Disability advocates say the ACT could be doing more to encourage inclusive employment
In the wake of the government response to the recommendations made by the Disability Royal Commission, advocates, and those living with a disability, are hopeful the momentum for change will not let up. In Canberra, they say more could still be done to help people living with a disability access meaningful, inclusive employment.
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TVTranscript
00:00It's a morning on the phones for 24-year-old Charlotte Bailey.
00:06Hello ACT Down Syndrome, this is Charlotte Bailey speaking.
00:10I obviously work here at DSID.
00:14I do emails, birthday cards, I type documents, type speeches,
00:22and I'm also the ACT Employment Ambassador.
00:25Ms Bailey says she will not let Down Syndrome stop her from working,
00:29currently as a receptionist and at a local club.
00:33But there are things employers can do to make it inclusive.
00:36People can help me if I get stuck and I just want to be paid like everybody else.
00:45The Commonwealth has responsibility for employment,
00:48particularly disability enterprises where people can be paid below minimum wage.
00:53But advocates say the ACT could have gone further than leaving reform of those
00:57subject to further consideration.
01:00Of the 108 recommendations the Territory signalled acceptance of,
01:04it did agree to do more on inclusive employment quotas in the ACT public service.
01:10If there was money for community sector organisations such as ours
01:14to work with employers to help build capacity employers,
01:18to employ people with intellectual disability,
01:20to help carve jobs for people with intellectual disability.
01:23Particularly the ACT public sector is only one part of the employment picture in this town.
01:28We would want to see more effort given to encouraging private employers to step up.
01:34Not the time for governments to turn their back.