2021-08-28
Advocating for people with disabilities, and the young
By Senator Jordon Steele-John
Hi Everyone!
I thought I’d use my Green Issue update this month to share with you a snapshot of the work we’ve been doing alongside the disability community. If you’d like to get involved volunteering with our campaigns to increase the human rights of disabled people, let us know here: https://greens.org.au/volunteer-with-jordon
A huge Greens + Community win ‒ Independent Assessments
Independent Assessments were the Liberals plan to come after our National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). They were pursuing their cost-cutting agenda by making disabled people do an “Independent Assessment” ‒ where strangers would come into our homes, do “an assessment” of our needs, and make decisions that will affect our lives and the supports we need.
Our office helped coordinate people all around the country to lobby State and Federal Disability Ministers, we asked lots of questions at parliament uncovering the Liberal agenda. And as a community we demonstrated how powerful we are ‒ thousands of members of our disability community contacted their local Disability Minister with a clear message ‒ the community says no to Independent Assessments and the Liberal’s proposed changes to undermine our NDIS.
And in amazing news ‒ people power won! ‒ the Liberal Government has bowed to community pressure and has ditched their plan for Independent Assessments. As always, we’ll remain vigilant and our campaign to improve the NDIS continues.
Calling for Faster Vaccine Roll-Out and a recovery plan that centers on the needs of disabled people and young people
I’ve been attending Parliament virtually this month, working from my office in Perth, one of my priorities has been to ensure that as the conversation moves towards “opening up” and living with COVID that the needs of disabled people, young people, and others so often forgotten by the Liberal Government are centered in our Greens way forward.
The Greens have been calling on the government to properly roll out phases 1A and 1B to ensure disabled people and those in our network are able to access a vaccine. We’ve also been calling for the government’s vaccination target to include those under the age of 16.
Protecting WhistleBlowers at the Disability Royal Commission
The Royal Commission into violence, abuse, neglect, and exploitation of disabled people was established in 2019. Since then I have been raising the alarm that the confidentiality provisions in the Disability Royal Commission are insufficient. After years of campaigning, we are close to having finalised legislation that will allow those with confidential information to come forward to the Disability Royal Commission with trust. The changes I and the team have secured will ensure that information provided to the Commission in confidence, will remain confidential after the Royal Commission ends and there are stronger protections for those who expose the failings of organisations such as a government department, corporations, or institutions.
I encourage all disabled people to share their experiences of violence, abuse, neglect, and exploitation with the Commission. The Commissioners need to hear from all of us to get a total picture of violence, abuse, and neglect that is occurring in all settings all across the country.
I continue to be really proud of the work we are doing to progress the human rights of disabled people. At the next election, with a small change in the vote, The Greens can be in balance of power. The Greens, alongside the community, have already achieved so much for the disability community, and in the balance of power, we will prioritise ensuring all disabled people are able to access the NDIS quickly, where ever they are across the country, and we will be in a position to ensure the recommendations that will be made by the Royal Commission are implemented thoroughly and quickly.
Header photo: A disability pride workshop held at Jordon's Perth office