The Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind (the Foundation) is a disability support service constituted under the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind Act 2002. It is the primary provider of habilitation and rehabilitation services to over 11,500 blind, deafblind and vision-impaired New Zealanders. More than two-thirds of those members are over the age of 65.

The Foundation's vision is that blind, deafblind and vision-impaired people have the same opportunities and choices as other citizens to participate fully in society. Our mission is to remove the barriers faced by individuals and to promote their participation in all aspects of life.

We work with a variety of partners to ensure the incidence of preventable blindness is minimised. Services we provide include specialist assessments, orientation and mobility training for adults and children, communication and adaptive technology instruction, guide dog services, talking book and braille library services, instruction in the skills of adaptive daily living, and vocational services.

We operate services specific to the needs of Māori and of Pacific Island communities. Each year thousands of volunteers give direct support to Foundation members and contribute to the Foundation's work in general. We provide advice and training on access and disability issues to a wide range of public and private organisations.

Within its business and strategic planning the Foundation is committed to continuous improvement in service delivery. This includes researching the needs of older members and further refining its service delivery to meet those needs.

Members of the Foundation are blind, deafblind and vision-impaired people who choose to register with the Foundation to receive its services. Foundation members directly elect the Board of Directors and can participate in consultations around strategic and business planning. As an organisation which is accountable to its membership, the Foundation encourages member feedback, supports a network of Community Committees at the local level, and works in partnership with nine consumer organisations that undertake a range of advocacy activities.

Submission to the draft Community Plan

The Foundation applauds the proposed objectives of the draft Flat Bush Community Plan and acknowledges the intention to embrace cultural diversity.  We are also pleased that you recognise the potential for physical and social barriers to "disable" people by affecting mobility, access and participation. We note that you intend to meet particular needs, including those of disabled people. You intend to do this by:

Using universal design principles and best practice on access for disabled people especially in the town centre and major leisure, cultural and community facilities.

Strictly enforcing mobility parking laws

Ensuring that people who are unable to use cars including young people, older people and people with disabilities can achieve the mobility they need by:

• ­Informing people of available transport subsides
• Encouraging community based transport options
• ­Encouraging neighbourhoods to establish walking buses.

The Foundation wishes to ensure that the particular needs of blind, deafblind and vision-impaired individuals in the community are met. Specifically, the Foundation wants to reinforce those environmental factors which increase the independence and autonomy of blind and vision-impaired individuals. 

There are elements of the draft Plan that could be enhanced to improve the overall Plan and ultimate implementation of the Flat Bush community. In particular we refer to the potential for enhancements to:

1. public transport
2. pedestrian safety
3. accessibility of public buildings and facilities
4. planting design, scheme and maintenance, and
5. increasing public awareness of the rights of blind, deafblind and vision-impaired individuals
6. accessibility of information
7. employment of blind and vision-impaired individuals within the Flat Bush community.

The Foundation considers that the enhancements we recommend to improve the community plan for blind and vision-impaired members of the community will also significantly benefit other members of the community and contribute to your overall vision of:

"a community where different cultures are woven together to create a strong and unique identity within a safe and attractive environment designed to provide for people’s social, economic, recreational, cultural and spiritual wellbeing to enable them to live life to the fullest and in turn contribute to the life of the community".

Recommendation 1: The Foundation recommends that public transport is accessible for blind and vision-impaired individuals

In addition to having an effective public transport network, safe access to buses, trains and taxis must be incorporated into planning for shopping centres, community facilities and housing, including apartments.

Buses and trains should have talking destination announcements.

Lighting and other safety factors must be designed to enhance the safety of all transport users, including the blind and vision-impaired.

Recommendation 2: Pedestrian safety must be paramount.

Sufficient and appropriately designed crossings will need to be installed.

Audible traffic signals must be installed.

Sufficient free space on footpaths needs to be ensured.

Road and Traffic Safety Guideline 14 must be enforced.

The Foundation can advise on creating accessible environments that are safe for its members to navigate.

Recommendation 3: Design must ensure the accessibility of public buildings and facilities.

Public buildings must adhere to Building Standard 4121.

Public facilities should be located on a ground floor or otherwise accessible without the use of a lift to minimise the risk of loss of life in the event of a fire.

We note that:

A fully accessible built environment is one in which any person can freely, and with dignity, express their independence, and one in which any impediment is removed. In relation to the built environment, it is essential that all people can pursue an uninterrupted path of travel, free of any steps, stairs or other impediments, to, in, and through premises; and to be able to utilise services, facilities and programs offered to the general community, in a dignified and equitable manner.[1]

Recommendation 4: Planting design and schemes need to take account of the need to minimise obstacles.

Plant selection should avoid those plants that are likely to develop rooting systems that could cause a hazard.

Overhanging plants should be avoided where these may interfere with the unobstructed movement of the blind or vision-impaired pedestrian.

Recommendation 5: Efforts that ensure the community is aware of, and conforms to, the rights of blind and vision-impaired individuals must be taken, including through contractual means, such as tenancy agreements.

The draft Plan indicates that new settlers will be a significant community in Flat Bush. While the Foundation welcomes the new settlers, we wish to ensure that the new settler community is aware of fundamental rights of New Zealand citizens including those contained in the Human Rights Act 1993.  Awareness and reinforcement of other specific legislation such as the Dog Control Act 1996 may also need to be built.

Recommendation 6: Information relating to the development of Flat Bush and other community information needs to be available in a range of accessible formats. 

While efforts to encourage the provision of ESOL programmes for new settlers are to be welcomed, efforts to ensure the accessibility of information should consider the needs of blind, deafblind, and vision-impaired citizens who find it difficult to access society's written information. The high cost of adaptive technology (such as the talking screen readers that read out in synthesised speech what a sighted person would see on a computer monitor) can be a barrier between individuals and information available on websites. Efforts should be made to ensure that information relating to Flat Bush is provided through a range of accessible formats. The Foundation can advise further on accessible information options and resources.

Recommendation 7: Efforts should be made to educate the community regarding the employment of blind and vision-impaired individuals within the new Flat Bush community.

Community planning provides the Council with the opportunity to think innovatively about the steps it can take to partner with agencies to change community attitudes towards the employability of disabled people. The Foundation operates a range of training services which may be of interest to the Council.

Conclusion

In summary, the Foundation compliments the authors of the draft Flat Bush Community Plan for its consideration of the needs of disabled people within the community and the stated intention to apply universal design principles and best practice on access for disabled people.

The Foundation recommends that particular attention be taken in design and community development that will enhance the inclusion, autonomy and independence of the blind, deafblind and vision-impaired people within the community.

Thank you for this opportunity to comment on the draft Flat Bush Community Plan. The Foundation believes it is an important document which can shape the Flat Bush community as an inclusive place for disabled people to live in, work in, or visit. The Foundation would welcome the opportunity to speak to this submission.

Please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss matters raised in our submission. Our contact for this purpose is:

Ruth Bijl
Manager Research and Planning
Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind
Private Bag 99941
Newmarket
AUCKLAND

09 355 6894
027 542 3523
rbijl@rnzfb.org.nz

Paula Daye
Chief Executive Officer

[1] Understanding Access Obligations for Development and Building Staff. published by Access Audits Australia. See http://www.accessauditsaustralia.com.au/access_awareness_handbooks.html.