Is it fair to put people with disabilities onto dole queue?

May 17 2002 - The Brotherhood of St Laurence argues that the Federal Government should renegotiate its proposed budget policy of moving people with disabilities onto unemployment benefits.

"The Federal Government should think seriously about negotiating changes in the Senate to its proposed policy of transferring people on the disability support pension to unemployment benefits," says Brotherhood General Manager, Stephen Gianni.

"The Brotherhood of St Laurence helps people with physical and psychological disabilities find work and we have found many possess good skills and are extremely willing to work.

"But there are already seven jobseekers for every vacancy. The need to create more secure full-time jobs is already obvious. It would be even more apparent if 200,000 people with disabilities join the dole queue.

"Asking vulnerable people to find jobs that demonstrably do not exist is simply cruel and unfair.

"Unless there is also meaningful job creation, then transferring people from the disability support pension onto unemployment benefits looks like a cynical cost-cutting exercise at the expense of people we should be working to protect.

"At the very least, more thought needs to go into how people with disabilities can be supported in their job-search without forcing them into a system of mutual obligation that could lead to their benefits being cut.

"It is important that people with disabilities are not stigmatised and devalued and that we focus on people's abilities and capacities."

The budget plan for the Disability Support Pension (DSP) is to move those assessed to be capable of 15 hours per week (previously 30 hours per week) onto unemployment benefits. Newstart allowance is less than DSP and does not cater for additional costs associated with their disability.

The mental health charity SANE Australia is also warning against budget proposals to limit access to the Disability Support Pension.

'The Government clearly fails to understand mental illness, and what these changes will mean for those affected with a psychiatric disability,' said SANE's Executive Director, Barbara Hocking.

'The budget ignores the "invisible" symptoms of mental illness and its episodic nature. It ignores the fact that people want to participate fully in society, but are impaired due to illness,' said Ms Hocking.

And Catholic Welfare Australia says that the Government's mean-streak towards disadvantaged continues and budget changes are re-defining what is means to be disabled in Australia today.

'The 'bad back' scenario offered by Mr Costello exposes all people living with disabilities to demonstration," said Mr O'Connor, National Director of Catholic Welfare Australia. "Once again we see a pattern emerging from the Government that puts everyone within a marginalised group under the microscope in the hope of catching a few people out. First it was the dole bludgers and jobs snobs, then the queue jumpers and now disability pensioners."

"The fact of the matter is that there is no accurate data regarding disabilities," said Mr O'Connor. "Questions on disabilities were withdrawn from the recent Census due to cost."

"The Government does appear to be making a concerted effort to prepare the nation for our aging population by increasing funding in the Aged Care sector. A similar approach needs to be taken in the Disability sector," Mr O'Connor said. 'With an ageing population you would expect there to be an increase in age related disabilities. It is an issue of "wear and tear" for many and it is in the nation's best interest to improve health outcomes for all people."

"The Government must open up discussion regarding the needs of people with disabilities in much the same way as they are currently doing with the aged," said Mr O'Connor. "If Mr Costello is true to his Inter-Generational focus then we need to discuss and explore the range of approaches that should be taken to tackle the problem in the long term. The Government has not asked what can be done to prevent disability or to better treat disabilities to reduce their impact."

Mr O'Connor concluded, 'this is not a clear cut issue and the factors involved are complex and diverse - it is unfortunate that the Government chose to voice such a narrow-minded view in last night's Budget."

See also: Jobs growth policies must include people with disabilities

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