Focus March 2025

Welcome to our March 2025 Focus issue. You can download the MS Word, PDF, audio, or you can read it here. We hope you enjoy our first issue for the year, and remember to select the alternate format that meets your needs.

List of Articles

Focus December 2024

Welcome to our December Focus issue. You can download the MS Word, PDF, audio, Braille Ready Format (BRF) or you can read it here. We hope you enjoy Focus and remember to select the alternate format that meets your needs. You can download the MS Word, PDF, audio, Braille Ready Format (BRF) or you can read it here.

List of Articles

In this edition

Focus September 2024

Welcome to our September Focus issue. We have our Focus Editor and Braille Authority of Aotearoa Trust positions to fill, updates about our AGM and Conference and more… You can download the MS Word, PDF, audio, Braille Ready Format (BRF) or you can read it here.

List of Articles

In this edition

Success is not an accident
Jonathan Godfrey, National President

Blind Citizens NZ 2024 Election Update
Rose Wilkinson, Returning Officer

Membership Subscription Review Discussion Paper

ShakeOut 2024

Focus Editor – Call for Expressions of Interest

2024 Annual General Meeting and Conference
He Tāngata, He Tāngata, He Tāngata

Is Braille one of your passions | Appointee needed for
The Braille Authority of New Zealand Aotearoa Trust

Blind Citizens NZ Board | National Office Contacts

Acknowledgement of financial support

Focus April 2024

Welcome to our April Focus issue. You can download the Word, PDF, or audio version, or you can read it here. 

List of Articles

 In this edition

Taking heart from the past to chart a path forward
by Áine Kelly-Costello, Focus Editor

Who’s an Island? Not me
Jonathan Godfrey, National President

Blind Citizens NZ 2024 Scheduled Election
Rose Wilkinson, Returning Officer

Call for Applications to fill Blind Citizens NZ’s World
Blind Union Primary Country Delegate Position pg 16

Focus Editor – Call for Expressions of Interest

How I lost Braille and found it again
by Jonathan Craig

2024 Annual General Meeting and Conference
He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata

Membership Renewal Reminder | Form

Ways to support Blind Citizens NZ’s Income
Generation Efforts

Opportunities to regularly engage with the National President

Blind Citizens NZ Board | National Office Contacts

Acknowledgement of financial support

Focus December 2023

Welcome to our December Focus issue. You can download the Word, PDF, or audio version, or you can read it here. 

List of Articles

Welcome to the December 2023 edition
by Áine Kelly-Costello Focus Editor

Exploring te ao Māori and te reo Māori – whakaaro from one Pākehā blind person
Áine Kelly-Costello, Focus Editor

He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata
Jonathan Godfrey
National President

Call for Applications to fill Blind Citizens NZ’s World Blind Union Primary Country Delegate Position

Challenging Others Challenging Ourselves
Highlights of Blind Citizens NZ’s 2023 AGM and Conference

Focus Editor
Call for Expressions of Interest

Opportunities to engage with the National President throughout 2024

Blind Citizens NZ Braille Special Interest Network

National Office Closing and Opening for Christmas and New Year

Blind Citizens NZ Board
National Office Contacts
Acknowledgement of Financial Support

Focus October 2023

Welcome to our October Focus issue. You can download the Word, PDF, or audio version, or you can read it here. 

List of Articles

Welcome to the October 2023 edition
by Áine Kelly-Costello Focus Editor

Let’s not settle for subpar representation
Áine Kelly-Costello, Focus Editor

Accessibility and taking chances
Jonathan Godfrey National President

How secret is your vote in this year’s General Election
Rose Wilkinson, Chief Executive

Vote by Telephone Dictation at the 2023 General Election

Challenging Others Challenging Ourselves | Blind Citizens
NZ 2023 AGM and Conference

Blind Citizens NZ Large Print Calendars

Announcing the outcome of Blind Citizens NZ 2023 Scheduled Election
Rose Wilkinson, Returning Officer

Blind Citizens NZ Board | National Office Contacts

Acknowledgement of financial support

National Conference AGM and Conference 2023

AGM and Conference 2023 | Challenging Others, Challenging Ourselves

Our 2023 AGM and Conference starts at 9am Friday 13 October, through to 5:15pm Saturday 14 October. You can check out our programme, and agenda information here as either MS Word or PDF. 

Check back for more information about how you can join Blind Citizens NZ during our two-day AGM and Conference – that is if you are unable to attend in person. Virtual options include our YouTube channel, or you might prefer to register to be part of the ‘virtual’ real-time proceedings on ZOOM.

Focus June 2023

Áine Kelly-Costello – Focus Editor

Welcome to the second edition of Focus for 2023.

My editorial takes you on a journey—pun intended—through some of the many facets of a blind-friendly transport system. President Jonathan Godfrey had no idea what he’d write about for his column but wrote one anyway. And long-time tech guru Jonathan Mosen brings us a fascinating read on the potential and pitfalls of using artificial intelligence algorithms in visual descriptions.

We’re also introducing a new feature this time, an update from the executive Officer on an area of advocacy Blind Citizens NZ has been beavering away on. The idea is to make the often gradual goings-on behind the scenes more visible. This time, the topic is universal access to ID. Updates in this edition on the 2023 Blind Citizens NZ elections and conference are also not to be missed. Enjoy!

As always, please do send me your feedback and your ideas for articles or topics, by August for the September edition.

Email me at focus.abcnz@gmail.com, or get in touch with the full Focus committee (Board Member Paula Waby, Chief Executive Rose Wilkinson and me) by emailingfocus@blindcitizensnz.org.nz

Note on referencing
by Áine Kelly-Costello Focus Editor

Putting a blind-friendly transport system on the political agenda
Áine Kelly-Costello

Trying
Jonathan Godfrey, National President

Blind Citizens NZ 2023 Scheduled Election
Rose Wilkinson, Returning Officer

Draft Blind Citizens NZ 2023-2026 Strategic Plan 

Visual description via AI, the promise and the problem
Jonathan Mosen

Advocating for a universally accessible form of ID

Update – Membership Subscription Review 

2023 Annual General Meeting and Conference Challenging Others Challenging Ourselves

Leadership | Advocacy Workshop – We’re calling for expressions of interest

Ways to support Blind Citizens NZ’s Income Generation Efforts 

Focus April 2023

Welcome to our April Focus issue, our first for 2023. You can download the Word or PDF versions, or you read it here

Saying the quiet part out loud
by Áine Kelly-Costello, Focus Editor

How do I know?
Jonathan Godfrey, National President

Blind Citizens NZ 2023 Scheduled Election
by Rose Wilkinson, Returning Officer

The endless hunt, and fight for accessible home appliances
by Thomas Bryan

Notice of Special Meeting of Members | Membership Subscription Review

2023 Annual General Meeting and Conference
Challenging Others Challenging Ourselves

Leadership | Advocacy Workshop
We’re calling for expressions of interest

When the rain doesn’t stop
by Áine Kelly-Costello

Appointment of Blind Citizens NZ World Blind Union
Country Delegates

Stats NZ Census update to disability sector

Ways to support Blind Citizens NZ’s Income
Generation Efforts

Blind Citizens NZ Board | National Office Contacts

Acknowledgement of financial support

Focus December 2022

Welcome to our December Focus issue, our final for 2023. You can download the Word, PDF audio or BRF (Braille Ready Format) versions, or you can read it here. 

In this edition
by Áine Kelly-Costello Focus Editor

The logistics of reading a book of your choice
by Áine Kelly-Costello Focus Editor

What is partnership?
Jonathan Godfrey National President

Membership Subscription Review

Call for applications | expressions of interest in Blind Citizens
NZ World Blind Union Country Delegate Positions

Awhina House Lessons Not Learned
by Mary Schnackenberg

New or Refreshed Strategic Plan for Blind Citizens NZ

Cyril White Memorial Fund – Applications

Blind Citizens NZ Large Print Calendars

Ways to support Blind Citizens NZ’s Income
Generation Efforts

Blind Citizens NZ Board / National Office Contacts

Acknowledgement of financial support

Focus October 2022

Welcome to our October Focus issue. You can download the Word or PDF version, or you can read it here.

• How Blind Low Vision NZ’s approach to Counselling lost it’s way, and what comes next
  by Áine Kelly-Costello Focus Editor
• Hold the Cheese 
  Jonathan Godfrey National President​
• Blind Citizens NZ 2022 Award Recipients​​​​
• Sharing your experiences with the Royal Commission on Abuse in Care
  By Jonathan Mosen
• Outcome of Blind Citizens NZ 2022 Election​​​
• Then and Now
  Poem by Kay Clark​​​​​
• Blind Citizens NZ Large Print Calendars​​​​
• Blind Citizens NZ Board / National Office Contacts​​
• Acknowledgement of financial support

AGM and Conference 2022

Here’s where you can join Blind Citizens NZ during our two-day AGM and Conference i.e. check out our YouTube channel, or email to be part of the ‘virtual’ proceedings on ZOOM (admin@abcnz.org.nz)

June Focus 2022

This June Focus is the first issue from our new editor Áine Kelly-Costello. It is packed with a variety of interesting items including the editor’s reflections on the creation of a new Ministry for Disabled People (name since confirmed, ‘Ministry of Disabled People’), on trust and good faith, on disabled-led Disability Convention research, on the Equipment Solutions shopping experience (for blind people), and more.

April 2022 Focus

Items of interest vary and include the National President’s column, a contribution from Dr Robbie Francis Watene, Senior Researcher at Donald Beasley Institute, an Audio Description update from Able, New Zealand’s leading producer of Audio Description and Captioning for television, and a contribution from the Establishment Unit of the new Ministry for disabled people (formal name yet to be announced).

Focus – December 2021

Focus October 2021

Draft 111 Contact Code

Blind Citizens NZ’s submission on the Draft Copper Withdrawal Code cross-references the Draft Copper Withdrawal Code. Our submission identifies areas the Draft 111 Contact Code should in our view, be strengthened to meet the informational needs of blind people, where failure to do so may contribute to breaches of a person’s human rights.

Submission to RUB Consultation

This submission responds to the Requirements for Urban Buses in New Zealand (RUB), for consistent urban bus quality (2020) Draft for consultation. Our submission identifies areas the RUB 2020 Draft for consultation should in our view be strengthened to recognise (and meet) the diverse needs of users of public transport, which includes blind people. We suggest oversights may contribute to a breach of human rights, and/or a failure to implement the “gradual realisation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities”, ratified by New Zealand in September 2008.

Inquiry into the 2020 General Election and Referendums

Blind Citizens NZ provides feedback to the Inquiry into the 2020 General Election – our response focuses primarily on achieving outcomes that enable blind people to cast their vote independently, with dignity and confidence. 

Submission to RNZFB Board Strategic Plan 2020

Interim feedback to consultation by the RNZFB and Blind Foundation in relation to its Strategic Plan.  

Public Consultation on DZ 8134: Health and Disability Services Standard

Our submission to Standards New Zealand responds to the Draft Amended Health and Disability Services Standard (Draft Standard), bringing a blindness lens / perspective.

June Focus

Along with routine contributions in our June Focus issue, there is information about the election of two Board Members, our 2021 AGM and Conference and celebrating 75-years of Blind Citizens NZ. Check out the balance of items including Kylee Maloney’s contribution, information about EvaTech’s ScripTalk (talking medication labels), Zoom Pharmacy, and the opportunity to have a say regarding government’s significant programme of work to strengthen social cohesion in New Zealand and build a safer, more inclusive society.

New Zealand Blind Advocate elected President of World Blind Union

24 June 2021

Media Release

The World Blind Union has announced the outcome of its 10th General Assembly, first ever global accessible online participatory process to elect its new Table Officers for the coming four years (2021-2025).

280 WBU delegates have elected Martine Abel-Williamson as the new President of the World Blind Union. 

Blind Citizens NZ extends its heartfelt congratulations to Ms Martine Abel-Williamson, Global President of World Blind Union.

For the past 20 plus years, Martine has held a myriad of roles here in New Zealand and in the international arena. The in-depth knowledge and skills Martine brings to this global position is immense. 

Martine is in no doubt about the expectations there will as WBU President. She says “the timing is amazing… I am so honoured to be able to hold this position on behalf of the 253 million blind and low vision people from around the world. The support of my peers to take on this role is great. I believe they are really saying one doesn’t have to live in a large, wealthy country to make a difference. New Zealand has shown leadership during the COVID-19 Pandemic over the past year and a half. Together with my fellow officers, I will continue to prioritise the wellbeing of blind people across the world. I’m surrounded by a great team and our work for the WBU’s new quadrennium has just begun.”

From 2007 to 2017, Martine represented Blind Citizens NZ as one of New Zealand’s two country delegates at both regional and global WBU events. During that time, and subsequently as WBU’s Global Treasurer, she has demonstrated her commitment to making a blind bit of difference for all blind, deafblind, low vision and vision impaired people across the world.

“Martine’s commitment towards addressing the needs of blind people around the world has been evident for well over 10 years, and Blind Citizens NZ is pleased to support her efforts”, says Dr Jonathan Godfrey, National President Blind Citizens NZ. He went on to say “I am sure she will do New Zealand proud, and on behalf of our blind community of New Zealanders, congratulations Martine!”

An invitation for Martine to officiate at World Blind Union’s General Assembly proceedings in Spain, in person on 28 June remain an option. Achieving an MIQ space for her return is the challenge she now has.

About Blind Citizens NZ

Founded in 1945, the Association of Blind Citizens of New Zealand Inc (Blind Citizens NZ) is a disabled people’s organisation (DPO), with branches and networks across the country. We are New Zealand’s leading blindness consumer organisation and one of the country’s largest organisations of disabled consumers. Our members are blind, deafblind, low vision and vision-impaired (hereafter referred to as blind). 

Blind Citizens NZ exists to give voice to the aspirations and lived experiences of blind, deafblind, low vision and vision-impaired people living in New Zealand. We aim to achieve this by heightening awareness of our rights and to remove the barriers that negate our ability to live in an accessible, equitable and inclusive society. 

About World Blind Union

The World Blind Union (WBU) is the internationally recognized organization, representing the 253 million blind, vision impaired and low vision people in 190-member countries. The voice of the blind, WBU speaks to governments and international bodies on issues concerning blindness and low vision in conjunction with members. 

WBU brings together all the major national and international organisations of blind people and organisations that provide services to blind to work on the issues affecting the quality of life for blind people. Globally, WBU is divided into six regions, with each region. Each region has its own President and volunteer executive team.

Contact details

Martine Abel-Williamson
021 411 042

Jonathan Godfrey
029 538 9814

April Focus

Equity and Governance: 75 Years of Blindness Advocacy in New Zealand 1945-2020 by Greg Newbold

Discounted purchase price to members of the blind community $30 (incl GST). Contact Blind Citizens NZs National Office 0800 222 694 or email admin@abcnz.org.nz

Equity and Governance picks up from where Greg Newbold’s previous book, Quest for Equity, left off, and covers the Association of Blind Citizens’ history since 1995. After briefly reviewing the Association’s first 50 years (1945–1995), the book covers the group’s convoluted and eventful history over the subsequent 25 years…

The last 25 years has seen as much activity and passion from within the Association of Blind Citizens as at any time in its history and significant developments have occurred. This book chronicles the intricate matrix of activities and campaigns engaged in by the Association since its 50th Jubilee in 1995.

Check out the PDF which shows the front and back covers and remainder of content on the back cover…

Strategic Plan 2020-2023

Blind Citizens NZ Strategic Plan 2020-2023, implemented 1 July 2020.

December Focus

September 2020 Focus

Our September Focus issue brings highlights for Blind Citizens NZ, and news. You’ll also find information about our AGM on 10 October and ways to register (ZOOM or in Person), and the election of two Member-at-Large positions which closes 4pm, 29 September. You’ll also find more information about the General Election and for blind people, registering to vote using Telephone Dictation Voting. 

June 2020 Focus

Check out our June issue for information about award nominations, and postponement of our 75 year celebrations. Readers please note there is an extension for nominations for Blind Citizens NZ’s Extra Touch Award. These now close 4pm, Wednesday 29 July 2020.

Blind Citizens NZ new Constitution, registered 23 December 2019. PDF and MS Word files provided