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December 3rd, 2012 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda
Updated
Prime Minister Julia Gillard has directly appealed to disability advocates to step up their campaign for a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) ahead of her COAG meeting with state premiers this Friday.
Speaking at a disability sector conference in Sydney, Ms Gillard said the Government was committed to funding the scheme, but it required the cooperation of state and territory governments.
New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and the ACT have agreed to host launch sites for the NDIS, but are yet to finalise details with the Commonwealth.
Ms Gillard wants that to happen on Friday, and says she will be “holding those five premiers and chief ministers to their word”.
“I want you to do the same,” she told the audience.
“Talk to the premiers and chief ministers, the state and territory treasurers and disability ministers. Tell them that you want to see this done.”
Ms Gillard has also sought to increase pressure on what she has described as the “two wealthiest and most dynamic states” – Queensland and Western Australia – which are yet to sign up to the NDIS.
“Tell them that you want them to stay engaged and at the table, so that they are part of the national scheme when it is agreed,” she said.
Queensland previously said it did not have the money to fund a trial site, and instead announced its own version of a disability funding scheme.
Earlier this year Western Australia also launched its own version of the NDIS, even though it continues to express a desire to be part of the national scheme.
However WA’s Disability Services Minister, Helen Morton, is concerned the NDIS would involve unnecessary bureaucracy and impose a rigid funding model on how services are paid for.
Ms Gillard is due to meet state and territory leaders in Canberra on Friday for the last Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting of the year.
‘Dr Yes’
Speaking at the same conference as Ms Gillard, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott reaffirmed his support for the NDIS, describing himself as a “passionate devotee” of the policy.
“When it comes to the National Disability Insurance Scheme, I am ‘Dr Yes’,” he told the audience.
“We will, from time to time, ask questions about exactly what the Government is doing, exactly what their funding commitment is, exactly how these things are going to work out in practice – as we should.
“But we are there to help, we are not there to carp.”
Mr Abbott says there is still much work to be done, but both sides of politics agree on the overall objective of improving services for people with a disability.
Heckled
While speaking at the event, Ms Gillard was interrupted by a disability support pensioner who was angry at work restrictions imposed on people who receive welfare support.
The woman said she had been left “wheelchair-bound and incontinent” after school bullying drove her to attempt suicide.
“The pension alone does not even cover my ongoing medical needs and appointments,” she said.
“I will never be able to work full time, but because every dollar of income I earn reduces my pension by 50 cents, I would need to work for a minimum of 27 hours every single week just to equal minimum wage.”
Ms Gillard responded: “OK, well we’re listening,” adding that she would have a staff member follow up on the pensioner’s concerns.
“But I would say this – I’m proud to lead the Government that made an historic difference to the level of the disability support pension, and to the way in which it intersects with work so people get to keep more of the money that they earn through participating in the workforce,” she said.
Topics:
disabilities,
health,
federal-government,
government-and-politics,
sydney-2000,
australia
First posted
Source Article from http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-12-03/gillard-heckled-at-ndis-conference/4404632
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