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To: House of Representatives

Official Languages as a Health Right

https://youtu.be/HUxgXAc0708

Update the Health Act and the relevant health legislation to make it a statutory requirement for all public health information and alerts to be in the official languages of NZ.

We the undersigned request that the House of Representatives to update the Health Act and the relevant health legislation to make it a statutory requirement for all public health information and alerts to be in the official languages of NZ.

The official languages in New Zealand are our first line of defence for each one of us to be fully informed to enable us to make a consented decision about our choices and for our communities to be able to have healthy outcomes.

This decision is currently left to each one of the 20 DHBs to decide whether to put out public health information and alerts in official languages or not.

This petition is to update the Health Act to make it compulsory for each DHB to have all public health information and alerts in New Zealand's official languages.

If it's important enough to say it in English, then it's important enough to say it in our official languages.

Ki te whai mana te reo Pākehā me whai mana anō ō tātou reo ōkawa.

Why is this important?

Early December 2018, Deaf Action (New Zealand) wrote to the Minister of Health requesting that the Northland Meningococcal W vaccination campaign be broadcasted in NZSL (NZ Sign Language). The Minister of Health referred the matter to the Northland DHB.

Northland DHB did have the Meningococcal W vaccination information produced into NZs official languages a few weeks after the initial announcement of the Meningococcal W crisis that was made in English.

It is noted that it's not a compulsory requirement for DHBs to automatically have public health information and alerts in our Official Languages after a search of the current NZ Health legislations

Public Health information is critical for everyone when Public Health alerts from DHBs are broadcast to the community. Meningococcal, Measles, Flu pandemics, etc constantly pose a threat to our well-being.

New Zealanders should be able to get the relevant information in their first official language that ensures they have a healthy outcome from the start to the end. This includes the dissemination of required health information, consultancy and care.

The more New Zealanders are informed in their first official language, the better health risks can be reduced within the community.

Your signature on this petition assists us to ask the House of Representatives to update the health legislation that allows us to fully be informed in our first official language.

How it will be delivered

This Petition will be handed to Dr Shane Reti on May 4th.

Health Select Committee reported back to House of Representatives today.

https://www.parliament.nz/resource/en-NZ/SCR_107939/a557c6e00ca085ca08a39e204d9326c30ec65494

Links

Updates

2019-03-26 15:42:53 +1300

100 signatures reached

2019-03-14 16:28:39 +1300

50 signatures reached

2019-03-13 21:32:48 +1300

25 signatures reached

2019-03-11 16:12:23 +1300

10 signatures reached