[dbaust] Disability groups granted temporary funding reprieve

From: Erika Webb <erikaweb@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Erika Webb <erikaweb@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2015 01:08:40 +0000 (UTC)
Disability groups granted temporary funding reprieve
By Julia May of SMH, March 1, 2015 
Federal government delays a 40 per cent funding cut to the disability sector 
amid allegations it was in breach of United Nations convention.
The federal government has made a partial backflip on its cuts to disability 
groups, granting a temporary reprieve to eight bodies whose funding was due to 
run out on Saturday.
Last month the Department of Social Services announced it would cut funding to 
the disability sector by 40 per cent and support an alliance of just five 
representative bodies. It left eight bodies representing 200,000 people with 
disabilities under threat and sparked allegations that the government was in 
breach of the United Nations convention on the rights of disabled people.
But on Thursday the eight organisations - including the Australian Federation 
of Disability Organisations, Blind Citizens Australia, Brain Injury Australia 
and Inclusion Australia, representing people with an intellectual disability – 
were told they had secured "transition funding" of $450,000 until the end of 
June.
Assistant Social Services Minister Mitch Fifield said he decided to extend the 
groups' funding and to "provide an additional payment to each of them to assist 
with a smooth transition".
"I have also directed my department to explore other potential 
capacity-building projects and funding that may be suitable for organisations 
to apply for, such as NDIS preparedness activities," he said.
The minister did not explain what prompted the change of heart, what 
"capacity-building" meant or how much extra funding would be available.
Australian Federation of Disability Organisations chief executive Matthew 
Wright welcomed the reprieve, saying the government had listened to the voice 
of people with disability. He said he had noticed a new willingness from the 
department to engage with the sector.
"That's definitely a positive and a very recent development," he said.  "We're 
looking forward to further negotiations on our long-term future."
Greens Senator Rachel Siewert, who is leading a Senate inquiry into how the 
Department of Social Services awards funding, also applauded the funding 
extension but questioned the government's plans beyond June. She said the new 
alliance model did not reflect the grassroots needs or views of people with 
disabilities and accusing the government of being "top-down in its approach: 
this is what we want, now do it".
The funding cuts had attracted the ire of Ron McCallum, the former chairman of 
the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Disabled Persons, and former 
disability commissioner, Graeme Innes.

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/disability-groups-granted-temporary-funding-reprieve-20150228-13rg8r.html
[dbaust] Disability groups granted temporary funding reprieve

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