Disability reform: waiting till the cash cows come home
19/12/2011
Dignity for Disability MLC Kelly Vincent today welcomed the Premier’s long overdue announcement regarding disability reform but remains unconvinced of adequate funding allocation to implement restructure of the sector.
The Premier and Minister for Disability have provided an initial response, two months after its release, to Strong Voices: the Social Inclusion Unit’s Blueprint to improve the life of people with disabilities.
“I appreciate the effort being made to make an in principle commitment to reforms, including the accelerated introduction of self managed funding, but this will require the state government to put its money where its mouth is, which they have so far failed dismally to do,” said Ms Vincent.
“South Australia is coming off a very low base in per capita funding for people with disability – we have the lowest funding in mainland Australia.
“Arresting this appalling funding situation and successfully empowering people with disability is going to require a significant mind shift in the Government’s approach to the sector and much higher, adequate levels of funding.
“I am apprehensive because I suspect, once again, we will see too much talk and not enough action in disability, particularly with the budgetary constraints outlined by the Treasurer last week.
“People with disability are sick of being consigned to the bottom of the pile in this state – the disgraceful figures on the unmet needs list are testament to this.
“The sooner we see self managed funding, and the other recommendations in the Blueprint introduced and funded, the better chance we have of empowering people with disability to have some dignity and choice in their lives.
“It’s a great shame that, in 2011, the idea that Governments might give people with disabilities some control over their everyday living is still being labelled ‘revolutionary’.
“I also look forward to seeing the promised legislative change in the justice system, and in the out-dated Disability Services Act. While they are heartening, and I am keen to work with the Government on them, what the Government really seeks to achieve with these measures is to simply make up for years of neglect and inadequate delivery.
“I have been trying to amend the Disability Services Act this year without support from the Government, and with Parliament now prorogued, I will need to go back to the drawing board.
“If these changes aren’t made urgently, South Australia will be even further behind the eight-ball in supporting the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme,” she added.
