Post by Banker on Apr 7, 2013 20:27:29 GMT 7
Australia's welfare system is broken, with thousands trapped on disability support
AUSTRALIA'S welfare system is "broken" - with up to 400,000 people trapped on the disability support pension who could work with the right support, a top community service body says.
Mission Australia chief executive Toby Hall has questioned how Australia has reached a point where more than $130 billion is expected to be allocated to welfare spending in next month's budget.
Reforms by the government in recent years - which have seen only 7,826 leave the disability support pension (DSP), with 824,082 recipients remaining - had only closed "the stable door after the horse has bolted."
"The evidence absolutely shows with the right support, we are talking around 350,000-400,000 people who could go back into the workforce which is why we think it is such an important issue," Mr Hall said.
"Those people, through no fault of their own, are left without a proper level of support, they don't have access to employment like everyone else. Fundamentally, that is wrong."
The DSP is forecast to cost almost $15 billion this financial year and almost $17 billion by 2015-16, with successive governments failing to get more people who can work back into employment.
Singles on the DSP receive $733.70 a fortnight, compared with $497 for a single person on the Newstart allowance paid to job seekers.
Mr Hall told News Limited the DSP had grown by "280 per cent over the last three decades. There is certainly no evidence there has been a similar increase in disability across the nation."
He said up to 85 per cent of people with mental health problems - who make up almost a third of DSP recipients - could return to work with the right support and training.
"It is good for them, it is good for the country," he said.
Mission Australia, a non-denominational Christian organisation, assists 300,000 Australians each year and has run specialised employment training for more than a decade.
Disability Employment Australia CEO Lynette May said the number of people who could return to at least eight hours of work a week was between 350,000 and 400,000.
Ms May's organisation has 2,500 employment service outlets for disabled people nationwide, with many run by organisations such as the Salvation Army.
She said an overhaul of support and of the culture of workplaces was needed to allow more disabled people to work.
"We need to change our working arrangements to pick up on strengths," she said.
Nova Employment spokesman Ryan Goodwin said his organisation, which is government-funded, moves at least 1,000 DSP pensioners per year to work.
"There is definitely a big gap between the numbers of people on it (the DSP) as opposed to people who couldn't function in a work environment," he said.
Disability Reform Minister Jenny Macklin said: "I want to see people who have some capacity to work supported to do so.
"Work provides independence, purpose and dignity and a sense of achievement. I believe we can do better than a lifetime spent on income support for Australians who have some capacity to work."
She said the small drop in DSP recipient numbers was the first decrease since 2006 and since removing the cap on disability employment services, Ms Macklin said 155,000 disabled people had found work.
The grant rate of the pension has also fallen to 42.4 per cent, down from 63.3 per cent after impairment tables were tightened, more thorough assessment of claims was introduced and people were asked to demonstrate if they had a capacity for work.
www.news.com.au/breaking-news/australias-welfare-system-is-broken-with-thousands-trapped-on-disability-support/story-e6frfkp9-1226614397243
AUSTRALIA'S welfare system is "broken" - with up to 400,000 people trapped on the disability support pension who could work with the right support, a top community service body says.
Mission Australia chief executive Toby Hall has questioned how Australia has reached a point where more than $130 billion is expected to be allocated to welfare spending in next month's budget.
Reforms by the government in recent years - which have seen only 7,826 leave the disability support pension (DSP), with 824,082 recipients remaining - had only closed "the stable door after the horse has bolted."
"The evidence absolutely shows with the right support, we are talking around 350,000-400,000 people who could go back into the workforce which is why we think it is such an important issue," Mr Hall said.
"Those people, through no fault of their own, are left without a proper level of support, they don't have access to employment like everyone else. Fundamentally, that is wrong."
The DSP is forecast to cost almost $15 billion this financial year and almost $17 billion by 2015-16, with successive governments failing to get more people who can work back into employment.
Singles on the DSP receive $733.70 a fortnight, compared with $497 for a single person on the Newstart allowance paid to job seekers.
Mr Hall told News Limited the DSP had grown by "280 per cent over the last three decades. There is certainly no evidence there has been a similar increase in disability across the nation."
He said up to 85 per cent of people with mental health problems - who make up almost a third of DSP recipients - could return to work with the right support and training.
"It is good for them, it is good for the country," he said.
Mission Australia, a non-denominational Christian organisation, assists 300,000 Australians each year and has run specialised employment training for more than a decade.
Disability Employment Australia CEO Lynette May said the number of people who could return to at least eight hours of work a week was between 350,000 and 400,000.
Ms May's organisation has 2,500 employment service outlets for disabled people nationwide, with many run by organisations such as the Salvation Army.
She said an overhaul of support and of the culture of workplaces was needed to allow more disabled people to work.
"We need to change our working arrangements to pick up on strengths," she said.
Nova Employment spokesman Ryan Goodwin said his organisation, which is government-funded, moves at least 1,000 DSP pensioners per year to work.
"There is definitely a big gap between the numbers of people on it (the DSP) as opposed to people who couldn't function in a work environment," he said.
Disability Reform Minister Jenny Macklin said: "I want to see people who have some capacity to work supported to do so.
"Work provides independence, purpose and dignity and a sense of achievement. I believe we can do better than a lifetime spent on income support for Australians who have some capacity to work."
She said the small drop in DSP recipient numbers was the first decrease since 2006 and since removing the cap on disability employment services, Ms Macklin said 155,000 disabled people had found work.
The grant rate of the pension has also fallen to 42.4 per cent, down from 63.3 per cent after impairment tables were tightened, more thorough assessment of claims was introduced and people were asked to demonstrate if they had a capacity for work.
www.news.com.au/breaking-news/australias-welfare-system-is-broken-with-thousands-trapped-on-disability-support/story-e6frfkp9-1226614397243