New Zealand Sign Language: Soon to be a third official language for New Zealand. Deaf community meetings: Update December 2003

1.What Government have agreed to do (details) 2. Update on work since May 2003, and some issues that came up in this work 3.How YOU can influence the NZSL Bill 4.Questions & discussion Today’s meeting agenda:

1.What Government have agreed to do Cabinet have agreed to 1.Draft a NZSL Bill 2.Do more work on: i. NZSL interpreters issues ii. Education, health, work and television issues

Draft NZSL Bill, will say 1.NZSL will be an official language, also promotion & maintenance of NZSL 2.Right to use NZSL in legal proceedings 3.NZSL interpreters in legal proceedings must be competent 4.Statement of principles to guide government agencies on how to recognise, promote and maintain NZSL 5.A reporting system to report on progress in following the principles.

Government will do more work to look at: i. NZSL interpreter issues a)Work on developing interpreter standards for courts b)Review of government funding systems for NZSL interpreters ii.Education, health, work and television issues a)Deaf people have many barriers in these areas. Plans to remove barriers will be developed in consultation with the Deaf community.

Deaf community Government Departments Targeted 27 key government agencies 1 st round: May 2003 Options for details of a NZSL Bill 2 nd round: Aug 2003 Detailed proposals Deaf Advisory Group Deaf community meetings Why recognition of NZSL? Current problems without recognition? 2. Update on work since May 2003: Consultations

 Deaf awareness needed for government departments in May/June  Deaf community meetings showed clearly that recognition of NZSL as a real language is very low which means Deaf people do not have fair treatment  “Official recognition” – what does this mean?  Rights or principles? 2. Update on work since May 2003: Some issues that came up in this work

 New Zealand laws have some gaps. These gaps mean that Deaf people do not have the same right to their language as other New Zealanders, for example: New Zealand’s human rights laws do not include ‘language’ as a prohibited ground of discrimination NZ Bill of Rights Act  International models eg: European Parliament  Two separate issues (i) access to services and information for Deaf people, and (ii) status for NZSL.  Intra-ground discrimination risk

Problem Ideas NZSL Everyone Government agencies Parliament Practice years Research work Ministers Cabinet 1 st Reading (debate) Select Committee 2 nd Reading (debate) 3 rd Reading (debate) Standards Funding

3.How YOU can influence the NZSL Bill Draft NZSL Bill introduced to Parliament Early 2004 (?February) First reading Parliament refers the Bill to select committee

3.How YOU can influence the NZSL Bill The Select Committee: Makes NZSL Bill public Calls for submissions  Written  ? NZSL video  You can ask to meet the select committee to explain your submission points

Making a submission to a select committee can look something like this… You can find the booklet “Making a Submission to a Parliamentary Select Committee” at the Office of the Clerk’s website: nz/Publications/Other/

4.Questions and discussion 1.Questions and discussion 2.The Office for Disability Issues would like to ask for feedback on how we have involved the Deaf community in this work… 3. … and how can we make sure the Deaf community continue to be involved in this work?

For further information contact: Victoria Manning Office for Disability Issues PO Box Wellington Fax: