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The business of exclusion

By Naomi Anderson - posted Friday, 18 February 2011


Reported by the ABC this week, the president of the Business Council of Australia proposed that money for flood and cyclone reconstruction should come from disability pensions which 'may not be the best use of government money.'     Graham Bradley says 'it is one of the large budget items' and it is in people's best interests to get back to work.

This is not a unique perspective.  The outgoing head of FaHCSIA laid the ground for this last December, pointing to ballooning numbers.

While the internet lit up on Twitter, Facebook, and online comments, there was an underlying tone, perhaps best articulated by shayne:

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there are a large number of people on disability pension that don't need to be - I know of a few myself. the disability pension is pref. to the dole, you don't need to seek work and you get paid more. ultimately, you have an income no-questions-asked for life

The BCA later retracted  the statement by a media release, which is now available in amended form.  The original wording is reflected in an email stating:

'The BCA has not suggested that the disability pension should be either cut or reduced. Our position has always been that people with disabilities who can and want to work should be supported in this endeavour, including through incentive structures.'

There are some important points to consider here.

Firstly, there is an underlying assumption that people on the DSP are bludging.  Not all of them, but enough for people to find it acceptable that the DSP is under attack.  Apparently everybody 'knows somebody' in this category.  Centrelink has a public process for reporting fraud. It is not clear why people are comfortable making angry accusations online, but do not support Centrelink in tracking welfare cheats down.  Likewise the number of people purporting to be GP's who claim they sign forms for people who really could work.  So why do they sign the form?

The vast majority of legitimate DSP recipients are then lumped in with the "cheats" and the rise in recipient numbers becomes a function of the level of rorting, rather than being subject to careful analysis.  The fact is, when people with a disability are employed, they generally do not receive the DSP.  When people with a disability are unable to secure employment, the number of people receiving the DSP increases. 

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Is this because people with a disability don't want to work?  Public service employment of people with disability has almost halved in the past two decades. 

It is therefore of serious concern when Dr Harmer states that the DSP needs review, because it is his own policies which have contributed to this decline - policies which would include recruitment and selection.  When Dr Harmer is reported as favouring 'a tougher approach'  arguing for a need to make the gateway ... tougher, and (because) once they get on it they are virtually on it for life', there is an underlying message that people with a disability are lazy and prefer to passive recipients of benefits that contribute to society. 

The Human Rights Commissions, national and Victorian, consistently report that the highest numbers of complaints received are about disability and employment.  People with disability want to work, but experience discrimination every step of the way.

The BCA, representing the top 100 businesses in Australia are the types of organisations where people with a disability might seek work.    As an organisation, they represent the very bodies that could support a reduction in DSP recipients, by giving people a chance.

The concept of 'incentive' underlies both the BCA and Dr Harmer's comments.  The incentive for most people to work is reasonably unarguable: satisfaction, inclusion, money, gossip around the water cooler.  We like to do a good job, we like to be paid for it, and we enjoy being a part of something.  How is it that the 'incentive' for people with disability would be any different?

Surely the word they are looking for is opportunity?

People with a disability experience higher unemployment than others (as well as a broad range of other disadvantages, see Shut Out).  They complain about discrimination in employment.  It seems the conversation is missing some of the more obvious alternative views.

Big business aims to attract the best and brightest.  They compete in the 'war for talent' and pay huge salaries and benefits to those at the top of the ladder.  In seeking economies, roles elsewhere are sacrificed, or more efficient, competent people hired.  Those efficient, competent people then seek more money elsewhere, and job tenure becomes shorter, recruitment agencies make money, and HR departments grow.

In two decades of dealing with them I have never seen a person with a disability at Centrelink or Medicare, and only twice in large organisations that are members of BCA.  (Leaving aside that not all disabilities are visible to a stranger, this is still a very low incidence.)  Why is this?

Rather than scapegoating the vulnerable, the best minds of big business would be better utilised coming up with solutions.  Here are some thoughts:

  • Create a disability employment target for large organisations, including the public service.  Publish and celebrate those who do well - like the EOWA or the AEC.
  • Assign an executive to sponsor a push to increase employment of people with disability.  Determine how they are being excluded, and find ways to do better.  Show leadership.
  • Think laterally.  People with vision impairments have worked extremely effectively in call centres because of their reliance on sound cues.  Understand the unique strengths of people with a disability, and find opportunities. 

And finally, before assuming that people on a benefit administered by Centrelink are lazy and disinterested, take an interest in disability issues, spend a day with a community organisation, find out the facts.  The Business Council is in no way qualified to make statements about what is best for people with a disability.  They could however learn from this appalling gaffe and try to find out.

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This article first appeared on February 15, 2011 on the author's blog Naomi Anderson.



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About the Author

Naomi Anderson has worked in the human resources field for over fifteen years, and is the parent of a person with a disability. Passionate about creating positive change in areas of human rights and disability, she is the founder of www.disabilitydirectory.net.au.

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Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

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