The Blueprint Finally Arrives
19/10/2011
The release of the Blueprint for Disability Reform this afternoon by the Premier Mike Rann is cause for relief in the disability community, says Dignity for Disability MLC Kelly Vincent.
The Premier commissioned the Social Inclusion Board to create the Blueprint in late 2009, and the Government has deferred tackling many issues in the disability sector while waiting for the report to be finalised.
“I am greatly relieved to see the Blueprint released because it will allow South Australia to finally look at some real action in the disability sector,” said Ms Vincent.
“I am also delighted that the Blueprint has made so many broad-reaching and progressive recommendations.”
Thirty-four recommendations are made in the Blueprint with several labelled as “priority action”.
“I can see that the Social Inclusion Board has listened to the disability community in making many of their recommendations,” said Ms Vincent.
“I am especially excited to see several recommendations for measures I have been strongly lobbying for.
“Among these very exciting recommendations is a call to inject immediate funding to deal with the unmet needs list, a recognition that the justice system needs to be more inclusive of people with disabilities and a move to a more rights based approach in service delivery.
“Additionally, the recommendations are fully supportive of transition to self-managed funding and a National Disability Insurance Scheme which I am delighted about.”
The South Australian Government is now faced with the challenging task of making these reforms happen.
“We must remain vigilant that this report does not go the way of the Layton Report, which made many excellent recommendations that were never enacted by Government,” said Ms Vincent.
“I commend the Social Inclusion Board for their work, and call on the South Australian Government to immediately begin implementing these reforms. Any excuses made will simply prove that the development of the Blueprint was a delay tactic to silence critics, rather than a serious attempt to reform the disability sector.”
