NEWS & UPDATES

Have your say about the Disability Support Services Bill

06 Jun 2026

The disability community was again taken by surprise with Minister Louise Upston’s announcement that Government had developed a new Bill to provide a legislative framework for disability support. The Disability Support Services Bill was introduced to Parliament on Monday, 18 May, 2026 and it has passed its first reading in Parliament with Government coalition parties in favour and opposition parties opposed.

The Bill is now before the Social Services and Community Select Committee.

The Bill sets out, for the first time in primary legislation, the purpose and operating parameters for Disability Support Services. Disability Support Services currently funds support for about 55,000 disabled people, including residential and community-based support. It also funds equipment and modification (eg. mobility aids) for around 100,000 people, and child development services for around 26,000 disabled tamariki each year.

Concerns we have about the bill in its current form include: the urgency without proper consultation with the disability community (nothing about us, without us); the implications of the Bill that place formal ‘family first’ obligations on carers and whānau to support disabled people before turning to Government supports; potential means testing of disabled people and whānau to fund supports; and that the Bill allows for ‘secondary programmes’ to be introduced by future Ministers without consultation.

There is a tight window for you to give your feedback about the Bill to the Select Committee. Written submissions close on 12 June 2026 at 1pm, followed by oral submissions to the Select Committee over a three week period (dates tbc). The Select Committee will report back to Parliament by 13 August 2026.

We’ve listed the ways you can get involved below, including templates to make your own submission. 

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

Complete our survey

The Cerebral Palsy Society is preparing a submission on the Bill to the Social Services and Community Select Committee. We encourage as many members to complete our survey so your voices can be represented in our submission.

We would like to understand how current disability support arrangements are working for people with Cerebral Palsy – Hōkai Nukurangi and their whānau, and how proposed changes to disability support settings may affect you.

Our survey closes at midnight on Sunday, June 7.

 

Make your own submission

Personal stories carry real weight with Select Committees, so we encourage you to share your experiences.
You can make your own submission here: tinyurl.com/yhmb2av8
Written submissions close on 12 June 2026 at 1pm.

There are submission guidelines and templates here:

We’ve received multiple enquiries from members on how to contact Members of Parliament, so below we have produced a list of all disability spokespersons for the various political parties and this is a link to a list of all Members of Parliament on the Parliamentary website tinyurl.com/599de9ph.

Government / Coalition

Opposition

This Bill could reshape disability support in Aotearoa New Zealand, so we really do encourage you to make your own submission to the Select Committee.