A New Zealand MP who has been routinely told off for parking in a disabled space says she has every right to use it – and her permit is always on display.
Katrina Bungard, a National Party MP, lost half her leg to bone cancer at the young age of 11, and now gets around on a prosthetic.
Four emails have been addressed to her, some with National Party leader Bill English copied in, and one person has verbally reprimanded her for parking her car – which is adorned with her face and name – in the spaces.
Pictured: MP Katrina Bungard’s car parked in a disabled space – what is not pictured is the disability sticker displayed prominently in her front windscreen
Ms Bungard told the New Zealand Herald she feels ‘a bit bullied’ by the actions of passers-by, and wants people to be more open-minded when it comes to who could be disabled.
Her prosthetic limb isn’t visible under her clothing, though the politician does walk with a limp because of it.
She said her own experience with disability made her want to stand up and be a voice for others like her.
Katrina Bungard says she has every right to use it disabled parking spaces – and her permit is always on display
‘It’s really important disabled people are represented in caucus. We don’t have enough,’ she said.
The MP explained a lot could improve for disabled New Zealanders just by including them in the conversation.
‘We need to make sure we’re engaging with the disabled community because isolation is a huge issue, which can lead to all sorts of other issues, including depression, family violence and other anti-social behaviour,’ she explained.
Her prosthetic limb isn’t visible under her clothing, though the politician does walk with a limp because of it
Ms Bungard’s National Party colleague, Judith Collins, took to Facebook to praise the woman as a university qualified teacher and mother of three.
‘She walks with a limp as when she was a young girl, she was a victim of bone cancer and she had half a leg removed,’ she said.
‘Katrina works hard and she has resilience and drive to a level that inspires.’
The MP explained a lot could improve for disabled New Zealanders just by including them in the conversation