Kelly Vincent MLC

1. call for a comprehensive review the ‘current’ South Australian Disability Services Act, which was first introduced in 1993. To the Party’s knowledge, the Act has not been reviewed since 1996. We want and need the Act to provide a more transparent and just Disability services system that compliments the way in which people with disAbilities, their families and carers live their lives today.

2. acknowledge the hardships of those currently on the Unmet Needs list for equipment and services. We believe that NO need should go unmet. Dignity for Disability looks forward to working with the Government in whatever way necessary to clear the current unmet needs list, and to provide recurrent funding with the option of Self Managed Funds, to prevent the future build-up of these lists.

3. applaud the work of carers of people with disAbilities, especially the forty percent of carers who identify as having a disability themselves. Despite the fact that it is often a labour of love, your work can be onerous. Dignity for Disability is calling for the introduction of a more accessible respite scheme for both people with DisAbilities and their carers and support workers which will promote physical and mental wellbeing for both the carer and the person being cared for.

4. work to change current law, where there is no mandatory reporting of abuse to people over the age of eighteen years. This does not take into account people with Intellectual Disabilities, who may not be able to recognise, let alone report, such tragedies as physical and emotional abuse and neglect themselves. Dignity for Disability will be moving toward the introduction of legislation that puts mandatory reporting for people with disAbilities in place, as we believe that all people have the right to physical and emotional integrity and security, regardless of their Disability or age.

5. recognise the limits the current Education and Transport systems place on the social, professional and developmental lives of many people with disAbilities. We will work for a more flexible system which properly supports the rights and capacities of people with disAbilities and enables their full and lifelong participation in society.

Dignity for Disability fully recognises that the points Kelly Vincent have raised today do not cover all of the issues people with Disabilities in SA are currently facing. However, we believe that they are the first steps to be taken in a long journey toward legislative change. It is critical that clear legislative changes are made in order to overhaul the current system by rectifying the deficiencies of the current laws and acts pertaining to the rights of People with Disabilities.

Every step we as a party, and we as a strong and unified disability community, take along that journey, will bring us closer to achieving Dignity for Disability’s ultimate goal: Allowing people with Disabilities, their families and carers, Dignity through Choice.