PWD Australia
MEDIA RELEASE
“Research, lived experience, and moral judgement inform us that even those with the most profound disability have a better life when supported in individual ways in the community,” says Meg Sweeney, a parent of a young woman with disability, and a strong advocate for the closure of institutions.
People with Disability Australia (PWD) is excited to launch a new Vodcast looking at Meg’s experience of visiting institutions, and her reasons for why housing and support within the community should be pursued by Australian governments.
You can see the Vodcast here: http://www.youtube.com/user/ShutInAustralia
This Vodcast is the third in the Shut In series, which aims to raise awareness about the ongoing government funding used to support institutions for people with disability, and regressive government decisions that have let to the redevelopment of institutions, particularly in NSW.
“Many parents are fearful around the support needs of their family member, and rightly so. When you do have a family member that has high support needs, particularly if they have frail medical health, then often the life and death situation are lifelong,” says Meg.
“But to me that’s not linked to a location, that’s linked to support, good support, and to well-qualified and understanding professionals that you are relying on to help manage your son or daughter’s health. That can happen just equally as well in the community as it can in an institution,” says Meg.
The need for the next NSW Government to fulfil its commitment to closing all institutions is one of the key action areas highlighted in PWD’s 2011 NSW Election Platform.
“This is the third promise from the NSW Government to close institutions over the past ten years or more,” says Jan Daisley, President of PWD.
“Not only do we still have institutions but the NSW Government has, and continues to redevelop more, continuing the out-dated legacy for a new generation of people with disability,” says Ms Daisley.
The PWD NSW Election platform calls on the next NSW Government to:
· Allocate and provide the resources necessary for residents to move to individualised community based housing and support options that will support their inclusion and participation in the general community.
· Significantly increase the availability of social support services necessary for persons with disability to live in and be a part of the community (such as personal care, domestic assistance, and daily living skills support). These measures ought to be subject to explicit, measurable targets.
· Stop the redevelopment of ‘contemporary’ institutions that are segregated simulations of the larger congregate style accommodation they take as their precedents. They continue to segregate and isolate persons with disability from their non-disabled peers in contradiction to Article 19 of CRPD.
To read the full PWD Election Bulletin, go the pwd website at www.pwd.org.au
For more info rmation, contact
Daphnee Cook
Communications and Membership Development Manager
People with Disability Australia
Phone 02 9370 3100
Toll Free 1800 422 015
Email: daphneec@pwd.org.au
People with Disability Australia Incorporated (PWD) is a national disability rights and advocacy organisation. Our primary membership is made up of people with disability and organisations mainly constituted by people with disability. We have a cross-disability focus - we represent the interests of people with all kinds of disability. PWD is a non-profit, non-government organisation.
Our vision is of a socially just, accessible and inclusive community, in which the human rights, citizenship, contribution, potential and diversity of all people with disability are respected and celebrated. This vision underpins everything that we do.
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