Perth locals show their support for DisabilityCare Australia

People with disability, their families and carers came together in Perth today to show their support for DisabilityCare Australia, the national disability insurance scheme.

Federal Minister for Disability Reform Jenny Macklin and West Australian Senator Louise Pratt met with people with disability, carers and disability workers at Perth Home Care in Osborne Park to talk about work underway to build DisabilityCare.

Labor’s 2013-14 Federal Budget provided $14.3 billion over seven years to 2018-19 to roll out DisabilityCare Australia nationally, on top of existing Commonwealth disability funding.

“DisabilityCare Australia will transform the way we deliver care and support for people with disability, their families and carers,” Ms Macklin said.

“DisabilityCare should give all Australians peace of mind that if they have, or their child or loved one has a significant and permanent disability, they will get the care and support the need, when they need it.”

Ms Macklin said that West Australia was the only state yet to sign up to the national disability insurance scheme.

“DisabilityCare launched last week in four locations across the country. We’ve reached agreement with every state and territory except for Western Australia to roll out the full scheme by mid-2019.

“I don’t want to see people in Western Australia miss out. I urge Colin Barnett to do what West Australians with disability and their families are desperate for him to do, and sign up for DisabilityCare Australia.”

Senator Pratt said local people were calling on Colin Barnett to help make DisabilityCare a reality in Western Australia.

“DisabilityCare would benefit about 2,500 people with significant and permanent disability in Stirling, and more than 49,000 people with disability across Western Australia,” Senator Pratt said.

“DisabilityCare would nearly double the number of West Australians who receive disability services and would deliver about $1 billion a year in additional funding for disability support once rolled out across the state.”

Ms Macklin said the Commonwealth would continue to discuss the roll-out of the scheme with the Western Australian Government to ensure Western Australians with disability share in this transformational reform along with all other Australians.

For more information and to receive updates on DisabilityCare Australia visit www.disabilitycareaustralia.gov.au.