A refreshed strategy – but where’s the momentum for change?
By Kylie Elsbury-Dawson, Disability Leadership Advisor, CCS Disability Action
Published 21 October 2025
What is the New Zealand Disability Strategy?
The New Zealand Disability Strategy is the Government’s long-term plan to improve outcomes for disabled people and their whānau. It sets out a vision, principles, and priority areas to guide policy and service delivery across government agencies.
The current draft strategy for 2026-2030, released by Whaikaha - Ministry of Disabled People, outlines a vision of Aotearoa as “an accessible and equitable society for disabled people and their whānau – a place where disabled people thrive, lead and participate in all aspects of life.”
It is built around seven principles – including accessibility, choice and control, equity, human rights, and Te Tiriti o Waitangi – and identifies five priority areas for action: education, employment, health, housing, and justice.
A strategy with the right ideas – but not enough action
At CCS Disability Action, we support the intent and direction of the refreshed strategy. It reflects many of the right ideas and acknowledges the systemic barriers disabled people face. We appreciate the inclusive language and the recognition of diverse identities and experiences.
But we must ask: what will actually change?
Many of the proposed actions rely on exploratory language – “reviewing”, “identifying”, “consulting”. These are important steps, but they do not guarantee delivery. Without clear accountability, timelines, or resourcing, it’s difficult to see how this strategy will lead to meaningful change.
As our feedback to Whaikaha - Ministry of Disabled People noted, “What action does ‘exploring’ provide beyond just talking about it?”
Where is the urgency?
Disabled people and their families continue to experience poorer outcomes than non-disabled people across every domain. The refreshed strategy acknowledges this, but it doesn’t convey the urgency required to address it.
We are also concerned that the draft strategy does not explicitly align with New Zealand’s obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). These commitments should be reflected not only in principle, but in the measurable actions and outcomes the strategy sets out to achieve.
Only one priority area – education – has a budget attached. The rest are left vague, with no indication of what resources will be committed. If we are serious about equity, we must be serious about investment.
What happened to Enabling Good Lives?
One of the most concerning omissions is the absence of Enabling Good Lives (EGL) – a co-designed approach that has guided disability system transformation for over a decade. EGL principles are not explicitly referenced in the strategy, and their absence raises serious questions.
If EGL is no longer central to reform, what does that mean for the future of disability support? For the thousands of disabled people and families who have engaged with EGL, this silence is unsettling.
A call for clarity and commitment
We acknowledge the leadership of Whaikaha - Ministry of Disabled People in developing this strategy. We know that meaningful change takes time, and that systemic reform is complex.
But disabled people have waited long enough. We need a strategy that moves beyond vision and values, to action and impact.
Without a clear implementation plan, disabled people are once again being asked to trust that change will come – without the tools to hold the system accountable.
Let’s make this strategy count
CCS Disability Action urges decision-makers to:
Align the strategy with New Zealand’s obligations under the UNCRPD.
Embed EGL principles explicitly in the strategy.
Attach resourcing to all priority areas – not just education.
Replace vague language with clear, measurable commitments.
Ensure disabled people and their whānau are at the centre of implementation, not just consultation.
Let’s move beyond exploration and commit to action. Disabled people and their whānau deserve a strategy that delivers real, measurable change.