[tri-med] For the Aussies - OPEN LETTER TO FEDERAL PARLIAMENTARIANS

Content-Type: text/plain;
        charset="Windows-1252"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
=20

OPEN LETTER TO FEDERAL PARLIAMENTARIANS      11 September 2007

=20

I am writing to advise you that, in the lead up to the coming Federal =
election, people with disability, their families, friends, supporters =
and organisations will be =91Taking a Stand=92 for the supports and =
services that they need.=20

=20

Over the course of the recent CSTDA negotiations, people with disability =
and their families have looked with hope to the Government and to the =
Opposition for a commitment to the planning and funding that would see =
the end of the ongoing, debilitating and demeaning disability funding =
crisis. As yet this has not happened.

=20

The Howard Government=92s offer to match state funding for accommodation =
and respite services was welcomed. The withdrawal of that offer, without =
notice, was bitterly disappointing to people with disability and their =
families. While people in WA, ACT and NT continue to wait in hope that =
Mr Howard=92s promise will be honoured, people elsewhere are left, =
again, disillusioned and without hope!

=20

The Government=92s commitment, through the =91Commonwealth Assistance =
Package=92, to provide accommodation and respite support services to =
adults with disability still being cared for by older parents was also =
welcomed. It will be of great assistance to these people. This in no =
way, however, takes away from the need for Commonwealth assistance for =
the great majority of people with disability not included in this group.

=20

The =91National CSTDA Community Alliance=92 looks to the Government and =
to Labor for a commitment to:

=20

=D8        Meet the Need for disability support services, particularly =
accommodation and respite. As a first step in a plan and funding =
commitment to resolve the disability crisis, the Alliance calls for a =
reinstatement of the offer to all States and Territories to match =
funding for accommodation and respite support services. Mr Howard is on =
record, publicly, promising this to people with disability and their =
families.=20

=20

=D8        Realistic indexation and growth. Unless funding is allocated =
to meet the real increases in these areas, existing disability services =
must be cut or funding for new services diverted. =20

=20

=D8        Implement the recommendations of the Senate CSTDA Report. =
This Report =91got it right=92. People with disability and their =
families have welcomed it. Taxpayers have paid for it.=20

=20

=D8        A multilateral CSTDA Agreement. People with disability and =
their families fought for the CSTDA. It provides a framework through =
which governments can coordinate their efforts in striving to ensure =
that people with disability and their families have the opportunity to =
lead decent lives.=20

=20

The 25th September has been declared a =91National Disability Day of =
Action=92. In every State and Territory, on that day, people with =
disability and their families will be taking their case to the public. =
Vigils will be held outside selected electorate offices. (Attached with =
this letter is a Flier that has been widely distributed to people with =
disability, their families and organisations.)

=20

This election, we will be making sure that people with disability and =
their families are aware of the different positions of the political =
parties on the issue of disability. The key questions that people with =
disability want answered are:

=20

Will we get the assistance we need? If not, why not? If not, who will =
get assistance and who will miss out?

=20

People with disability and their families, organisations and supporters =
have waited for too long for government to =91do the right thing=92 and =
commit to the planning and funding needed to ensure that they have a =
=92fair go=92. They have been left with no choice but to =91Take a =
Stand=92 for the basic supports and services that they need.=20

=20

We trust that your constituents with disability, and their families, =
have your support.

=20

Yours sincerely


Sue Harris=20

Co-convenor, National CSTDA Community Alliance



-- Binary/unsupported file stripped by Ecartis --
-- Type: image/gif
-- File: clip_image002.gif


                  Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
                       www.trisomyonline.org
                  Families Helping Families On-line

Other related posts: