$2.6 million for new supported employment places for people with disability

The Australian Government today announced $2.6 million to fund 278 new supported employment places for people with a disability, in locations where demand for places is high.

Bill Shorten, said the new places would provide job opportunities for people with disability across Australia in a variety of businesses, ranging from hospitality to food manufacturing to property maintenance.

“Today’s announcement will help address key gaps in business service placements across Australia, especially in Western Australia,” Mr Shorten said.

“These new supported employment places will target regions where demand is greatest, giving people with disability access to meaningful employment opportunities that also create opportunities to build skills and enter open employment.

“This package will allow for the start up of 10 new business services – in Western Australia, New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria.

“The new services will target people with psychiatric disability, young people with disability and Indigenous people with disability.

“There are currently around 18,000 people with moderate to severe disability working in over 350 business services across Australia.

“People with disability have the same rights as other Australians when it comes to finding employment and business services are an integral part of the employment market for people with disability,” Mr Shorten said.