Politicians joined Vision Australia and assistance dogs at Parliament House, Canberra recently to raise issues of concern for people who are blind or vision impaired.
Among these concerns were what NDIS Minister Bill Shorten described as “the most bizarre forms of red tape”, that were associated with the difficulties some people had previously in getting what is an essential service to them.
“We want to make sure that we take a lot of this red tape and argument out of the system. I think assistance animals are fantastic value for the people they help, and for the taxpayers that fund them.”
However, he did say that not every vision-impaired person needs a guide dog or is suitable for one. And reassuringly, if the red tape was decreased there would not be “thousands of guide dogs in every street”.
Vision Australia government relations manager, Chris Edwards, who attended the event, said he could not do his job with a Seeing Eye Dog. “It is important we work with the Minister and the NDIS to ensure that everybody that needs a Seeing Eye Dog gets one in a straightforward way. These animals, these working dogs, do a fantastic job and make all the difference in the lives of people.”
There are currently 1,793 assistance animals funded by the NDIS.
Caption. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NDIS Minister Bill Shorten with a new friend.