Australians with disabilities need some positive help

[donnashuggy]

Seems like they are being punished instead and life is going to be made harder for them.

[donnashuggy]

The whole idea is shameful.

[kimmidoll001]

Has anybody given a thought to the double edge sword that is being proposed?  That is to force the DSP recipient onto the Newstart Payment which is nothing to do with disability, then the Carer of that recipient is also no longer eligible to be on the Carer Payment and the Carer would also be placed onto the Newstart payment and be forced to work regardless of their Carer duties.  Very clever eh? I am totally disgusted. 

[bella_again]

Kimmi good point it is concerning tha the govt have targeted such a vunerable group of people.  Waiting for tomorrow night and hoping that its not as bad as they say it will be.....

[fourandsixpants]

to  cutiegirl.

 You've got me crying cutiegirl......crying because I can feel someone at last is feeling what I have felt/feel so very often. Thank you so much for posting. So much fighting for every little crumb of assistance-only when we really really need it. Years and years of staying strong, day after day......some days are good some days.....well, no-one would understand.

I am so touched by your post. Thank you, you have truly warmed my heart which I thought was frozen.

to kimmidoll: Honestly?? this coalition mob should be thanking their fat little lucky stars that they abolished guns.  

[kimmidoll001]

I haven't seen it mentioned that this is what WILL happen, but given the way that things are heading and this governments favourite sport at the moment seems to be to kick the down and out and grind them into the ground like squashed ants (the survival of the fittest seems apt, or in the governments eyes, the survival of the wealthy and the healthy) I would not mind betting that their whole plan is to get both DSP recipients and Carers onto lower payments. 

Think about it, how can a Carer claim that payment if the recipient is on Newstart???

BTW I am sole Carer of my 2 sons, one a young adult and the other 13 with autism. 

Just when Carers were starting to be recognised and respected for the caring that they do, and also the disabled finally gaining some traction and hopefully feeling like there was a place in this world for them, and then this government comes along and treats them with utter contempt it seems.  They are not worthly of anything in their opinion unless they are out there earning money to pay tax regardless of their disability or ability to work. 

[cutegrlcat]

Another cruel tactic that Disability service has done to the severely disabled is cut the taxi subsidy and completely abolished the transport component of funding.  Then they give that person some funding for a disability day service of some kind, knowing full well that they are now unable to travel to that service.  Therefore they save money in transport AND funding that person for the day service because they have MADE SURE they are unable to acess it.  Is the govt really capable of such blatent cruelty?  YES!!   Parents or carers committing suicide is not uncommon within the disabilities commmunity, they just get kicked in the teeth time and time again.  It is not reported that widely because the media does not like to give the general public that sort of information and it looks so bad for our society that we push people to such desperation in our community.  Shame Australia shame!!!

[punch*drunk]

What percentage of people with disabilities have or require carers? I know several adults & children with disabilties and none have a carer recieving the carer payment. Even the profoundly disabled. I doubt that removing people from the carer payment is an alterior motive.

I also doubt that this kind of policy would target those that need carers.

I think there are almost certainly some people receiving DSP that could work and should therefore be reassessed. Its a tricky area though because no 2 disabilities are the same so I guess there will be some that are unneccesarily inconvenienced by getting reassessed and found to be still unable to work.

Perhaps some will want to be reassessed so they can get some assistance to get work.

[bella_again]

A lot of them esp in Victoria now do the ISP funding which is inclusive of that.  The trouble is its not enough and when the NDIS comes in under new agreements there is a chance that any care will be substandard because its being purchased for a lot less with a lot less standards and guidelines in place.  Someone I forget who, a while back here explained it really well on another thread about the NDIS.

I hate what the government is doing, its left carers full of anxiety about the future and it seems to be in the process of stripping away the little dignity and security they do have.  I have three girls with special needs, one is extremely high functioning the other two fall into the severe to moderate range of functioning.  I understand, though my girls are verbal they need a lot of extra assistance to do daily tasks.  I am lucky to have a supportive OH who backs me every step of the way.  The budget could be a disaster for us though we budget and do the best we can with what we have.  The cost of transport, therapies and medical care has been crippling.  For example just to put inserts into my DD's shoes is 380 dollars.  Not to mention the other therapies and care they need. 

And yet I consider myself lucky really, I know so many people who face far greater challenges than we do.I'm dreading tomorrows night budget but at least it will be out in the open.  I suggest though that those of us who have the time protest, write letters and make our local mps aware of our feelings.  Hopefully any changes will be blocked in the senate.

[kimmidoll001]

I hear you cutegrlcat, we all have similar stories to tell.  It is just one fight after another constantly with the bureaucrats to get a fair go for our children.  And you are right, we end up so tired and depressed that we give up. Maybe that is what this government wants and counts on..... I dunno, they just seem heartless for want of a better word and I feel that not only are our children being punished now, so are the Care givers.

[bella_again]

I would say the moderate to profoundly disabled are likely to require some form of carer assistance again it will depend on the type of disability and how you define profound.  But personally I've never known someone with a profound disability to not require a carer, I would question the definition there. As far as the DSP goes only those with a significant disability would have access to it anyway, you can't get onto it unless you are significantly impaired or affected by your disability.  Have you ever taken a look at the Adult assessment tool centrelink uses? You'd be surprised at how impaired you need to be.  There seems to be a perception in main stream society that anyone can get on DSP, but its not true.

If someone feels they can work they can easily go to centrelink and access the job search agencies. Why put 30,000 odd people through stress they don't need to go through? In the UK they used independent doctors paid thousands to meet so called targets to the detriment of the disabled there.  It's appalling...they don't care about people or the impact of their policies...