While squabbling will likely continue in the SA Parliament around the multi-million dollar Adelaide Oval upgrade, there hasn’t been nearly enough noise about another, more serious matter.
In December I called on the Government to lift their game on disability by increasing funding and I will keep making noise on this issue on the Greens’ behalf for as long as I have to.
As the most under-funded state in the country, SA is a disgrace when it comes to helping people with a disability.
South Australians with a disability get a measly $660 per person compared to $2,229 per person in the ACT. With approximately 20 per cent of Australia’s population classified as having a disability, it is disgusting that we care so little about so many in need.
Yet the Government is not the only culprit. Other industries, including Australia’s cinema chains, also are failing disabled Australians.
With the major cinema chains seeking an exemption from their human rights obligations for complaints made under Disability Discrimination, it is little wonder that the 3.5 million Australians with recognised hearing loss and the 500,000 who suffer from loss of sight can find very few cinema screenings of open captioned and audio described films that cater to their needs.
I am calling on the cinema industry to join the South Australian Parliament in treating people with a disability with the dignity and respect they deserve.
This requires a sizeable increase in funding, as well as facing up to other funding black holes for people with a disability.
Across the country, a young person with high care needs is placed in an aged care facility each day, leading to social isolation and other problems.
In South Australia close to 1000 young people are currently living in aged care homes. This is simply unacceptable!
Young people with a disability deserve to be placed in specialised facilities that offer rehabilitation and the specialised care they need to deal with acquired brain injuries and specific disabilities, like Parkinson’s disease or Muscular Dystrophy.
Now is the time to act to help people with a disability, through a significant increase in funding and by addressing the issue of youth care facilities.
Melbourne is to be congratulated for recently opening its first youth care facility, and we must follow suit here.
The Government’s response must be less about talk and rhetoric and more about action in responding to our gross treatment of people with a disability.
Tammy's Blog 