(l-r) Hon Minister Priyanca Radhakrishnan, Lorri Mackness, Betty Ofe-Grant, 24 April 2023

On Monday, April 24th, Lorri Mackness and I met with the Hon Priyanca Radhakrishnan, Minister for Disability Issues. Lorri Mackness is a NCWNZ member and a leader of the Disabled Women’s Forum, and I represented the NCWNZ Board.

We discussed some of the work NCWNZ is doing in the disability space. Only a few days earlier, the Minister had announced $1 million funding boost for the expansion of a regional disability leadership model "Enabling Good Lives" piloted in demonstration sites in Waikato, MidCentral and Christchurch. (Read the press release here: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/boost-disabled-voice-system-gears-transformation.)

The Minister met us at my office at AUT University, and we shared mochachinos and chocolate biscuits. We had a very fruitful and enjoyable conversation. The Minister was very impressed with the work that is being done at NCWNZ. 

Lorri and I were so pleased with the outcome of the meeting where the Minister expressed her desire to continue having a relationship with NCWNZ. A second meeting is forthcoming.

To read more articles from The Circular (May-June 2023) issue 641, click on the tag below.