Page 247 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 10 December 2008
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did talk about, red tape will be reduced and administration streamlined, allowing providers more time to help people with a disability to find employment. As Minister O’Connor noted when announcing the new model, people with disabilities want work—and we know that employment is one of the most significant ways people can participate socially and economically in their communities and one of the best ways to break down stereotypes and prejudices and to promote social inclusion.
The new system will operate alongside general employment services but will be focused on providing employment services specifically for people with disabilities. The ACT Labor government has a strong belief that people living with a disability should be given the opportunity and support to achieve their full potential and be valued as equal participants in our community. That is why this government has many initiatives underway in the ACT aimed at fostering social inclusion for people with disabilities.
As members will be aware, last week we celebrated the United Nations International Day of Disabled Persons. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the many people who organised and assisted with a range of events held in the ACT and, equally, the many people who participated in the events. In Australia the day is referred to as the International Day of People with a Disability, as I mentioned, or I-Day. I-Day aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and to mobilise support for the dignity, rights and wellbeing of people with a disability. It also seeks to increase awareness of the community benefit of enabling and encouraging people with disabilities to participate in all aspects of political, social, economic and cultural life—a phrase that I know the Greens party use quite a lot, the triple bottom line approach.
This year the I-Day theme was dignity and justice for us all. That was the breakfast that we were referring to earlier on. Disability ACT hosted three events: a breakfast, a photographic exhibition and a fun day in the park. Fittingly, the celebration breakfast was held at the High Court of Australia. Seventy people attended that breakfast, which featured a keynote speech from the Human Rights Commissioner and Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Mr Graeme Innes AM. Graeme is a person with a disability himself; he is blind. He is a marvellous ambassador for human rights. His long record of initiative, activity and advocacy in the field of disabilities speaks volumes of his passion and experience in this area.
The photographic exhibition entitled A Different Focus features the acclaimed work of two people with disabilities, Jessica Irwin and Jenni Heckendorf. The Sunday Fun Day Community Festival was presented at the Stage 88 arena at Commonwealth Park and featured a diverse range of performers, stalls and family entertainment. These events all celebrated the power of inclusion and assisted in further raising the profile of people with disabilities as active and engaged members of the community.
Through my portfolio tasks, my contacts with people with disabilities have shown me that they have a strong permanent need to feel valued—and one of the best ways is for them to be employed and to be paid a wage. The act of receiving a pay cheque is a simple basic human illustration of acknowledging a job well done. Talk is cheap; rewards work and esteem climbs.
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