On disability and hairy-nosed wombats

Julia: "Then let me draw this analogy, for the benefit of working families, and the other people... This research is about a highly vulnerable species – and yes biodiversity loss is one of the effects of climate change – not, I hasten to add, anything to do with mining. Now, this new economics tool simply spits out the data on which species are too expensive to save. In this case it looks like we'll have to let it go. We could not find any way of bringing the hairy-nosed wombat into the market, say for its tourism value, or it's glands. It has no tusks. They actual smell, but there is no aphrodisiac in it we can flog to the Chinese for example."

Tony: "Yeah, I get ya."

Julia: "Now with people with disabilities likewise..."

Tony: "Uhuh, they're not bludgers if they can be included in the economy… As our Della said it all really: "[People with disabilities] represent a significant human resource whose potential can be harnessed. [They] can help address ... skills shortages for the good of our nation."

Julia: "Tony, at this point I must raise a serious point of principle and significant difference between us: It's our Della, not yours! "

Tony: "Whatever..."

Julia: "But let me continue Tony... This is exactly why we have a social inclusion policy, where we reframed disability from a patronizing dependency to one of a view of insurance risk, opportunity and participation."

Tony: "Yes I know, we support it too: NDIS. Read the draft report. Efficiency, effectiveness and competition. Right with you there but let's give credit where it's due: My political Dad John Howard started all that."

Julia: "Well, I don't recall. Let's not be historians here. It's ALP policy now in any case. But as I said, unlike the hairy-nosed wombat, people with disabilities...

Tony: "Ah! Aphrodisiac? ??"

Julia: "...can be given value in a market. The disability industry is a great, hard-working sector. We'll expand that. We'll further stimulate the economy with individual funding. Carers will pop out of the ground like topsy. No more bickering over meanings of inclusion because our economics tool, like…"

Tony: "... gotcha, like that used for the hairy-nosed wombat."