Media Releases by The Hon Bill Shorten MP
$3 million Innovation Fund boost for disability employment
Minister for Employment Participation Mark Arbib today announced Round 3 of the Rudd Government’s Innovation Fund will include $3 million for social enterprises focussed on jobseekers…
Queen’s Birthday Honours recognise service to people with disabilities
Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities Bill Shorten has congratulated the Australians recognised for their service to the disability community in the 2010 Queen’s Birthday Honours. “People…
Call for more organisations to join Companion Card Scheme
The Minister for Community Services, Jenny Macklin, and the Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities, Bill Shorten, today called on more Australian organisations to join the National…
Disability Ministers endorse Australian Disability Parking Scheme
Disability Ministers today endorsed the eligibility criteria, concession provisions, and proposed timeline for the roll out of the Australian Disability Parking Scheme. The Scheme has…
Fast-tracking Disability Support Pension claims for severe disability and cancer
As part of the Australian Government’s package of Disability Support Pension (DSP) reforms, more people with a severe and profound permanent disability will be granted…
Australian Disability Enterprises show their wares to Government departments and agencies
Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children’s Services, Bill Shorten, today opened the Purchasing with Purpose Expo for Australian Government Buyers in Canberra. The expo is…
Younger People with Disability in Residential Aged Care program
The Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin, and Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities, Bill Shorten, today welcomed the Australian Institute of…
Tax Law Reforms to Help People With Severe Disabilities, their Families and Carers
The Rudd Government has today introduced legislation to reform the tax treatment of unexpended income of a special disability trust. These reforms, announced in the…
Australians encouraged to nominate for the National Disability Awards
The Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin, and the Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities, Bill Shorten, today called on all Australians…
Government and AFL join forces to promote Learn. Earn. Legend!
The Rudd Government is teaming up with the AFL during this weekend’s Dreamtime at the ‘G’ to encourage young Indigenous Australians to stay at school…
Rudd Government gives $162,000 to new body representing children with disability
Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children’s Services, Bill Shorten, today launched Children with Disability Australia, a new disability organisation representing the views and interests of…
Government welcomes Productivity Commission Issues Paper on Disability Care and Support
The Minister for Community Services, Jenny Macklin, and the Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities, Bill Shorten, today welcomed the release of the Productivity Commission’s issues paper…
Assisting jobseekers and people with disability return to work
The Rudd Government will improve assessments for disadvantaged jobseekers and people with disabilities to ensure that appropriate employment services and income support are provided. New…
Government supporting Australians with disability
People with disability are going to be encouraged to participate in landmark reforms that will help the Rudd Government deliver lasting gains in this important…
Teachers and Parents to Continue Benefiting From Autism Workshops Until 2012
The Rudd Government has today announced that the Australian Autism Education & Training Consortium (AAETC) will continue to deliver the well-received Positive Partnerships initiatives, for…
New centre for people with vision impairments in Western Melbourne
The Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children’s Services, Bill Shorten, today opened Vision Australia’s new $14.7 million Macaulay Road Centre for people with vision impairments…
Making the Disability Support Pension fairer
The Australian Government is reforming the Disability Support Pension (DSP) to make it simpler, fairer and sustainable for those who need it. The DSP is…
Marysville family off to a fresh start with a new home
Victorian Housing Minister Richard Wynne and Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Bushfire Reconstruction Bill Shorten today paid tribute to a Marysville family for their determination to…
National Summit on challenges for people with hearing impairments
Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children’s Services, Bill Shorten, today officially opened the Deafness Forum of Australia’s 6th National Deafness Sector Summit, in Sydney. As…
New brochure to encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to use disability abuse hotline
Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children’s Services, Bill Shorten, today launched a new brochure to encourage indigenous Australians to access the National Disability Abuse and…
Good News Week comments about children with autism just not funny
Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities Bill Shorten has condemned comments made about children with autism on the ‘Good News Week’ program last night, but has commended…
Adelaide roundtable hears concerns of people with disability
The Rudd Government would continue to work for better services for people with disability and to ensure they got fair treatment in the workplace and…
Special Olympics open in Adelaide
The Minister for Sport Kate Ellis and Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities Bill Shorten today joined more than 850 athletes to open the ninth National Special…
Human Rights Commission upholds right of people with hearing impairments to access cinema
Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities Bill Shorten has welcomed a decision by the Australian Human Rights Commission to deny a request from major cinemas chains for…
Younger People with Disability in Residential Aged Care program
The Assistant Treasurer, Senator Nick Sherry, and Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities, Bill Shorten MP, have today released for public consultation the Rudd Government’s draft legislation…