship.
Nau mai, haere mai.
Welcome to Whaikaha - Ministry of Disabled People.
About 1 in 6 New Zealanders are disabled. We work across government, businesses, and communities to improve outcomes for them.
We focus on things that make a tangible difference to disabled people, tāngata whaikaha Māori, and their families and whānau, whether that means working with partners to get more people into employment or making New Zealand more accessible.
Disabled people and tāngata whaikaha Māori make an important contribution to society and the economy. We have a huge opportunity for that to grow even further.
Whaikaha does not provide direct support to disabled people or their families. For more information about services and support available, visit Disability Support Services.
News from Whaikaha
Action plan for New Zealand Sign Language Strategy published
An action plan to make New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) more visible and accessible was launched by the NZSL Board today.
Disabled people and people in disabled households overrepresented in lower income groups
On 26 February 2026, Stats NZ released Household income and housing costs statistics for the year ended June 2025.
About Whaikaha
Get to know Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People, our role in Government, and our commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Find resources on collecting and using disability data and recent updates from across New Zealand.
The New Zealand Disability Strategy gives direction to government agencies on issues disabled people, tāngata whaikaha Māori and whānau say are important.