Disability

Disabled people encounter economic, political, and social barriers in every aspect of their lives. This oppression is a result of a system that treats people primarily as exploitable labour to increase the wealth of capitalists. There is no reason, outside of the dictates of such a system, that illness or impairment should prevent participation in society. In Victoria, there are more than 1 million disabled people. Almost 90 percent of disabled people in Victoria are ineligible for the NDIS and now experience more barriers to accessing basic support. Disabled people have higher basic life expenses and often live below the poverty line. 

What we think

1. Disabled people are oppressed by a system that is run in the interest of profit.
2. The elimination of barriers experienced by disabled people must be supported by targeted funding in all areas, including healthcare, housing, education, transport, and social and cultural support.
3. Disabled people have a right to agency and independence. 
4. Disabled people have a right to live free from violence, abuse, neglect, coercion and fear.
5. Services for disabled people should be for the sole purpose of providing high-quality care or assistance. 
6. Access to disability services should not be determined by age, language, income, location, culture or nature of disability.
7. The privatisation of healthcare and disability services is antithetical to high-quality, accessible care.
8. Disabled people who want to work should be able to, without discrimination.
9. Disabled people have a right to access education at all levels.

What we'll fight for

1. Immediately nationalise all private disability services.
2. Re-fund all state funded disability services that were wound up after the introduction of the NDIS.
3. Provide additional funding for expanded disability services, including for people with complex needs, to ensure equal access to services across Victoria. 
4. Ensure that all public transport infrastructure is accessible and expand subsidies available for private transport use. 
5. Guarantee the agency and independence of disabled people by:
   1. Protecting the presumption of decision-making capacity and supported decision-making framework.
   2. Eliminating all restrictive practices in different settings – education, support, healthcare and accommodation.
   3. Funding and expanding a network of self-advocacy organisations. 
   4. Protecting sexual and reproductive rights.
6. Increase funding for specialist and focused school-based support (staff, resources and supports) to ensure that children can learn in an educational setting best suited to their individual needs.
7. Increase the wages and conditions of teachers and other school staff, including mandating sufficient time for teachers and support staff to plan lessons and access specialist aids and resources to support children with a disability in their classrooms.
8. Introduce pay equity by abolishing employment exemptions that allow employers to pay lower wages to disabled workers.
9. Implement a fast-track disability modifications construction program to complete all outstanding disability modification requests for people living in public and community housing. 
10. Increase funding for free specialist disability legal support. 
11. Ensure that new public housing is built in accordance with accessible housing standards. 
12. Ensure a range of housing options and support models are available to ensure that disabled people can live alone or with others and in their community.