Peak body People with Disability Australia (PWDA) is asking the government to take immediate action to alleviate the cost of living crisis for people with disability.
The organisation said it is disappointed that the Senate Select Committee on Cost of Living Final Report, released this week, does not include actions that would quickly address key areas of stress for people with disability who are experiencing Australia’s cost of living crisis most acutely.
PWDA is calling for the Federal government to prioritise an increase to the Disability Support Pension and funding for accessible social and affordable housing.
“People with disability are some of the most economically marginalised people in Australia and many are feeling the cost of living crisis more acutely then most. Kicking the can down the road and focusing on measures that will do little to ease the pressure for those in our community experiencing poverty and at risk of homelessness is simply not good enough,” said PWDA Deputy CEO Megan Spindler-Smith.
She labelled the report “a missed opportunity” to introduce a relief supplement for people with disability on the DSP and JobSeeker, and said the measures suggested in the report “do little to address the increased risk of homelessness for people with disability driven by a lack of accessible social and affordable housing”.
“While rent control measures in the Australian Greens report could provide some relief we need long-term investment and a Targeted Housing Action Plan for people with disability to increase housing options for our community,” she said.