After more than three years of campaigning, the NSW 2020 budget has provided much needed security for the states disability advocacy sector. A commitment of $13 million per annum over the next three years is intended to fund a stronger, more robust advocacy sector, alongside other inclusion funding.
“It is a welcome outcome,” Physical Disability Council of NSW, CEO Serena Ovens told F2L, “Whether these will follow Commissioner Robert Fitzgerald’s recommendations 100% is an unknown as details are still to be announced. It is important that there are no gaps going forward to ensure that it delivers the needs of people with disability no matter what,” she said.
“Until people with physical disability can access every building, catch any form of public transport, be equally included in the workplace and fully and equitably included in all parts of NSW society, we’ve still got work to do.”
The funding will allow PDCN to continue to promote, protect and advance the rights and inclusion of its members, and all people living with physical disability in NSW.
It will guarantee they have continued access to services and supports to empower them to be fully included members of the community, or to assist in life threatening cases of abuse and discrimination, Ovens said.
Ovens also acknowledged the Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services, Gareth Ward, for ‘going into bat’ for vital supports for people with disability in what was always going to be a difficult budget given such unprecedented times.
“This will be a great relief to the 1.37 million people with disability in NSW who have campaigned tirelessly alongside PDCN and the NSW Disability Advocacy Alliance for this much needed funding security.
“We look forward to working with the government to implement the new Disability Advocacy Futures Program, in line with the recommendations of the NSW Ageing and Disability Commissioner’s review, to build empowered, inclusive communities for people with physical disability across NSW,” she said.