“Yes or no” questions

We asked six questions of each political party to understand what they would commit to. Below is a graphic representation of their answers, followed by a table version (not mobile friendly!) —

A ❌ means “Declined to respond or answer”, a ✅ means “Yes!”, and a ❓ means we did not receive a response.

	ACT Party	Green Party	Labour Party	Te Pāti Māori	National Party	New Zealand First	The Opportunity Party	Te Tai Tokerau Party
Do you intend to retain the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021?	❌	✅	✅	❓	❓	❓	❓	❓
Would you support strengthening disabled learner rights in legislation?	❌	✅	✅	❓	❓	❓	❓	❓
Do you support reinstating Student Allowance for postgraduate learners?	❌	✅	❌	❓	❓	❓	❓	❓
Do you support increasing equity funding to institutions per enrolled learner (currently $32.52 excl GST)?	❌	✅	❌	❓	❓	❓	❓	❓
Do you support making learners eligible for Winter Energy Payments?	❌	✅	❌	❓	❓	❓	❓	❓
Do you intend to retain the Plain Language Act 2022?	❌	✅	✅	❓	❓	❓	❓	❓

Long-form questions

Every party was given the opportunity to provide a statement —

Green Party‘s statement

Everything in tertiary education affects disabled learners and staff. We will address issues which affect disabled ākonga the same way as we address other issues – through working with the sector, investing in real resourcing for the sector and ensuring that we move towards a system where staff and students have a genuine say in the issues that affect them.

Labour Party’s statement

Labour remains firmly committed to delivering for disabled students and their whānau.

We have been an active advocate throughout this term — particularly in opposing the Government’s initial restrictions on flexible funding and the gutting of Whaikaha, which have undermined stability, autonomy, and trust for disabled New Zealanders, or opposing the disruption caused by the current government’s reforms to Te Pūkenga and their continuous hiking of tuition fees for students in the middle of a cost of living crisis.

We are committed to Enabling Good Lives principles, the UNCRPD, Te Tiriti o Waitangi and
to ensuring that disabled people and carers are supported to thrive.

Labour strongly believes that there needs to be better options for intellectually disabled learners throughout their time in education and when they enter the labour market.

Labour continues to encourage tertiary providers to improve outcomes for disabled learners, including through Disability Action Plans.

We will release our manifesto in due course. We look forward to demonstrating that Labour’s longstanding commitment to disabled people will guide the policies we will implement when in government.

For parties that responded, here’s their answers to our long-form questions —

What are your plans to improve the ability to access tertiary education for disabled ākonga, and better their experiences as learners?

Green Party: We need to make sure we are working with the sector and with disabled learners – not for them or against them. This means we need to overhaul tertiary funding rates across the board, including funding to underpin disability action plans and properly fund student support services, and make learning accessible for all learners.

Labour Party: The Labour Party is committed to ensuring that the tertiary education system is set up to help disabled students thrive. We will release our manifesto in due course and further consider how to best do this when in government.

What are the top three issues you believe are impacting disabled tertiary learners?

Green Party: Cost of living, inadequate funding for disability support and student support services, prejudice/lack of knowledge or training on inclusive practice and making education accessible for students with a range of learning needs.

Labour Party: The Labour Party believes that the top three issues impacting disabled tertiary learners are the cost of living, accessibility and adequate access to Disability Support Services funding.

The Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 acts to protect disabled, international, Māori, Pasifika, and other diverse learners by ensuring their wellbeing, safety, and equitable access. Do you have any plans to change the Code, such as strengthening it, and how do you intend to consult with learners in relation to any changes?

Green Party: The Greens support this Code, and would look to consult with learners and the sector around the best ways for it to be implemented and upheld to ensure better pastoral care for all learners.

Labour Party: The Labour Party is yet to release its manifesto. We remain committed to protecting disabled, international, Māori, Pasifika, and other diverse learners by ensuring their wellbeing, safety, and equitable access.

We have seen a reduction in national boards, committees, and working groups hosted by government agencies where disabled ākonga were previously sought out for their voice and unique perspectives. How does your party intend to follow the Whiria Ngā Rau framework supported by the Ministry of Education in 2021, which aims to make sure learner voice is heard in decision-making?

Green Party: The Greens Tertiary Education policy supports a return to default student union membership, and developing a governance model for tertiary organisations in which staff, students, communities and tangata whenua govern together. We support improving disabled representation and membership of national groups, seeing disabled voices as being critical for knowing how to improve accessibility of current systems.

Labour Party: The Labour Party is yet to release its manifesto. We are committed to ensuring that disabled people’s voices are heard and considered in decision-making, including those of disabled ākonga, and we will release our manifesto in due course.

Institutions currently receive $32.52 excluding GST per Equivalent Full-time Student (EFTS) to support the needs of disabled ākonga and meet institutions’ obligations such as through Disability Action Plans and the Code. Do you intend to improve the funding provided to institutions for disabled learners?

Green Party: Yes – and this needs to sit alongside a wider reform of the tertiary sector to democratise them and put decision making at the hands of communities.

Labour Party: The Labour Party is yet to release its manifesto. We will consider all options to improve the wellbeing of disabled learners at tertiary institutions.

Ako Aotearoa (the National Centre for Tertiary Teaching Excellence) provided essential resources to tertiary institutions such as tools for neurodivergent learners, developing cultural competence, and the Dyslexia-Friendly Quality Mark. How do you intend to fill the gap left by their loss of funding?

Green Party: We would re-instate funding

Labour Party: The Labour Party is yet to release its manifesto. We will consider all options to improve the wellbeing of disabled learners at tertiary institutions.

Loss of access to Student Allowance is a common barrier for ākonga, particularly disabled ākonga, to enrolling in postgraduate study. How do you intend to make sure learners from different backgrounds can enter postgraduate learning?

Green Party: The Greens would universalise the Student Allowance, including extending it to students in post-graduate study, and we would uplift Student Allowance rates so that students have enough to get by and can focus on learning instead of making ends meet. We would also put in other measures such as making all students eligible for the Winter Energy Payment.

Labour Party: The Labour Party is yet to release its manifesto. We will consider all options to improve the wellbeing of disabled learners at tertiary institutions.

We have had reports from learners that the dissolution of Te Pūkenga has resulted in course cuts and a reduction in resources for disabled ākonga, along with a loss of funding for disability support services and their staff. How do you intend on supporting disabled ākonga and institutions’ disability support services through the dissolution of Te Pūkenga?

Green Party: We have been advocating for proper support and funding for polytechs throughout the Te Pūkenga reforms, and we would re-finance the re-established polytechnics so that they have the resources to deliver for students, including disabled ākonga, and local communities.

Labour Party: The Labour Party is yet to release its manifesto. We will consider all options to improve the wellbeing of disabled learners at tertiary institutions. While we will not reverse the changes made to Te Pūkenga, as to not put the sector through yet more changes, we will work with the sector to ensure our polytechnics can provide the education and care that will allow disabled ākonga to thrive.

Disabled learners are disproportionately negatively impacted by being unable to access Winter Energy Payments — with ākonga often struggling to access warm homes, and meet electricity costs. How does your party intend to improve learners’ access to warm housing?

Green Party: I have a bill that would make students eligible for the Winter Energy Payment. The Greens also support ensuring that all homes are accessible and warm through retrofitting insulation.

Labour Party: The Labour Party is yet to release its manifesto. We will consider all options to improve the wellbeing of disabled learners at tertiary institutions.

Plain language and New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) translations are important for ensuring both disabled and non-disabled people can participate in democracy, follow important rules and regulations, and access support. How do you intend to make sure plain language and NZSL are used by your government to make sure people in Aotearoa can make informed decisions?

Green Party: We support plain language legislation. Please note that the Plain Language Repeal Bill has not actually passed yet and we will do everything in our power to delay and hamper it’s passage in the house, and work to ensure that the Government implements plain language standards even if the legislation is repealed this term.

Labour Party: The Labour Party is committed to incorporating plain language and NZSL into government practice, which is why the previous Labour government enacted the Plain Language Bill and why we are opposing its repeal.