Women With Disabilities Australia is asking the government to explain how they can support a NDIS bill that undermines its own gender equality agenda.
Women With Disabilities Australia says the Government is falling short on its commitments to women by pushing ahead with a NDIS Reform Bill that will deepen inequality for women with disability.
The Senate Committee has recommended the Bill be passed, despite its interim report making passage conditional on governments delivering foundational supports outside the NDIS. Those supports are still not in place, yet the final recommendation drops that condition without explaining why.
Women With Disabilities Australia CEO Sophie Cusworth said the Government’s Working for Women strategy promises action on violence, paid and unpaid care, economic security and women’s health, the same areas the organisation has warned will be significantly harmed by the bill.
“The Government has spent years telling women that gender equality is central to its agenda. But this bill takes women backwards.”
“You cannot say you are working for women while looking to pass legislation that puts women’s safety, care, health and economic security at risk.”
“That is not gender equality. That is neglect.”
Ms Cusworth said the contradiction was particularly stark in the Government’s commitment to ending violence against women in one generation.
“You cannot promise to end violence against women while cutting supports that help women with disability stay visible, connected and safe.”
“A Government serious about ending violence against women should not be making disabled women more isolated.”
Women With Disabilities Australia has repeatedly called for the Government to publish a comprehensive gender impact assessment of the bill.
“The question remains, why is Parliament being asked to pass this bill without the public being shown what impacts it will have on women,” Ms Cusworth said.
The organisation also questioned what had happened to the Committee’s interim recommendation on foundational supports.
“In June, the Senate Committee said passage of this Bill was subject to foundational supports being delivered. What happened to that condition?”
“The Government has still not told adults with disability what support will be available outside the NDIS, who will be able to access it or when it will actually be there.”
For women with disability, those unanswered questions compound an inequality that already exists within the NDIS.
Women make up around half of disabled Australians but only 38 per cent of NDIS participants. Women With Disabilities Australia says the bill risks worsening inequality in a Scheme that already underserves women.
“This bill does not fix that inequality. It deepens it by tightening access, reducing supports and shifting more care back onto mothers, daughters, partners and families.”
Women With Disabilities Australia says the bill should not proceed. The Government must publish a comprehensive gender impact assessment and ensure safe, accessible and properly funded supports outside the NDIS are in place before making changes to the NDIS.
“The Government has made clear commitments to women, and these NDIS reforms need to live up to them,” Ms Cusworth said.
