The ACT Greens believe:
1. people with a disability have a right to independence, self-determination and choice in their lives
2. people with a disability, and their families and carers, are entitled to the same rights, choices and opportunities as other Australians in:
2.1. quality of life
2.2. optimum health, social and economic wellbeing
2.3. participating in family, social and community life
2.4. education, training and meaningful employment.

The ACT Greens want:
1. consultation with people who have a disability, and respect for their diversity
2. equal legal protection for people with a disability, and the abolition of discrimination
3. stronger rights for people with a disability, including the right to individual autonomy and quality of life
4. a coordinated, well-resourced and strategic response to meet the current and future needs of people with a disability
5. services provided to people with a disability to be of high quality.

The ACT Greens support:
1. consulting people with a disability, their families and carers, on the adequacy of the current legislative and policy framework for the delivery of support and services in the ACT
2. urging the Australian Government to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities  and develop an implementation strategy in consultation with state and territory governments
3. reviewing the effectiveness of mechanisms to identify and eliminate barriers to access to the ACT environment, public transport system, information and communication technologies, public facilities and services
4. reducing the financial impact of disability on individuals and families through appropriate financial assistance and concessions for disability-related expenses
5. working with the Australian Government to ensure that people with a disability receive fair wages for work, and are not disadvantaged by entering employment
6. establishing clear targets to fully address unmet need for disability support services through increased funding for supported accommodation, family support, individual funding packages, respite programs, home and community care, recreation support and programs that assist the transition from school to training or work
7. ensuring that disability support services funded or provided by the ACT Government:
7.1. respond appropriately to the individual and diverse needs of people with a disability
7.2. comply with ACT Government Disability Service Standards and work continually to improve quality
7.3. are accountable to service users and their families, disability advocates and the Government
7.4. remain subject to review by the ACT Disability & Community Services Commissioner
8. increasing the availability of accessible and adaptable housing in the ACT
9. in partnership with the Australian Government, reducing the number of young people living in aged care facilities due to the lack of suitable alternative accommodation and support options, through increased community-based accommodation and support services
10. reviewing legal protections for people with a disability in the ACT, including the adequacy of legal and justice systems in preventing and responding to abuse, neglect and exploitation
11. strengthening and supporting information, advice and advocacy services, including those that assist people with a disability to maximise their personal mobility and independence (such as training and development and advice about assistive technologies)
12. enhancing the capacity of childhood diagnostic and therapy services through ACT Health and Therapy ACT to deliver timely and appropriate services, particularly where early intervention can have significant impact on later development
13. equal access to primary and secondary education, vocational training, adult education and lifelong learning
14. adequately resourcing pathways for school leavers with a disability to make the transition from school into meaningful employment, educational and vocational programs or other community-based activities
15. the participation of people with a disability in cultural life, including art, music, recreation, leisure and sporting activities.

This entry was posted on Saturday, August 30th, 2008 at 12:05 am and is filed under Policy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.