Commending Family Advocacy and PWDA's work in fighting for an inclusive and accessible society

Today in Parliament, Abigail passed a motion commending the work of Family Advocacy and People with Disability Australia in hosting the parliamentary forum “Securing prosperous futures: the vital link between inclusive education and employment”, and recognising the demands of the disability community.

Abigail moved:

(1)That this House notes that:

(a) on Tuesday 15 October 2024, Family Advocacy and People with Disability Australia [PWDA] held a parliamentary forum in New South Wales Parliament on "securing prosperous futures: the vital link between inclusive education and employment";

(b) Rosemary Kayess, Australia's Disability Discrimination Commissioner, the event's keynote speaker, spoke about the State and Federal governments' obligations and compliance under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities [CRPD] and the pathway forward for dismantling ableism and building an inclusive society with inclusive education and employment;

(i) Rhiannon Samuels-Connell, work experience advocate with lived experience;

(ii) Daniel McDonald, Gadigal and Wonnarua man, owner of Deadly Hand Talk and First Peoples Disability Network advocate, who gave a powerful welcome to country;

(iii) Megan Spindler-Smith, Deputy CEO, PWDA;

(iv) Cecile Sullivan Elder, Executive Officer, Family Advocacy;

(v) the Hon. Kate Washington, MP, Minister for Families and Communities and Minister for Disability Inclusion;

(vi) Liesl Tesch, MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Families and Communities and Parliamentary Secretary for Disability Inclusion;

(vii) the Hon. Natasha Maclaren-Jones, MLC, shadow Minister for Families and Communities, shadow Minister for Disability Inclusion, shadow Minister for Homelessness, and shadow Minister for Youth;

(viii) the Hon. Sarah Mitchell, MLC, shadow Minister for Education and Early Learning, and shadow Minister for Western NSW;

(ix) Alexander Greenwich, member for Sydney; and

(x) Abigail Boyd, MLC, Greens spokesperson for disability rights and inclusion.

(d) ahead of the forum, parliamentarians were sent a briefing note prepared by Family Advocacy and PWDA, which included an invitation for the Government to work with the disability community and their representatives to implement the following key recommendations for inclusive education and employment:

(i) that the NSW Department of Education adopt a definition of inclusive education that is consistent with the CRPD, in alignment with finding 6 of the New South Wales Legislative Council's Portfolio Committee No. 3 – Education report No. 52 entitled Children and young people with disability in New South Wales educational settings, dated August 2024;

(ii) that the Government fully "accept" the disability royal commission recommendation 7.5 "Careers guidance and transition support services" and recommendation 27 of the New South Wales Legislative Council's Portfolio Committee No. 3 – Education report No. 52 entitled Children and young people with disability in New South Wales educational settings, dated August 2024, in relation to improving career guidance and transition support services;

(iii) that the Government establish an independent complaints system, and fully "accept" the disability royal commission recommendation 7.10 "Complaint Management" and recommendation 23 of the Legislative Council of New South Wales Portfolio Committee No. 3 – Education report No. 52 entitled Children and young people with disability in New South Wales educational settings, dated August 2024 in relation to this;

(iv) that the Government annually monitor the experiences and outcomes of students with disability to take effective steps to improve longer term student outcomes; and

(v) that the New South Wales public service increase the percentage of people with disability in its employment in line with disability royal commission recommendation 7.18, including by increasing the disability representation of the teacher workforce and adopting a Customised Employment approach model within the New South Wales public service.

(2) That this House congratulates the efforts of all those involved in organising a successful event.

(3) That this House commends the ongoing work and advocacy of Family Advocacy and PWDA in fighting for an inclusive and accessible society free from ableism where all people with disability are able to live with dignity and thrive.

Motion agreed to.

22 October 2024

See Hansard for the transcript here at this link.

A UNIVERSAL WELLBEING PAYMENT FOR NSW

No matter who you are or what you do, everyone has the right to share in the wellbeing of our country.

But at the moment the essentials so many of us need – a place to call home, food on the table, and everyday essentials like electricity, internet, medicine and water – are simply out of reach.

Instead of supporting us, our government is choosing to prop up huge corporations with massive subsidies, and to give away our collective wealth through record tax cuts for the wealthy. Meanwhile, the rest of us are left to live paycheck to paycheck or trapped in the dehumanising bureaucracy of our existing welfare system.

Now, in the midst of a pandemic, and following quickly on the heels of the bushfire crisis, more of us than ever before are experiencing what it’s like to lose our jobs, be without a home, or worry about where the food for our next meal will come from.

It’s time for us to choose to prioritise the wellbeing of everyone.

And that’s exactly what the Universal Wellbeing Payment will do.

It’s a regular payment made to each of us to ensure our minimum standard of wellbeing. No means testing, no bureaucracy, no strings attached.

It’s the amount you’re owed simply for being a participant in our society.

It means you are free to live your life and contribute to society as you see fit, whether you’re a carer, an artist, a student, a parent, an entrepreneur – you can get on with what you need to do, knowing that you will always be supported regardless of your income.

It means that we’re choosing to structure our economy for the benefit of all of us, not using our collective wealth to prop up the interests of big business and the wealthy few.

It means you will always have what you need to live a good life, no matter what.

The Universal Wellbeing Payment is for everyone. Help us make it happen.

For more information, head to universalwellbeingpayment.com.au

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Commending Family Advocacy and PWDA's work in fighting for an inclusive and accessible society

A UNIVERSAL WELLBEING PAYMENT FOR NSW

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