Physical Disability Australia exists to convince governments to mandate laws and rules that enable the full participation of people with physical disability in all areas of society.

Values

Physical Disability Australia's actions are based on:

  • the personal experience of disability
  • information from across Australia
  • a Social Model of Disability
  • a powerful belief in the capacities of people with physical disabilities
  • a determination to effect and initiate change through monitoring, proactivity and creativity

Goals

Physical Disability Australia's goals are to:

  • educate, advise, resource and respond to government
  • attempt to keep decision makers hones
  • effect and initiate change
  • be a united voice
  • be a grass roots organisation
  • be a watchdog
  • be proactive and creative
  • to voice that disability is normal and therefore we are equal.

Statistics of people with physical disability in Australia

One in five people in Australia (3,958,300 or 20%) had a reported disability in 2003. A further 4,149,000 (21%) had a long-term health condition that did not restrict their everyday activities. The remaining 11,703,800 (59%) had neither a disability nor a long term health condition.

Of those with a reported disability, 86% (3,387,900) had a specific limitation or restriction, that is were limited in the core activities of self care, mobility or communication, or restricted in schooling or employment. Most people with a disability (76%) were limited in one or more of these core activities.1

1. ABS - Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia. 4430.0.2003

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Characteristics of people with a physical disability

There are significant dangers in considering the general characteristics (and "needs") of people with a physical disability. Like the population at large, there is a great diversity amongst people with a physical disability, in terms of cultural and religious background, age, income, educational, employment and housing tenure status and aspirations.

Additionally, depending on the nature of the physical disability and age of onset, people with a physical disability have a diverse range of experiences relating to specialist services and levels of exclusion from mainstream services and facilities. A small proportion of individuals are compensated for their handicaps through accident insurance schemes, whilst others (previously or currently accommodated in large residential care facilities) have struggled for years to be included as members of the community.

Regardless of individual differences, it can be said with confidence that people with a physical disability, particularly those with significant mobility handicaps:

  • have great difficulty gaining access to public and private buildings because of physical barriers such as steps, steepness of site and lack of parking and no lifts to higher floors;
  • face greater costs than people without a disability, as a direct result of their disability (equipment, modifications to vehicles, household appliances and housing, home maintenance, transport, personal and health care and managing a household, and more...);
  • generally cannot access public transport and are reliant on taxis, or private vehicles with varying levels of taxi and/or transport subsidy throughout Australia;
  • face significant discrimination in finding a job and obtaining promotional opportunities, despite the avenues for redress through disability discrimination legislation, including the Australian Public Service which has systematically declined in numbers of people with disability employed, over the last 5 plus years;
  • have lower incomes than their age / education peers due to greater difficulties in getting employment and in achieving promotion;
  • have fluctuating income if their impairment is associated with medical conditions leading to episodic periods of hospitalisation and/or absence from work (such people include some people with spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, etc.);
  • have low disposable incomes due to the combination of low incomes and the cost of disability;
  • may require a higher standard of amenity for their household size (to cater for equipment storage, a visiting support worker and circulation space) and/or may need to be located in an expensive residential area near specialist medical facilities.

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