Policy handbook

Our policies are the high-level guidelines we use to reach our long-term goals, or mission statement, which is to promote the interests and wellbeing of disabled people in New Zealand.

Our policies are aligned to the general principles outlined in the United Nations Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities signed by New Zealand in 2008.

Our policy positions have been informed by the views of members and regular consultation and revision of this document will ensure this is always the case.

In line with this, members can put forward remits for changes to policy at Annual General Meetings. It is not meant to cover all issues, just those that have reached a consensus of agreement among our members.

For this reason, if an issue is not in the policy manual, members should never make a statement publicly about it, on behalf of DPA.

It is important that as DPA members we are all familiar with our policy because it is the path we can all use to reach our long-term goals.

We refer to it when we speak about what DPA believes in and use it as high level guiding principles when we formulate organisational implementation plans and tactics.