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Whaikaha Ministry of Disabled People View our
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Pūrongo ā-tau | Annual Report 2024/25

Chief Executive foreword

E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā kārangatanga maha
E ngā tāngata whaikaha
E ngā tāngata whaikaha Māori me ō rātou whānau
Waihoki, me ngā uri whakatupu kei te haere mai
Kia pua, kia puanga, kia puāwai ana i Aotearoa.

To the many respected voices and connections
To the disabled people
To tāngata whaikaha Māori and their whānau
To the future generations to come
May you grow, flourish and thrive in, New Zealand.

Nō reira tēnā koutou katoa
Nau mai haere mai ki te rīpoata-a-tau mō
Te Manatū Whaikaha.

And so; I send greetings to you all Welcome to our Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha annual report.

The Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha was established on 1 December 2024 as a public service department. This inaugural annual report covers the period from 1 December 2024 to 30 June 2025.

Since our establishment, we have moved swiftly to confirm our vision: disabled people thriving in New Zealand. We are driving meaningful change through collaborating with the community, targeted Ministry-led programmes and by partnering with government, non-government organisations, and businesses to deliver better outcomes for disabled people and their whānau.

We are strengthening our influence by expanding access to disability data, evidence, and insights. We are also creating direct opportunities for disabled people to engage with government agencies on policy and service design – ensuring their voices shape decisions that affect their lives.

A major focus this year has been refreshing the New Zealand Disability Strategy, aligned to government priorities and evidence-based outcomes that will make a practical difference in the lives of disabled people. This work centres on five key social outcomes – health, housing, justice, education, and employment – alongside a renewed vision and principles for the strategy.

We are also advancing other critical programmes, including:

  • refreshing the New Zealand Sign Language Strategy
  • supporting agencies to implement and report on the 2022 United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) recommendations
  • supporting the response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care
  • progressing the Accessibility Work Programme, including stabilising Alternate Format services
  • creating employment opportunities for disabled people
  • building the Ministry’s internal capability and systems to deliver on our mandate. 


Our work is grounded in strong relationships with the disability community. We engage formally with the Disabled People’s Organisation (DPO) Coalition, tāngata whaikaha Māori-led roopū and the Strategic Advisory Group, and the National Enabling Good Lives Leadership Group. We strive to uphold our commitments under Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the UNCRPD, ensuring disabled people are involved early and meaningfully in shaping public policy and services. 

To everyone who has contributed to our vision – disabled people, tangata whaikaha Māori, their whānau, and allies across the country – thank you. Your leadership, advocacy, and working with us are driving real change. Ngā mihi manawanui ki a koutou katoa – heartfelt thanks to you all.

Paula Tesoriero MNZM PLY Secretary for Disabled People and Chief Executive | Te Tumu Whakarae

Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha

Pūrongo ā-tau Annual Report 2024/25 (DOCX 2.2MB)

Pūrongo ā-tau Annual Report 2024/25 (PDF 2MB)

(Alternate formats of the annual reports will be published on this website in December 2025)