More jobs for people with disability

As part of a new package of support for people with disability and their families, the Australian Government has announced a $100.9 million plan to help people with disability find jobs.

Minister for Community Services, Senator Nigel Scullion today said the measure would support a further 500 new employment places for people with disability and ongoing funding for 400 targeted support places.

‘Two hundred and fifty of the new employment places will be located in existing high performing business services and a further 250 will grow through new business services, in high need areas,’ Senator Scullion said.

‘To better support the services already employing people with disability, we have made available Temporary Viability Assistance, to support regional and rural Business Services facing risk of closure.

In recognition that, like all other Australian businesses, supported employment services have experienced increased costs, case based funding will be increased in the new funding agreements.

The breakdown of the $100.9 million increased investment in employment services for people with disability includes:

• $21.6 million over five years for an extra 500 supported employment places in business services;
• $31 million to continue targeted support to people with disability who cannot benefit from supported employment;
• $21.8 million in viability support to assist business services in temporary crisis; and
• $26.5 million in increased funding for disability services.

‘These measure will go a long way to maintaining a level of employment for people with disability and I hope, through further discussions with the States and Territories, we can increase these figures across the country,’ Senator Scullion said.