Labor Focus On Disability Plan

Labor Focus On Disability Plan

The Age

Friday November 9, 2007

By Annabel Stafford

A LABOR government would implement a whole-of-government approach to services for the disabled, the shadow minister for disabilities, Jan McLucas, said yesterday.

Under the plan every department would have to ensure it was providing disability services, "so if you're the Department of Transport, what are you doing to ensure people with disabilities get access to your services?" Senator McLucas said.

A Labor government would also expand a companion card scheme - already available in some states - for carers accompanying disabled people, to ensure free access to events and services.

And Labor said $962 million that the Coalition promised to spend on supported accommodation and respite for older carers - bypassing the states - would be funnelled back into state disability services on the condition that states match the funds.

Family and Community Services Minister Mal Brough promised earlier this year to match any extra money the states committed to disability services on top of funding already provided through the Commonwealth-state disability funding agreement.

But he later withdrew the offer to some states, saying they were slow to respond.

Negotiations for the next federal-state disability funding agreement have broken down.

In June the Government announced a $1.8 billion package for people with a disability and their carers, which includes the $962 million pledge. It has promised to spend this amount no matter what the states do.

Senator McLucas said yesterday that Labor's package - which also honours a Coalition commitment for one-off payments to carers - bettered the Government's by $800 million.

"We are very confident that all the states will (match the extra $962 million) and we have had firm commitments from four states already," she said.

The Labor plan would also allow disabled people to access both aged care and disability services as they aged.