ACOSS and the New Regime

“ACOSS supports the Government’s goal of transitioning more people into work but urge all Members of Parliament to amend the welfare package to ensure rules are applied fairly and no one is left financially worse off.”

I fully support the following ACOSS statement.

“We know that one of the main pathways out of poverty is secure employment. However, areas that are job-rich are often the most expensive to live and many jobless people have a low level of experience and skills with which to find work.”

“These barriers to work that people with disabilities and single parents have are not those that can be solved by changes to payment rules. The payments system must be part of assistance to ensure that single parents and people with disabilities have access to appropriate education, training and support so they can get jobs in today’s economy.”

What is needed is real, positive, affirmative action to tear down the barriers and attitudes that block the disabled from getting a job. A DEWR employee told me that their own modelling shows 98% of a disabled person's chances of getting work are beyond their control once they are disabled.

If the Government wants to focus on ability, it must lead the way in providing positions suited for people with disabilities.