On Budget Eve, Minister for Disability Issues Louise Upston has been confronted outside Parliament by a protestor begging her to address the crowd about changes to disabled funding.
The woman accused Upston of ignoring protestors and challenged her about over why she didn't speak at the protest. Newshub has been told it was because the minister wasn't invited.
Upston later promised there would be more money for disability services in what will be a tight Budget with hundreds of cuts to government spending to pay for billions in tax cuts.
The disability community has been putting pressure on the Government to ease restrictions on flexible funding which allowed for more services and aides to be claimed by families.
Among the restrictions is a ban on claiming funding for any programmes for disabled children which run during school hours, like Teacher in the Paddock in the Bay of Plenty.
Founder Kevin Powell said even though the children weren't at school, they were still learning.
"We've had children who've come who've been non-verbal when they've arrived and after a time are fully conversational just through having that space without having the pressure to perform," he said.
He's disappointed in the move to block parents from getting funding to go to his programme.
"If what's out there now isn't meeting the needs, how does taking away what works continue to meet that needs. And it's not a big ask, it's not a big cost in the scheme of things."
The Ministry of Disabled People - Whaikaha - made the changes because it said the time during school hours are the responsibility of the education system.
IHC, which represents intellectually disabled New Zealanders, agrees with the Government's logic.
"Funding for what happens in schools comes out of vote education. This situation has occurred because of the inadequacy in funding and so families and schools have got creative," Trish Grant, IHC inclusive education lead, said.
"I'd love for the Budget to have increased funding for learning support."
Three ministers on Wednesday committed to giving more money to disability support and services.
Education Minister Erica Stanford said fixing learning support was one of her top priorities because she knew the system wasn't working, while Upston said disability services would see an increase in funding in the Budget tomorrow.
Minister of Finance Nicola Willis said the Government's focus wasn't on ministries and agencies.
"Our focus is on the frontline and for us that means schools, early childhood centres, tertiary providers and they can expect to see a funding uplift."
Willis made the commitment after showing off her Budget document at the Petone printers today - and acknowledged while the Budget's been put to bed, it hasn't had much beauty sleep.
"We've had a lot of budgets in recent years which have been style over substance, this one isn't about the slogans or the photos on the front, it's about the substance inside."
The minister coining her own slogan while slamming others.
