Stories, not Statistics
02/12/2010
In the lead up to International Day of People with a Disability, Kelly Vincent MLC yet again calls on the Minister for Disability to clear the now infamous Unmet Needs Waiting list. However, this time Ms Vincent has also offered to help the Minister understand that there are stories behind these statistics.
“For years disability advocates have been calling on the State Government to clear the Unmet Needs List and for years people have languished while waiting for respite, accommodation, in-home support and other basic services” said Ms Vincent.
“This Government seems to accept that there is a crisis in the disability sector, at least their rhetoric does, but they do not seem to understand that it is people (not just the budget) who are in crisis.
“How is it, that in this day and age in South Australia we have more than 300 people who are seen as being in critical need of accommodation and more than 600 people who are in need of in-home support such as assistance with showering or getting into bed at night.
“I cannot understand why this State Government is allowing the crisis to continue. How can Mr Foley say that we don’t have the money when the State Government is happy to spend more than $500 million on a sports stadium?
Ms Vincent has decided to take a different tack by asking the people who are waiting for essential services to tell us a bit more about their story.
“Tomorrow, on the International Day of People with a Disability I am calling on all of those people who are on this voiceless list to speak to me about their unmet needs. I will be in Rundle Mall from 2pm until 3.30pm with a clipboard, ready to hear people’s stories.”
Ms Vincent will continue to collect the real stories of the people who are waiting on the list throughout the Parliamentary sitting break. People can tell their stories by either logging on to the Dignity for Disability Website at www.d4d.org.au from 3 December 2010 and filling in the ‘Stories not Statistics Survey’, or by contacting Ms Vincent’s office via phone (8237 9543) or email [email protected]
Ms Vincent will present the people and their stories behind the statistics to the Minister in February next year.
Ms Vincent will be in Rundle Mall tomorrow from 2pm until 3.30pm.
