Deaf Aotearoa awarded the Vittorio Ieralla Memorial Award
23rd July 2019
Deaf Aotearoa is awarded the Vittorio Ieralla Memorial Award. This award is given to a national Deaf association that has made an outstanding contribution to the World Federation of the Deaf over the last four years. This award is in recognition of Deaf Aotearoa’s achievements in promoting the human and linguistic rights of Deaf people and raising awareness of New Zealand Sign Language.
New Zealand bids to host the 2023 WFD Congress in Auckland
23rd July 2019
Deaf Aotearoa made a strong bid to host the next World Federation of the Deaf World Congress in 2023 with the support of the New Zealand Government. While New Zealand’s bid was recognised by the WFD’s site inspection team as the strongest of the four bids submitted, South Korea was successfully voted by the General Assembly as the host of the next Congress.
Mark Berry re-elected President for WFD Youth Section
23rd July 2019
Mark Berry, former Deaf Aotearoa Executive Board member, was re-elected as president of the World Federation of the Deaf Youth Section.
In 2015 Mark was elected as Vice-President for the Youth Section and was elevated to President in 2017 after the previous President stepped down from the role.
Victoria Manning elected to WFD Board for 2019-2023
23rd July 2019
General Manager-Strategy, Victoria Manning, was successfully elected to the World Federation of the Deaf Board 2019 – 2023. She was the second highest voted candidate, gaining 80 votes from the 88 voting countries. Deaf Aotearoa nominated Victoria as a highly-regarded leader and is the first New Zealander to serve on the WFD Board. Victoria was also the inaugural chairperson of the New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Board.
DAHL restructure
2015
First Signs launched
2014
Deaf View 3 in Wellington
1st January 2013
4th Maori Deaf Hui
2013
NZSL Week – theme “I Am Deaf – Let’s Talk”
2012
Successful week with nearly 500 taster classes held throughout the country
Deaf Aotearoa received the ‘Highly Commended’ Award at the Whanganui Health and Disability Awards.
2012
Deaf Aotearoa received the ‘Highly Commended’ Award in the Excellence in Community Based and/or Older People Services section at the Whanganui Health and Disability Awards. This is the 2nd award Deaf Aotearoa has received for Deaf Access Centres
Chief Executive: Lachlan Keating
2012
NZSL Sign Singers at the Rugby World Cup
9th September 2011
5th Deaf Short Film Festival
6th May 2011
Held in Christchurch, 6th – 8th May. The Theme was “The New Zealand Tomato Sauce”
President: Kellye Bensley
2011
Interpreters on TV for Christchurch earthquake
2011
DANZ received the Human Rights Commission Diversity Award for NZSL Week
2011
What happened in 2011?
2011
- Deaf Access Centre opened in Gisborne
- Karen Pointon and Hemi Hema awarded QSM for services to the Deaf communiy
- DANZ received NZFDIC ‘Project of the Year 2011’ awarded for Deaf Access Centres
- NZSL Week – theme “I Am Deaf – Let’s Talk”
NZSL National Anthem DVD released
2011
Every primary and secondary school throughout the country received a free DVD featuring God Defend NZ sung in all three official languages.
Text 111 Service launched
15th October 2010
NZSL Week – theme: “Think.Sign”
2010
The first year that real Deaf people have been used in the design of the national campaign.
Deaf Way Report
2010
The report was written to describe the situation of Deaf people in NZ in 2010 and to plan for future services for the Deaf community. The report was funded by the ministry of health.
Project Energise – research into Deaf Youth
2010
First Deaf Access Centre opened in Whanganui
2010
What happened in 2010?
2010
- President: Hemi Hema
- Social Enterprise (Think.Deaf.Discover & Think.Sign.Connect) launched
Name changed to Deaf Aotearoa
4th September 2009
4th Deaf Short Film Festival
2009
Held in Wellington at the Town Hall as part of NZSL Week. The theme was “Butterflies”
NZSL In Action Awards launched
2009
NZSL Week theme: “New Zealand Sign Language is in Your Hands”
2009
WFD board visit Deaf Association
2009
NZSL Week – Theme: “The Freedom to Sign is our Freedom of Expression”
2008
DANZ became a foundation member of the Convention Coalition
2008
DANZ became a foundation member of the Convention Coalition set up to monitor the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
iSign Interpreter Booking Service was launched
2008
iSign was launched from recommendations from the Interpreter Service Redesign Report written by Tricia Fitzgerald to establish a more independent service
President: Kim Robinson
2008
First NZSL Week
2007
First NZSL Week. Aimed to raise awareness that New Zealand Sign Language is an official language and is part of New Zealand’s culture
NZSL becomes an official language
6th April 2006
Deaf Association and many others were involved in the advocacy at Government level for NZSL to become an official language. An active group of Christchurch Deaf community members approached Ruth Dyson, MP, which prompted the Office of Disability Issues to write the Act.
CEO: Rachel Noble
2006
Patron: Hilary McCormack
2006
2nd Deaf Short Film Festival
17th September 2005
Theme “Planet of The Deaf”, 17th September at the Christchurch Town Hall
Second National Hui for Maori Deaf at Orakei Marae
2005
First Deaf Short Film Festival
18th July 2004
Held at the Waipuna Conference Centre in Auckland on 18th July, the theme was “To promote NZSL in Deaf Culture”
Deaf View II
16th July 2004
Held in Auckland from 16 – 18 July the theme was “Together We Prosper – The Way Forward” The keynote speaker was Breda Carty from Renwick College in Australia
President: Kevin Stokes
2004
Organised Asia Pacific Deaf Youth Camp
2002
Acting President: Karen Mahanga
2002
Karen (now Pointon) has championed Maori Deaf rights and developments for many years. She has also had a long association with Deaf sport organisations, both regionally and nationally
Talking Hands, Listening Eyes (the history of Deaf Association of NZ) published
2001
Health Funding Authority grant of $630,000 to improve psychiatric services for Deaf people
1999
Bridgman proposal for national Deaf Mental Health Survey
1999
Victoria Manning and Geoff Bridgman had worked in mental health for many years and advocated for better Deaf mental health services. Their drafted plan for a Deaf Mental Health Service was not accepted by the National Mental Health Planning Committee, as the Health Funding Agency wanted to spread any funding for Deaf services nationally and within mainstream services. So they proposed running a survey through branch offices to collect data on about 200 Deaf people nationwide. The survey involved questionnaires, recorded client data and interviews with selected DCMs
First Deaf CEO appointed: Jennifer Brain
1999
1998 Tony Walton
1998
What happened in 1998?
1998
- Hilary McCormack awarded NZCM for services to the Deaf community
- Northland branch office opened
- Southland Outreach office opened in Invercargill
NZSL Dictionary published
1997
Dictionary launch. After years of successfully collaboration between Victoria University’s English Language Institute and Deaf community members, the NZSL Dictionary was published. Lead by Graeme Kennedy, the project team produced and coordinated thousands of signs to feature in the dictionary. Since then the dictionary has been updated and is now on-line
What happened in 1997?
1997
- First Deaf Counsellor: Victoria Manning starts in Wellington
- CEO: Francesca Holloway
- Jennifer Brain appointed Council Development Manager
Literacy Programme set up
1996
After years of research and planning, Literacy Programme Coordinators were appointed to oversee the Adult Literacy Programme. This programme aimed to have adult reading and writing with training that works for Deaf available in every city in NZ. It looked at ways to train people to become skilled literacy teachers and ways to train literacy teachers so that they can teach NZSL. Classes were started around the country
What happened in 1996?
1996
- Patron: Judy Bailey, TV1 personality and news presenter
- Appointment of Interpreting Systems Manager
- Taranaki office opened
Tautoko Tangata Turi: the Ako report on needs of Maori Deaf
1995
1995 Regional Hui for the Ako Report. The report was commissioned by Te Puni Kokiri and reported that Maori Deaf suffer on two levels, because of their dual status of being both Deaf and Maori. Acknowledgment had to be made of this dual status for Maori Deaf to fully exercise their tino rangatiratanga and to enable them to fulfil their aspirations in both the Maori and Deaf communities.The report made a number of recommendations around education programmes, coordination of services, access to information and the development of NZSL to incorporate Maori concepts
What happened in 1995?
1995
- Appointment of first Interpreter Coordinator
- President: Susan Hamilton
- First Maori Deaf Vice-President: Karen Mahanga
- Two Literacy Tutors appointed: Suzan Townshend and Helen Keane
8 interpreters graduated from AIT
1994
Dr Rachel Locker McKee and Dr David McKee directed the first two-year full-time interpreting training course at AIT, which began in 1992. The first 8 students graduated in 1994, with four joining Deaf Association offices and the rest becoming freelance or educational interpreters
What happened in 1994?
1994
- First Maori Deaf Service Coordinator in Auckland
- Deaf Language Nest set up at KDEC
- Patron: Lance Cairns
- National Relay Service set up with Telecom
Name change to Deaf Association of New Zealand Inc
1994
First National Hui for Maori Deaf at Orakei Marae: Three Maori Councillors elected
1993
The aims of the Hui were to identify Maori Deaf needs and wants and how the Deaf Association could best service them and to elect three Maori Councillors. The Hui would also discuss the Maori and Deaf cultural issues that are important for Maori Deaf
What happened in 1993?
1993
- President: Angela Sew Hoy
- Jennifer Brain appointed Leadership Tutor
3rd Deaf Short Film Festival
17th September 1992
Held on 17th September at the Crowne Plaza, Auckland. The theme was “Sign of the Times”
Second 5 year plan formulated
1992
NZSL Tutors Association founded
1992
The Deaf Association has always known the need for NZSL to be taught to hearing people – the families, friends and workmates of Deaf people and also staff and teachers in deaf education. NZSLTA was formed in 1992 with a membership of 20 tutors and one aim was to develop a national curriculum to teach NZSL.
Interpreter training started at the Auckland Institute of Technology (AIT)
1992
Jaffe Report presented
1992
CEO: Tricia Fitzgerald
1992
Captioning on TV1 News at 6pm commenced
1991
The News at Six Subtitling launch
Deaf View Conference held in Auckland
1991
The Deaf View Conference was the first national Conference organised by Deaf people
What happened in 1991?
1991
- NZ On Air Report on Television Preferences of the Deaf
- National Editorial Board formed to work on NZSL dictionary
- Hamilton branch office opened
- Russell Jaffe review of NZAD organisation and services
- Patron: Lady Shirley McKenzie
President: Jennifer Brain of Auckland
1991
Jennifer was instrumental in proposing and organising the Deaf View Conference
What happened in 1990?
1990
- First CEO: Ken Jillings
- NZ on Air Survey of Deaf people’s priorities for TV services
- NZAD Life Skills Trust set up
- NZSL Dictionary national meeting held
What happened in 1988?
1988
- Social Welfare special grant of $200,000 for ‘communication skills and services’
- First Life Skills Centre opened in Auckland by Ken Jillings
President: Hilary McCormack of Christchurch
1988
What happened in 1987?
1987
- Manawatu and Hawkes Bay offices opened
- First NZAD Living Skills Centre opened in Auckland
What happened in 1986?
1986
- New office opened in Dunedin
- Patron: Governor General Sir Paul Reeves
First training course for NZSL interpreters held by Dan Levitt in Auckland
1985
What happened in 1985?
1985
- First 5 year plan drawn up
- Interpreters appointed in Field offices (Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch)
First National Services Coordinator: Ken Jillings
1985
As Service Coordinator, Ken developed the work of the Field Offices in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington. Ken handled all the administration and finance and supervised the Field Offices.
First Deaf President: Gwen Rapley of Taranaki Deaf Society
1985
Teletext and captions service started
1984
President: Ken Jillings
1984
First National Deaf Awareness Week
1983
Teletext information service launched
1983
Government announced permanent funding of 75% of Field Officer salaries
1983
Patron: Governor General Sir David Beattie
1981
Field Office opened in Christchurch and Wellington
1981

First NZAD Field Officer in Auckland: John Hunt
1980
Bruce McHattie awarded MBE for service to Deaf people
1979
First Deaf Awareness Week held in Auckland
1978
The Deaf Awareness Week movement started in Auckland when the Quota Club organised events for the first week of May 1978. It was the first time in New Zealand that so many services for Deaf people had united for a common cause and the week hummed with activities.
What happened in 1977?
1977
- First president: Bruce McHattie
- First Patron: Governor General Sir Keith Holyoake
Inaugural Meeting of NZ Association of the Deaf (NZAD)
1977
Social work and interpreting, helping with employment, caring for the aged, lobbying for funding and awareness, and helping Deaf young people and their families were some of the main reasons for setting up a national association to represent Deaf adults and provide the services they needed.
The slogan was “Deafness – Let’s Face It”