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Whaikaha Ministry of Disabled People View our
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Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People becomes a standalone ministry

Statement from Paula Tesoriero MNZM PLY, Secretary for Disabled People, Chief Executive of Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People.

Paula Tesoriero standing behind a lectern speaking at the Mihi Whakatau event. People are sitting on two sides of the room in front of her (MSD staff and Whaikaha staff) and an NZSL interpreter is on the right.

Paula Tesoriero speaking at the Mihi Whakatau for Whaikaha kaimahi (staff) transitioning to the Ministry of Social Development on 2 December 2024.

 

You may be aware that as of yesterday 1 December 2024 Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People became a standalone ministry. It is auspicious how close it is to December 3, International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

Cabinet determined in August that Whaikaha will focus on working with the disability community, to bring government agencies and New Zealand along with us to create a non-disabling Aotearoa.

I am excited to be leading a ministry that will be working with disabled people, tāngata whaikaha Māori, Deaf, Turi Māori, whānau and carers. The work ahead of us is big, but it is exciting.

I see so many ways that we can work together to create change. I hope that you all join us when we begin conversations about what we prioritise the changes we want to see, how we lead conversations, and how we improve outcomes for all disabled people in Aotearoa New Zealand.

We are now in a transitional phase. During this time, we will be deciding what we need to be a standalone ministry and what we need to deliver on our ambitious goals. This means that there is still more change to come, and we appreciate your patience as we work through this. 

The way that you contact us will remain the same, and our social media channels will continue to be a way of engaging with our work. 

Last week a letter went to organisations and individuals that we have contracts with. If you have a contract or an agreement with Whaikaha and have not received this letter, please let us know as soon as possible. We will work with you through the changes to our payment processes.

This year has been a very busy and challenging year for the disability community with a lot of changes. I would personally like to thank you all for your support, your feedback, and your understanding as we have approached the challenge. I hope that you have a relaxing festive season and I look forward to connecting with you again in 2025.

 Ngā mihi nui,

Paula Tesoriero