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This priority is about improving the attitude, acquisition, and use of NZSL across the public sector. It is also about the broader public sector role-modelling responsiveness to the NZSL community.
Deaf people and NZSL users pay taxes and rates, however, often struggle to access information and services that non-Deaf (hearing) people / non-NZSL users can. Currently, information and services are not always accessible to NZSL users and NZSL is not well incorporated into many government work areas. This creates barriers for Deaf people and NZSL users when seeking support or information.
The New Zealand public sector includes a broad range of government agencies including departments, Crown entities, state-owned enterprises, and a range of other government agencies.
Supporting departments to act in accordance with the principles of the New Zealand Sign Language Act 2006
The New Zealand Sign Language Act 2006 sets out that government departments should be guided by the following principles (so far as reasonably practicable) when exercising their powers and functions:
- NZSL should be used in the promotion of government services, and in the provision of information, to the public
- Government services and information should be made accessible to the Deaf community using appropriate means, such as NZSL.
To support government departments to be more responsive to Deaf people and NZSL users in line with these principles, government departments would be required to develop NZSL capability plans. These plans would involve government departments identifying how to increase their responsiveness to the Deaf community and NZSL users. This could include actions such as providing more information and services in NZSL, or providing staff with opportunities to learn about NZSL and Deaf culture. Departments would also be expected to monitor and track progress on these plans.
Departmental NZSL capability plans would likely change over time as departments’ NZSL capability and responsiveness improved. In developing their initial capability plan, departments would need to consider their organisational starting points, what their priorities could be, and how activity could be sequenced to ensure improved responsiveness within current resources. How this would look would likely differ for each department.
To support government departments (and the wider public sector), the Board will update the guiding principles to support action, including guidance on the New Zealand Sign Language Act 2006, and rights to use NZSL.
Wider public sector organisations
Although the principles under the New Zealand Sign Language Act 2006 only relate to government departments, all government agencies (and local authorities) are encouraged to improve NZSL access and information and offer staff opportunities to learn about NZSL and Deaf culture.
Separately, there is an expectation that all government agencies would report on NZSL use and NZSL service availability as part of their annual reports.
Actions proposed for this priority area
- Require government departments to develop NZSL capability plans, and to monitor and track progress to build NZSL capability
- Develop a toolkit to support departments in developing their NZSL capability plans
- Normalise government departments, government agencies, and local authorities providing information and services in NZSL and ensure information is available in NZSL during emergencies
- Require government agencies (including departments) to report on NZSL use and NZSL service availability as part of their annual reports
- Encourage government departments, government agencies, and local authorities to provide staff with opportunities to learn / refresh knowledge about NZSL and Deaf culture
- Increase employment opportunities for Deaf people and NZSL users in government departments
- Improve guidance for government departments, government agencies and local authorities on NZSL, such as guidance on the New Zealand Sign Language Act 2006, and rights to use NZSL