Disability Services
The Ministry of Justice is a participating government agency in implementing the New Zealand Disability Strategy that is administered by the Office of Disability Issues (www.odi.govt.nz/). The Strategy has the vision of a society that highly values the lives and continually enhances full participation of disabled people. It provides an enduring framework to ensure that government departments and agencies consider disabled people before making decisions. In relation to the implementation of the strategy, a copy of the Ministry of Justice 2006/07 workplan can be viewed here www.odi.govt.nz/nzds/work-plans/2006-07/dpt-justice.html.
The Environment Court is keen to ensure that all members of the community have equal access to our services.
If you or your witnesses have any special needs please contact the court prior to the hearing.
We will try to make any adjustments that may reasonably be required to accommodate your needs. Examples of reasonable adjustments we can make:
- enlarging a document for you if you have a vision impairment;
- providing documents in alternative formats if you suffer from blindness ;
- ensure our court hearings are held at an accessible court room if you have a mobility impairment;
- at a court hearing arrange for appropriate seating to assist with a hearing impairment (near witness/bench) and/or arrange for sound reinforcement to be available;
- serving you in a quiet public location if you have a hearing impairment or making arrangements (excluding costs) for you if you wish to bring a person to sign for you;
- clarifying and explaining information more fully to you in plain language, and if English is not your first language suggesting where you may find assistance and asking for feedback from you should you have an intellectual disability to ensure their understanding.
We will endeavour to consider and meet reasonable requests to tailor our services to best suit your needs as we appreciate that each person may require different assistance.
To ascertain if your request is reasonable we will:
- consider if the request is achievable;
- consider our Occupation Health & Safety requirements;
- not make promises we are not sure we can meet;
- not breach rules or regulations, or create an impression that we are giving you unfair advantage;
- let you know the timeframes for our decision on your request
We will not:
- physically lift you up or down stairs as this may result in risk to us or you;
- meet any request that would put our safety or others' at risk;
Disability access to Court Registries
Auckland
- There is designated parking for people with disabilities located on Federal Street (between Victoria Street West and Kingston Street (3 spaces): outside Telecom towers, between, opposite Telecom towers and outside No 25, and at Wyndham St (1 space) outside St Patricks Church
- There is wheelchair access from Kingston Street to the entrance of the building. The court rooms themselves are accessed by lifts from the ground floor and are all wheelchair accessible.
- A public convenience with full wheelchair access is located on level 8
Christchurch
- There is designated parking for people with disabilities located on Armagh St (near Durham St going west), Chester St west (behind the Salvation Army Citadel) and east side of Oxford Terrace by the Public Library
- There is wheelchair access from the entrance at Armagh St
- The Courtrooms are wheelchair accessible
Wellington
- There is one designated parking space for people with disabilities located on Ballance Street outside the Family Court entrance.
- There is wheelchair access from the entrance at 49 Ballance Street.
- The Courtrooms are wheelchair accessible from the lifts at 49 Ballance St.