Source: Office of the National Council on Intellectual Disability (NCID)

National Council on Intellectual Disabiltity
PO Box 771 Mawson ACT 2607
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02 6296 4400
www.ncid.org.au

NCID Media Statement
31 January 2008

Australian Disability Ministers to meet in Melbourne as Australia is shown to be a cruel place for thousands [31/1/2008]

Tomorrow, Friday 1 February 2008 the Australian Disability Ministers gather in Melbourne to begin a new future for 27,000 people with disability and their families who are in crisis.

This unique moment may be the once in a lifetime chance for these families to get the support that they need and deserve. Without the genuine commitment by the Commonwealth, States and Territories of additional funding (to that already promised) thousands of people will be condemned by the Ministers to ongoing stress and needless suffering.

In 2007 the Governments commissioned a report from the Australian Institute on Health and Welfare (AIHW) on unmet need for disability support. The Ministers’ Report identified that 27,000 people with profound disabilities were in urgent need.

That so many people are in dire need when governments have such huge budget surpluses is a disgrace and makes a lie of Australia being a fair and civilised country, NCID President Mr Allen said.

NCID calls on all governments and oppositions to make 2008 the year in which this national failure is fixed and to ensure that planning immediately takes place, so that the next AIHW report does not identify anyone in serious need.

This will only happen if the Ministers meeting tomorrow were genuine in commissioning the AIHW report and they now respond with the political will to make a difference, and demonstrate this with a substantial allocation of additional funding to some of Australia’s most vulnerable families.

Contacts:
Mr Rob Allen, President – 0407 823 107
Mr Mark Pattison, Executive Director – 0407 406 647