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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2018-07-24 Daily Xml
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Disability Employment

The Hon. J.S. LEE (14:59): My question is to the Minister for Human Services about the Disability Employment Forum. Can the minister please inform the chamber about the recent Disability Employment Forum and outline the opportunities available for employment and career development for people with disability?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (14:59): I thank the honourable member for her excellent question. Employment is one of the most significant issues facing Australians with a disability. The Australian Bureau of Statistics 2015 Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers identified that some 53 per cent of working-age people with disability participated in the workforce, compared with 83 per cent of people with no reported disability. Australia ranks 21st out of 29 in the OECD countries for participation of people with disability in employment. Forty-five per cent of people with disability in Australia live on or below the poverty line, with a weekly median income of $465, which is less than half that of people with no reported disability ($950).

The data dashboard compiled by the South Australian Office for the Public Sector indicates that, in 2017, employees with disability comprised only 1.4 per cent of the public sector workforce. Figures for local government and the private sector aren't available. Although the primary responsibility for the provision of targeted income support and employment initiatives lies with the commonwealth government, state and local governments are major employers and can lead by example in providing employment and achieving workplace equality for people with disability.

In South Australia, the Department of Human Services, through the Disability Policy Unit, continues to support the introduction of disability access and inclusion plans by state government agencies, which aligns with the National Disability Strategy 2010-2020, with outcome areas including strategies and actions to improve employment for people with disability. It's a key component of the recently passed Disability Inclusion Act, which requires overarching disability inclusion plans.

I was pleased that the Disability Policy Unit hosted a forum on 13 July to prepare public sector agencies and local governments to comply with the act and the requirement to develop their disability action inclusion plans, including strategies to improve employment outcomes for people with disability. Speakers included representatives from the South Australian Office for the Public Sector, the Victorian public service commission and Job Access.

I had the privilege of opening the forum, and there was a welcome from Mr Richard Bruggemann, who is well-known as a professorial fellow and a long-time employee of the state government and a very experienced person in terms of driving disability policy. Data was outlined by Mr Frank Turner, who, again, is a long-term employee of the department. Ms Erma Ranieri spoke as the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment.

There was a range of people who attended. I was pleased to see that local government and state government were well represented. I think it was a very useful forum to expose some of the opportunities that state and local government have in providing opportunities for people with a disability. I look forward to further forums as we roll out the access and inclusion requirements under the new legislation.

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