Originally published: 20 July 2023
In June 2023, the Social Services and Community Committee reported back to the House of Representatives on the Accessibility for New Zealanders Bill. The report recommended several changes to the bill after 10 months of careful consideration.
The committee wanted to provide its report and the substantive pieces of advice it received in the five alternate formats at the same time that it made its report back to the House. The five alternate formats are Audio, Braille, Easy Read, Large Print, and New Zealand Sign Language. The committee set aside several weeks after deliberation to allow time for these documents to be translated into the alternate formats. However, it spent more time than expected considering possible amendments than it anticipated. This reduced the amount of time it had to allow for the report and the advice it received to be translated into alternate formats. The committee would like to apologise for the delay in providing the alternate formats for these documents.
Alternate formats of the advice received from the Ministry of Social Development—Manatū Whakahiato Ora, and the committee’s bill commentary, will be published when they are available.
ENDS
For media enquiries contact:
Social Services and Community Committee staff