Disability Works Australia
22/06/2011
The Hon. K.L. VINCENT (14:42): I seek leave to make an explanation before asking the Minister for Public Sector Management questions regarding Disability WORKS Australia.
Leave granted.
The Hon. K.L. VINCENT: Disability WORKS Australia is an organisation which, as described on its website, provides employers with access to a single, free and effective contact point for recruiting people with disabilities. A few weeks ago my office received a call from the CEO of Disability WORKS Australia, Ms Tina Zeleznik, who advised that the organisation has provided services to the state government in managing the SA Public Service Disability Employment Register. From what Ms Zeleznik has said, they do a fine job, having placed 834 job seekers with a disability into the public sector since 2001.
I am told that Disability WORKS Australia managed the Disability Employment Register at no cost to the state government between 2001 and 2007, with the commonwealth footing the bill for this period but, for the past three years, the state government has, to some extent, paid its own way by funding the organisation with $100,000 per year. However, just last week Ms Zeleznik received a letter advising that the funding had been cut from this year’s state budget. Despite this, I understand that the state government still intends to retain Disability WORKS’ services.
I remind honourable members that, last sitting week, the Minister for Public Sector Management advised that she had requested a report on the progress of measures taken towards the employment of people with a disability in the public sector. My questions to the minister are:
- Why did the government decide to stop funding DWA?
- At which point did the government decide to cease funding to DWA?
- Why did the government cease funding to Disability WORKS Australia before the aforementioned report was finalised?
- Does the minister concede that it is a bit rich to ‘defund’ Disability WORKS Australia while still expecting it to provide the Public Service Disability Employment Register?
