Author: Emma Bloom

Tonight’s Federal Budget raises more questions than answers about how people with disability are going to be supported through the government’s major reforms to the NDIS.

Cuts to the NDIS have been outlined, as expected, with the Federal Government projecting almost $1 billion in immediate savings over the next financial year.

$364.5 million has been set aside for general supports – to fund services for those no longer eligible for the NDIS. This is the first time a dollar value has been provided, and it’s positive to see.

Yet the Budget does not outline whether or not this funding is contingent on states and territories matching it. Cutting the NDIS without establishing robust alternatives is leaving people with disability with nowhere to turn.

Disability support services are not optional – they are essential for daily life. People with disability rely on them to get out of bed, shower, go to work or school, and participate in their communities. Without adequate support, people with disability face disproportionate poverty, cost-of-living pressures, and exclusion.

In key Budget cost-of-living measures, people living with disability are absent. In Australia’s housing strategy, there is no mention of accessibility.

People with disability are missing in this budget. Just 18 months after Australia’s ‘landmark’ 4-year $600 million Disability Royal Commission, it is like it never happened.

The Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability was billed as a transformative opportunity for our community to be heard. Yet in this Budget, it hasn’t even rated a mention.

People living with disability appear largely invisible in the Federal Government’s financial path forward for Australia. Are we really back here?

THIS STATEMENT HAS BEEN ENDORSED BY:

• Australian Autism Alliance (AAA)
• Australian Federation of Disability Organisations (AFDO)
• Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA)
• Community Mental Health Australia (CMHA)
• Disability Advocacy Network Australia (DANA)
• Down Syndrome Australia (DSA)
• First Peoples Disability Network Australia (FPDN)
• Inclusion Australia (IA)
• National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA)
• People with Disability Australia (PWDA)
• Physical Disability Australia (PDA)
• Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA).

INTERVIEWEES AVAILABLE:

• Sophie Cusworth, CEO – Women With Disabilities Australia (Melbourne, VIC)
• Megan Spindler-Smith, Deputy CEO – People with Disability Australia (Canberra ACT)
• Jenny Karavolos, Independent Co-Chair – Australian Autism Alliance (Adelaide SA)
• Skye Kakoschke-Moore, CEO – Children & Young People with Disability Australia (Adelaide SA)
• Darryl Steff, CEO – Down Syndrome Australia (Brisbane QLD)
• Catherine McAlpine, CEO – Inclusion Australia (Melbourne VIC)
• Jeff Smith, CEO – Disability Advocacy Network Australia (Sydney NSW)
• Priscilla Brice, CEO – National Mental Health Consumer Alliance (Sydney NSW)
• Damian Griffis, CEO – First Peoples’ Disability Network (Melbourne VIC)
• Ross Joyce, CEO – Australian Federation of Disability Organisations (Regional VIC)
• Jeremy Muir, CEO – Physical Disability Australia (Brisbane QLD)

MEDIA CONTACT:

Jane Metlikovec 0409 539 880 [email protected]
Janelle Del Vecchio 0459 983 096 [email protected]

• Download: DRO Joint Media Statement - Budget 2025 (PDF)
• Download: DRO Joint Media Statement - Budget 2025 (Word)

During last week’s Senate Estimates the Australian Government released its official response to the report on the Purpose, intent and adequacy of the Disability Support Pension (DSP). People with Disability Australia, ACOSS and disability advocacy organisations have expressed alarm at the Government’s dismissal of the report’s recommendations and called for urgent action to address barriers to accessing the DSP, the risk of poverty for recipients and to reform how eligibility is assessed and avenues for dispute resolution.

Key recommendations from the report that have not been actioned include:

• Amending claims processes to ensure people with disability or chronic illness who have little opportunity to enter or re-enter the labour force are granted the Disability Support Pension.
• Removal of mutual obligations for people during the process of their claims and making the program of support voluntary, “abandoning punitive compliance measures” and making employment services more effective.
• Increasing funding for disability advocacy, community legal services and First Nations organisations to support DSP claimants in their claims process.
• Increasing funding to improve linkages between Services Australia and First Nations organisations.
• Establishing principles in the administration of social security, including proactively assisting people to access support; treating people with respect.
• Making adjustments to service delivery to meet individual needs.

While changes to the impairment tables in 2023 were a starting point for reform, the failure to act on the systemic flaws in how the DSP is administered and who it is available to has left people with disability without the financial resources necessary to live.

People with Disability Australia (PWDA) President Marayke Jonkers:

“It’s unacceptable that this report has sat on the shelf for over two years and received such a lacklustre response. The Government has not explained why the report’s recommendations are no longer relevant. We know the Disability Support Pension needs to be higher and available to more people with disability or far too many in our community will continue to live in poverty and not have the financial resources to meet their most basic needs. The Government must take action.

“This response from the Government collides with changes to the NDIS and people with disability facing new or continued gaps in services and fears over how they will pay for things like mobility aides, assistive technology and support workers.”

“Major changes are needed to support the employment of people with disability but these must go hand-in-hand with an adequate social safety net for those who are unable to participate in employment, including people with chronic illnesses. The Disability Support Pension is a lifeline for many that determines whether their support and living needs will be met – and there are too many people who don’t have access, who should.”

ACOSS CEO Dr Cassandra Goldie:

“Everyday people with disability struggle to afford the basic essentials of life due to a system that does more to exclude them than support them.

“Each year, 44% of claims for the Disability Support Pension are rejected thanks to a bureaucratic, stressful and impersonal claims process. People with disability end up on the woefully inadequate $56 a day JobSeeker Payment, with some forced to do mutual obligations despite having a disability or chronic ill health.

“The government cannot sweep this national shame under the rug. It has a duty to ensure Australia’s social security provides people with enough to cover essentials, including the extra costs that disability brings, and are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve.”

Statement endorsed by:

• People with Disability Australia
• Australian Autism Alliance
• Australian Council of Social Service
• Community Mental Health Australia
• Children and Young People with Disability Australia
• Disability Advocacy Network Australia
• Down Syndrome Australia
• First Peoples Disability Network
• Inclusion Australia
• National Ethnic Disability Alliance
• Women with Disabilities Australia

MEDIA CONTACT

[email protected]

0491 034 479

Available for interview:

• President People with Disability Australia Marayke Jonkers
• Deputy CEO People with Disability Australia Megan Spindler-Smith
• CEO ACOSS Dr Cassandra Goldie
• CEO Children and Young People with Disability Australia Skye Kakoschke-Moore
• Strategic Partnership Manager Francis O’Neill Community Mental Health Australia
• CEO Inclusion Australia Catherine McAlpine

ABOUT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY AUSTRALIA

People with Disability Australia Incorporated (PWDA) is a national disability rights and advocacy, non-profit, non-government organisation. We have a cross-disability focus, representing the interests of people with all kinds of disability and our membership is made up of people with disability and organisations mainly constituted by people with disability.

You can also read the media statement here (click below):

• Download: PWDA and community organisations condemn Government failure to act on DSP Senate Inquiry Report (PDF)
• Download: PWDA and community organisations condemn Government failure to act on DSP Senate Inquiry Report (Word)

We are Australia’s Disability Representative Organisations, and our job is to protect and support the rights of people with disabilities. We are also Australians with disabilities.

Right now, our community is going through a tough time. Some people with disabilities are taking out their anger and frustration on others in the community. We say this kind of behaviour has no place here. We know how hurtful and damaging this can be because we have experienced it ourselves.

This type of behaviour is called lateral violence. Lateral violence often happens in groups like ours that are already being left out in society. Right now, this is happening a lot in the disability community, especially on social media. Social media can be a great place to find support and information, but it can also be very toxic and unsafe. Sometimes people on social media say mean, hurtful and untrue things. This is a type of violence and abuse. We say this is very wrong.

As Australia’s Disability Representative Organisations, we want to say that this kind of violence is never okay, no matter where it happens. People with disabilities should feel safe with one another while we advocate for change. We want to stay focused on the important work we need to do to improve the lives of people with disabilities.

It’s normal and helpful to have different opinions, but it’s not okay to call each other names or be mean. In a world that’s becoming more divided and harsh, we must stand up for each other’s rights.

Let’s not let anger and frustration tear us apart. Instead, let’s come together and be stronger as we work together to make important change.

You can find an Easy Read version of the statement here (or click below): DROs Joint Statement Lateral Violence Disability Community – Easy Read

This statement has been endorsed by:

• Australian Autism Alliance (AAA)
• Australian Federation of Disability Organisations (AFDO)
• Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA)
• Community Mental Health Australia (CMHA)
• Disability Advocacy Network Australia (DANA)
• Down Syndrome Australia (DSA)
• First Peoples Disability Network Australia (FPDN)
• Inclusion Australia (IA)
• National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA)
• People with Disability Australia (PWDA)
• Physical Disability Australia (PDA)
• Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA)

• Download: DROs Joint Statement Lateral Violence Disability Community (PDF)
• Download: DROs Joint Statement Lateral Violence Disability Community (Word)
• Download: DROs Joint Statement Lateral Violence Disability Community - Easy Read (PDF)

“The Government’s response today to the Disability Royal Commission’s recommendations is underwhelming.

“We learned that just 13 of the Royal Commission’s 222 recommendations have been accepted in full by the Australian government, after more than 4-and-a-half years of work by the Commission, and more than 9 months’ waiting for the government response.

“Today is a frustrating day for people with an intellectual disability in Australia.

“People with an intellectual disability are the most heavily impacted and disproportionately harmed by the current state of segregation in Australia – something the Royal Commission was at pains to address.

“Key recommendations by the Royal Commission including raising subminimum wages and reforms to supported employment and group homes have all been marked ‘subject to further consideration’ by the government. The recommendation to phase out segregated education was noted.

“Had these, and other similar recommendations been accepted in full, Australia would have taken a big leap forward toward inclusion today.

“It’s heartening to see the government is investing to address negative community attitudes towards people with disability.

“However, research shows time and again that the best way to address negative community attitudes towards people with disability is through direct contact.

“When you segregate children at age 5 by separating students with an intellectual disability from their age peers, it’s no surprise that negative attitudes develop that need to be addressed in the future.

“The new investment announced by government today is around $83 million. Other funding had already been announced in the May budget. This previous funding was, of course, very welcome. We wrongly believed it was a prelude for more major reform to come today, however, it turned out to be the main event.

“Inclusion Australia will now take the time to reflect on the government response, and we will continue to engage with government to advocate for all people with an intellectual disability to drive the level of change we deserve.”

MEDIA CONTACT: Janelle Del Vecchio 0459 983 096 or [email protected]

• Download: Media Statement from CEO Inclusion Australia - DRC Government Response (PDF)

Today’s Federal, State and Territory government response to our four-and-a-half-year Disability Royal Commission is deeply disappointing and fails to respond to the scale of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of people with disability.

National Disability Representative Organisations have expressed significant concern that only 13 recommendations of 222 have been fully accepted, and that after nine months, so many recommendations remain still to be resolved across different levels of government.

We call on all levels of government to urgently act on the 222 recommendations including provide clear timelines within the next six months on all recommendations accepted in principle and embed disability leadership through establishing a Disability Reform Implementation Council. This should be led by a diverse group of people with disability and our representative organisations, ensuring we are setting the pace and directly engaged in the Council’s outcomes.

Many recommendations directly impact the lives of First Nations people with disability. It is critical that implementation of any and all recommendations adhere to the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, embedding the Priority Reforms and prioritising the most systematically excluded.

The Disability Royal Commission, which ran from 2019 to 2023, heard from people with disability, their families, supporters, kin, advocates and representative organisations about how many of us have been hurt and harmed at school, at work, in hospital, in prison, in public, and in disability services.

The stories that people with disability told filled three full volumes of the Disability Royal Commission final report, showing the scale of abuse against us. The Royal Commission made 222 recommendations across all levels of government, but also to schools, disability providers, health care, police, prisons, employers and more.

This was a once-in-a-lifetime through examination of the scale of violence so many people with disability experience and deserves and demands a response of the same scale.

The Royal Commission found that ‘across all age groups, a greater proportion of people with disability experience violence than people without disability. People with disability also experience violence more frequently.’ Women with disability and culturally and linguistically diverse people with disability have disproportionate experiences of violence and need adequate responses.

Key recommendations from the Disability Royal Commission, about how to stop the violence that so many people with disability are subjected to, included national coordination, reform of disability service providers, changes to the law, increased access to support and leadership of people with disability in driving these changes. There is little concrete commitments or funding for any of these areas.

We welcome the commitment to the reform of the Disability Discrimination Act, and funding increase for advocacy organisations.

People with disability have asked for better legal protection of the rights of people with disability by translating the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). One of the most important reforms that is needed to safeguard people with disability against violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation is the establishment of a federal Human Rights Act, which our organisations support. Disappointingly, this recommendation has not been fully accepted.

National Disability Representative Organisations will provide more detailed analysis as we work through the 300-page response report.

This statement has been endorsed by:

·      Australian Autism Alliance (AAA)

·      Australian Federation of Disability Organisations (AFDO)

·      Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA)

·      Community Mental Health Australia (CMHA)

·      Disability Advocacy Network Australia (DANA)

·      Down Syndrome Australia (DSA)

·      First Peoples Disability Network Australia (FPDN)

·      Inclusion Australia (IA)

·      National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA)

·      People with Disability Australia (PWDA)

·      Physical Disability Australia (PDA)

·      Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA)

You can also read the statement here including a list of spokespeople available for interview (or click below).

For arranging interviews with spokespeople contact: Janelle Del Vecchio 0459 983 096 or [email protected]

• Download: Media Statement from Disability Representative Organisations - DRC Government Response (PDF)

It’s time to put pen to paper or sit at your computer and write a story!

Our Victorian member organisation VALID is excited to announce the new 2024 Dulcie Stone Writer’s Competition. This year, the competition is open to anyone over 18 with an intellectual disability, from anywhere across Australia.

The Competition is designed to showcase the voices of people with an intellectual disability. It recognises the lifetime contribution of Dulcie Stone to services for people with an intellectual disability and writing.

The theme for this year is:

‘DREAMING’.

You can write a story or poem up to 500 words.

The writing competition is now open and closes on Monday 2 September 2024.

There is an overall first prize of $400. There are $200 prizes for winners in each state.

The competition is supported by Writers Victoria and Inclusion Australia.

You can download an easy read application form here (and below) to start your writing journey!

About Dulcie Stone:

The late Dulcie Stone was a great disability advocate from Victoria.

She was a big supporter of people with an intellectual disability, and writing. VALID created the Dulcie Stone Writer’s Competition to remember Dulcie and to encourage people with an intellectual disability to be creative.

Dulcie Stone won acclaim as an author, educator and campaigner for people with an intellectual disability. She worked as the Director of the WJ Christie Centre in Mildura, taught adult literacy classes, coordinated a range of volunteer services and served on numerous boards and committees across Victoria. Dulcie was awarded an MBE in 1981 for services to people with disability, and published over 30 books, both fiction and non-fiction.

About VALID:

VALID’s vision is an Australia in which people with a disability are empowered to exercise their rights as human beings and citizens in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. VALID strives to realise its vision by providing a range of advocacy and information programs that empower people with disabilities to become the leaders in their own lives. VALID is excited to once again be working with Writers Victoria to help progress this vision through the Dulcie Stone Writers Competition.

About Writers Victoria:

With nearly 2,500 members, Writers Victoria are the state’s largest organisation supporting Victorian writers. They have a history of supporting writers who face barriers to participation and in the development of their skills, practice and writing careers. In particular through their flagship write-ability program for writers with disability that was highly commended at the 2016 Victorian Disability Awards. The Write-ability ethos has been built around the importance of self-told stories, disability-leadership and peer support, and the creating of opportunities for even the quietest voices to be heard.

• Download: Dulcie Stone Writers Competition Application 2024 (Word)
• Download: Dulcie Stone Writers Competition Application 2024 (PDF)

70 years ago, a group of families of people with an intellectual disability came together to meet about inclusion and rights. This meeting went for two days straight. Their dedication still inspires all of us at Inclusion Australia today.

As one of Australia’s longest-standing disability advocacy organisations, we are proud of what we achieved then, and the positive changes we are making today. But we are also ready to step into a future that is fair for all.

Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the last 70 years. None of our efforts would be possible without you.

Stay tuned for more news about our platinum anniversary celebrations later in the year.

Thank you to the Minister for the NDIS, Hon Bill Shorten MP, Minister for Social Services, Hon Amanda Rishworth MP, and to Shadow Minister for the NDIS, Hon Michael Sukkar MP for sending your birthday wishes!

Watch their messages below or via our You Tube Channel: https://youtu.be/Nn0CRxCWARs.

A message from our CEO, Catherine McAlpine:

On 22 May 1954, a group of families of people with an intellectual disability came together to advocate for inclusion and rights. That meeting went on for over two days and it was still running 70 years ago, today.

That was Australia’s introduction to Inclusion Australia. A group of passionate trailblazers, who wanted to do what was right for Australians with an intellectual disability. And they did that and so much more.

Thanks to them, Inclusion Australia was there to help steer the introduction of Australia’s first disability discrimination laws.

Today, we remain strong as we continue our quest for inclusive education, equal jobs for equal pay, and improvements to health and housing.

When I look to the future, I want to see an inclusive Australia for all. With people with an intellectual disability at the centre of everything we do. I can only imagine the positive change we can continue to create over the next 70 years.

Happy 70th Birthday Inclusion Australia!

A happy birthday message from our Board Chair, Felicity Crowther:

As Chair of Inclusion Australia, I’m incredibly proud to be celebrating our 70th anniversary this week.

We’re not just celebrating our past achievements but looking forward to a future where everyone is included. We will continue to listen to the voices of those with an intellectual disability and their families, putting you at the centre of all we do as we all work to build a fairer, more equitable Australia.

Thank you to everyone who has supported Inclusion Australia over the years. Here’s to another 70 years of making a difference together.

Our Making Money Decision Real webinar on Wednesday June 12, 11am – 12.30pm (AEST) is for families supporting people with an intellectual disability. It will be a facilitated conversation between Inclusion Australia’s Specialist Advisor, Dariane McLean and Dr Rhonda Faragher AO, Professor in Inclusive Education at the University of Queensland.

You can register to attend the webinar via Zoom.

Dariane and Rhonda will explore money independence and practical strategies to build money understanding and skills for people with an intellectual disability in a safe way.

We know building financial independence for a person with an intellectual disability can sometimes be difficult and there are some very real duty-of-care safeguarding considerations. However, making decisions about your money and growing financial independence is an important part of life.

Based on the principles of supported decision making this webinar is an opportunity to further empower and educate you to support safe and independent money skills for people with an intellectual disability.

Tools and resources for families and supporters will be discussed, as well as the opportunities and risks that come with money decisions. We encourage you to interact with the panelists via the chat. There will be time to ask questions in the last 20 minutes.

This webinar will be recorded and publicly shared so families can continue to access the discussion and learnings.

You can register to attend the Making Money Decisions Real webinar via Zoom.

Contact us at [email protected] if you have any questions.

About the speakers:

Dr Rhonda Faragher AO is a Professor in Inclusive Education. She has internationally recognised expertise in the mathematics education of learners with Down syndrome. In her research and teaching, she works to improve the educational outcomes of students who have difficulties learning mathematics. She has expertise in inclusive education in a range of contexts, including secondary classrooms.

Dr Faragher is the Director of the Down Syndrome Research Program within the School of Education. She is Co-Editor in Chief of the Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities. In 2023, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia.

You can learn more about Dr Faragher here: Professor Rhonda Faragher – School of Education – University of Queensland (uq.edu.au)

Dariane McLean has been involved in disability advocacy for many years. She is the mother of a 45-year-old autistic man with an intellectual disability who has high support needs.

In her role as a Specialist Advisor at Inclusion Australia Dariane works on family networking and policy development. She has been invited to participate on many advisory groups including on issues such as autism and intellectually disability, positive behaviour support, NDIA Independent Expert Review model, and was a special witness at the Disability Royal Commission. She also facilitates a services for one national community of practice of families who are committed to the same model.

Dariane has also held a role on the VALID advocacy team for 16 years where she has provided individual and systemic advocacy for people with an intellectual disability with high level complex support needs. She facilitates a VALID peer action group of families who support someone who has a history of behaviours of concern to provide a safe environment for them to receive support, peer connection and information.

Today, the Australian Government introduced a new Bill into Parliament. A Bill is a draft law that still needs to be talked about by the Parliament before it can become the law.

The government wants to make a new law to change the way the NDIS works. NDIS Minister Bill Shorten gave a speech in Canberra today about this.

Bill Shorten said there are two groups of changes the government wants to make to the NDIS.

One group of changes is about ideas from the NDIS Review that happened last year. These changes will take time.

The second group of changes will happen more quickly. This is about changes to NDIS planning and services.

Minister Shorten says the government wants to work with people with disability and their families about the Bill and the changes to the NDIS.

Inclusion Australia will work hard to make sure the government hears the voices of people with intellectual disability and their families.

Click the link to read our Easy Read summary of Bill Shorten’s speech (also via the link below).

You can also see some information from the government here. They will have Easy Read soon too.

• Download: Speech about the NDIS Act changes - Easy Read summary (PDF)