Turner Judy: Intellectual Disability (Compulsory Care and rehabilitation) Bill — In Committee Third Reading 
Turner Judy: Intellectual Disability (Compulsory Care and rehabilitation) Bill — In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:612;Page:9599] 
JUDY TURNER (United Future) 
: 
 It is great that this issue is finally being addressed when we consider that work on this started in 1995 when the Ministry of Health commissioned a discussion document. It is concerning however that an issue directly affecting the lives and future of some of the most vulnerable members of our adult population can languish for such a long time and perhaps that reflects our ability to ignore the issues of those with intellectual disabilities. 
The bill is positive in that it reflects society’s desire to protect and rehabilitate vulnerable members of society rather than punish them. It represents a further step in recognising that although society does not condone offending our response to offenders with intellectual disabilities needs to acknowledge the reality that in many cases prison is not an option. The bill is important because the public eye has tended to focus on the specific issues of people with mental illness and the needs and unique issues of those with intellectual disabilities have often gone unheralded. I congratulate the Minister Ruth Dyson on actioning this legislation. 
United Future is pleased that the definition of intellectual disability has been altered to align with international definitions. We are pleased that non-offenders have been removed from the scope of this bill as such a move would have created alarming possibilities for discrimination on the basis of disability. However United Future is concerned that adequate care is resourced for those with challenging behavioural issues so that the possibility of offending is minimised. We were also concerned that the Government should ring-fence funding for compulsory care especially in the initial stages of the development of sites for staffing and protocols. This has not been done. However the Government has assured us that the additional $50 million funding over 3 years is tagged and able to be differentiated from other service expenditure. It will also have the protection of having to be signed off. It is essential that compulsory care is adequately resourced. United Future’s central concern is that although this legislation provides an avenue for those who have an intellectual disability and are in need of compulsory care the needs of a much larger and vulnerable segment of the population still remain substantially unaddressed. It is expected that approximately 150 to 200 people will be covered by this proposed legislation. However there are an estimated 11500 to 15000 adults who need support due to disability. 
The National Health Committee’s recent report  
To Have an ‘Ordinary’ Life 
 released last month raised a number of very disturbing concerns relating to the importance we place on the needs of those with intellectual disabilities. The committee found that adults with intellectual disabilities are treated as second-rate citizens. Their lives are simply not consistent with the vision of the New Zealand disability strategy. Unlike ACT in this regard we support the new terminology of “care recipient” as opposed to “patient”. These people are tired of being thought of as sick rather than impaired. The current support services are overly custodial and restrictive and they can stifle the ability of those with intellectual disabilities to make their own choices. The report in its disturbing category of findings highlighted that there is systemic neglect of the developmental potential of this group of people and their families and whanau. There are also high levels of poverty a lack of basic health-care low educational opportunities as well as a lack of communication support a lack of culturally appropriate services and a lack of purposeful futures. With the move from deinstitutionalisation in favour of community care this group has been forgotten and the committee comments that although the bricks and mortar have been removed many adults remain disenfranchised. 
We commend the development initiatives for non-offenders but believe that we need to see improved outcomes in the areas of respite care vocational services and independent supported living services. It is our responsibility to ensure all measures are in place not only to support the human potential of this group of people but also to ensure that the number of people with intellectual disabilities who become subject to compulsory care is reduced in the future. United Future is pleased to support this bill.