Greens' disability amendments passed into law!

Abigail passed THREE Greens' disability amendments into law this week, an incredible achievement which will now see LGBTIQ+ people with disability have their needs fully recognised, require Gov to undergo better community consultation, and strengthen the State Disability Inclusion Plan.

The successful amendments which are now in law are as below:

Ms ABIGAIL BOYD (16:52): I move The Greens amendment No. 5 on sheet c2022‑108A:

No. 5 Principles recognising the needs of particular groups

Page 3, Schedule 1. Insert after line 2—

[1F] Section 5 Principles recognising the needs of particular groups

Insert after section 5(5)—

(5A) Supports and services provided to LGBTIQ+ people with disability are to be provided in a way that—

(a) addresses the needs of LGBTIQ+ people with disability, and

(b) is informed by consultation with LGBTIQ+ people with disability.

This amendment inserts into the principles recognising the needs of particular groups the recognition of LGBTIQ+ people. I note that general principle (6) of the Act states that:

People with disability have the right to respect for their cultural or linguistic diversity, age, gender, sexual orientation and religious beliefs.

The statutory review into the Act found that this is sufficient recognition of the needs of LGBTIQ+ people with disability. LGBTIQ+ with disability—like Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disability, people with disability from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, women with disability and children with disability—all of whom are recognised under section 5, are at particular risk of discrimination and marginalisation and barriers to inclusion. For example, access to health treatment is a point of particular concern for LGBTIQ+ people with disability. For those reasons it is necessary to amend this section.

This amendment was agreed to and passed successfully with a majority vote.

Ms ABIGAIL BOYD (17:16): I move The Greens amendment No. 8 on sheet c2022-108A:

No. 8 State Disability Inclusion Plan

Page 3, Schedule 1. Insert after line 13—

[3B] Section 10(2)

Omit the subsection. Insert instead—

(2)In preparing the State Disability Inclusion Plan, the Department must consult with—

(a) people with disability, and

(b) the Disability Council, and

This amendment expands on the existing requirement for the Government to consult with people with disability when preparing the State Disability Inclusion Plan by also requiring consultation with the Disability Council NSW and disability advocacy organisations. Currently it could be argued that a brief discussion with a small group of persons with disability fulfils the consultation obligation under the Act. This amendment creates a much more comprehensive consultation framework that ensures third-party experts are given the opportunity to contribute to the review and remaking of the State Disability Inclusion Plan.

This amendment was agreed to and passed successfully.

Ms ABIGAIL BOYD(17:17): I move The Greens amendment No. 9 on sheet c2022-108A:

No. 9 State Disability Inclusion Plan

Page 3, Schedule 1. Insert after line 13—

[3C] Section 10(4)

Omit the subsection. Insert instead—

(4)The State Disability Inclusion Plan must not form part of another document.

This amendment creates a requirement for the State Disability Inclusion Plan to stand alone as its own document, rather than being published as part of a document prepared for another purpose. Ensuring the State Disability Inclusion Plan is a standalone document gives due recognition to the importance of disability inclusion and makes the plan more accessible to the public. Governments that are held to account by the public are always better for it. Ensuring that the State DIP is a living document that can be engaged with easily will improve disability inclusion in this State.

This amendment was agreed to and passed successfully.

Abigail also moved 5 other Greens' amendments which did not pass.

TAX SUPERPROFITS TO PAY WORKERS MORE

NSW is missing out on tens of billions of dollars. By introducing a progressive coal royalty structure similar to the one in Queensland, we would have raised an extra $20 billion last year.

The NSW Government owns and controls, on behalf of the people of this state, the rights to the minerals and materials that naturally occur in NSW land.

Huge fossil fuel companies are only able to extract and sell these commodities with the consent of the State. It’s time they paid a fair price for that privilege.

The fossil fuel industry has made hundreds of billions of dollars out of their cosy relationship with governments. Granted permission to extract and sell coal, these large multinational fossil fuel corporations pay just over 7% in royalties back to the people of NSW – keeping the rest as mega-profits for themselves. These companies have a track record of taking more than their fair share and leaving communities suffering and stranded with poisoned groundwater, devastated landscapes and a stranded workforce when it suits their business models.

Globally, the hyper-inflation of fossil fuel prices driven by price-gouging opportunism and war profiteering from Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has delivered record windfall profits to these already obscenely wealthy corporations. In the last year, NSW coal exports totaled over $70 billion dollars, but the people of NSW will only see about 7 cents in every dollar, or about $6 billion dollars of that amount.

Rather than going toward schools, hospitals and public infrastructure, billions of dollars went into the pockets of multinational mining corporations. The Greens believe there should be more money for schools and hospitals and less for mining billionaires.

Sign our petition calling on the NSW Labor Government to increase coal royalties to invest in communities.

Will you sign?

First Name

Last Name

Mobile phone

Address (Street, Suburb, State, Postcode)

Country

I want to volunteer

Join with Facebook

Join with Twitter

Greens' disability amendments passed into law!

TAX SUPERPROFITS TO PAY WORKERS MORE

Sign our petition calling on the NSW Labor Government to increase coal royalties to invest in communities.

Will you sign?

Join the Campaign

Join 50,072 other supporters in taking action