Let’s make it plainly clear, Disability Royal Commission Recommendation 5.6 stated:
The Australian Government should establish:
- * a portfolio responsible for the disability and carers policies and programs
- * a ministerial position – the Minister for Disability Inclusion – responsible for disability inclusion strategy, policies and programs
- * a Department of Disability Equality and Inclusion, responsible for the national disability and carers policies and programs.
Labor has just had an outstanding federal election win, gaining a huge majority.
Surely this is the perfect opportunity to implement the above DRC recommendations?
If not now, then when?
The DRC also recommended:
People with disability should be recruited to positions within the new department, including into leadership positions.
PDA congratulates Ali France on winning the seat of Dickson and Senator Jordon Steele-John on his re-election at Saturday’s federal election. There is a feeling of optimism in the air amongst much of Australia’s disability community. Let’s hope that the voices of these two representatives are heard and listened to by government, and that positive change is on the cards.
Physical Disability Australia’s CEO, Jeremy Muir calls on the Labor government to now “show that it has listened and heard the disability community and understands that those of us living with disabilities must be at the forefront of disability inclusion, disability policy and disability programs. Our lived experiences of disability need to be the foundations from which real and positive change grows.”
Vice President and NSW Director of PDA, Mark Pietsch, said “We belong in the room where the conversation takes place. We’re not an afterthought. We’re citizens, leaders, parents, professionals, entrepreneurs, artists, voters. We are the faces, minds and bodies of disability and we’re ready to shape the future of this country for people living with disability. To make this happen, we need to be in the same room with those that we gave our votes to, looking at the same agenda and contributing equally.”
No Decisions About Us! Without Us!
We ask the Prime Minister to put the call out to all of us living with a disability.
We are present and we are here.
We live, work and play among you and we can direct Australia to truly become a fully inclusive community.
