Some good news.
Below is the first page of a media statement on the intention to recognise
NZSL as our third official language. English and Maori are the other two
official languages.
Media Statement
24th October 2003
Hon Ruth Dyson
Minister for Disability Issues
Government to recognise NZ Sign Language
The government has signalled its intention to recognise New Zealand Sign
Language as the third official language of New Zealand.
This week Cabinet agreed to the introduction of a NZ Sign Language Bill to
Parliament by the end of the year.
Minister for Disability Issues Ruth Dyson says the purpose of official
recognition is to acknowledge Deaf people’s language as a unique New Zealand
language and give it equal status to that of spoken languages.
“The decision to officially recognise NZ Sign language represents a
significant step forwards for the Deaf[1] community in New Zealand, as it is
the first language for a large number of Deaf New Zealanders. The Deaf
community, and the Deaf Association of New Zealand, have been seeking
official recognition of their language for 20 years.
“NZ Sign Language is the basis of Deaf culture. It is essential for
effective daily communication and participation in society. Official
recognition will improve acknowledgement of NZ Sign Language as a real
language and decrease injustices experienced by Deaf people. There are
28,000 people in NZ who use NZ Sign Language.
“The immediate effect of the Bill, once it is passed into law, will be to
provide people with the right to use NZ Sign Language in any legal
proceedings, including in court.
“Further developments will proceed gradually, and Cabinet has also agreed to
look at ways to improve access to NZ Sign Language in education, health,
employment and public broadcasting, as well as for Maori Deaf,” Ruth Dyson
said.
NB: The Deaf Games are being held in Auckland over Labour Weekend.
Contact Pip Desmond, press secretary, phone (04) 471 9258, 0274 575 894, fax
(04) 470 6784, email: [log in to unmask]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
[1] The capitalised “D” in ‘Deaf’ is used internationally to denote a
distinct linguistic and cultural group of people who are deaf, use sign
language as their first or preferred language and who identify with the Deaf
community and Deaf culture. Levels of deafness vary widely among Deaf
people, though most have a profound or severe pre-lingual hearing loss.
*******************************
Patsy Wakefield
c/- 249 North Road
North East Valley
Dunedin
Ph 03 473 6361 or 025 2277900
[log in to unmask]
*******************************
________________End of message______________________
Archives and tools for the Disability-Research Discussion List
are now located at:
www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/disability-research.html
You can JOIN or LEAVE the list from this web page.
|