Since 2017 Deaf Action has been advocating for 100% NZSL access to Parliament.
Why? This is where NZ’s laws are made. This is everything is decided about us including Deaf people. Yet Deaf don’t have access to this information on decisions made about themselves.
Not knowing and not being able to contribute to lawmaking and policy decision making has a negative impact on Deaf people.
Deaf citizens in NZ want better rights too. To do this, Parliament MUST be accessible in NZSL.
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/submissions-and-advice/document/52SCGA_EVI_83895_GA2906/kim-robinson
To date, the Office of Clerk hasn’t made a several events NZSL accessible.
– House of Representative Sittings
– Livestreams of Parliament that were done during Covid19 lockdown
This issue will be forwarded to the Office of Human Rights Proceedings in due course to be addressed.