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People with Physical Disabilities Are Not a Line Item to Cut, We Are an Asset to Count

Physical Disability Australia (PDA)

Key Facts:

• Physical Disability Australia (PDA) is challenging the narrative that people with disability are an expense to be reduced, arguing they are valuable contributors to the economy and society.
• PDA's CEO highlights that members include doctors, lawyers, engineers and other professionals who pay taxes, create jobs and strengthen communities every day.
• PDA ambassador Dr Dinesh Palipana OAM cites evidence that employees with disabilities have higher job satisfaction, are four times more likely to stay in their roles, are more productive, and have lower absenteeism and reduced occupational injury risk.
• PDA states that decision-makers have been presented with alternative NDIS reform options that could deliver significant cost reductions without cutting services to people with disability, and urges proper consideration of these approaches.
• PDA calls on decision-makers to measure success by what supports are enabled rather than what is cut, asserting that inclusion is not a cost to society but a return on humanity.

Physical Disability Australia challenges harmful NDIS reform narrative

 

Physical Disability Australia Ltd (PDA) is challenging a harmful and outdated narrative emerging in discussions about NDIS reform: the implication that people with disability are an “expense” to be reduced, rather than contributors whose potential should be recognised and enabled. PDA’s CEO, Suzanne Gearing, says the reality is far more powerful, and far more human.

 

“Our members include doctors, lawyers, engineers, advocates, social workers, writers, inventors, economists and university lecturers. The list goes on,” Suzanne said. “We contribute expertise, pay taxes, build careers, mentor others, create jobs and strengthen our communities every single day. Our work is not charity, it is capability, and we contribute more to the economy and community than we are given credit for.”

 

PDA’s ambassador, Dr Dinesh Palipana OAM, notes the benefits of having people with physical disability in the workforce, citing that evidence proves that employees with disabilities have higher job satisfaction, are four times more likely to stay, are more productive and  have significantly lower absenteeism and are less at risk of occupational injury. “Aren't these the very problems that we are trying to solve for the Australian business place in 2026?”.

 

Suzanne notes that PDA is aware that government has been provided with alternative reform options that could deliver significant cost reductions to the NDIS without reducing the provision of services to people with disability. It urges decision-makers to give proper consideration to approaches that protect essential supports while improving the sustainability of the scheme.

“Let’s measure success by what we enable, not by what we cut,” Ms Gearing said. “Inclusion is not a cost to society. It is a return on humanity.”

 

About us:

Physical Disability Australia (PDA) is the national peak Disabled Persons Organisation led by, and representative of, over 3.7 million Australians with physical disability. Established in 1995, PDA advocates for the equal enjoyment of human rights, substantive equality, accessibility and full participation for people with physical disability across all areas of public life.

Contact details:

Physical Disability Australia

web: pda.org.au

Contact: Suzanne Gearing CEO 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzannegearing/

Phone 0408187208   Email [email protected]