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July 26th, 2012 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda Queenslanders with disabilities will go without an additional form of support after the Newman government axed a planned taxi subsidy.
The state has missed out on a National Disability Insurance Scheme trial, with Premier Campbell Newman insisting at Wednesday’s Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting it would have to be federally funded.
Endeavour Foundation chief executive David Barbagallo says Queensland has missed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fix the state’s broken disability support system.
And Deputy Opposition Leader Tim Mulherin says the Newman government was also making sweeping cuts to the Family Support Program, which provides medical aids, incontinence aids and childcare subsidies.
Mr Mulherin says the former Labor government had promised the $6.50 subsidy to compensate taxi drivers for the extra time it takes to pick up customers in wheelchairs.
The Taxi Council of Queensland says Western Australia has just increased its subsidy to $20 and $30 in some cases.
Mr Mulherin says for many Queenslanders with a disability, a taxi is the only viable transport option.
“To take that funding away is petty and cruel and sends a message to all Queenslanders that, on top of everything else that the premier has either slashed or refused to pay … his government does not care,” he said in a statement.
Mr Newman says the government will continue to spend $920 million this year on supporting people with disabilities.
He says the taxi subsidy was an “election sweetener” the state cannot afford.
“By making these tough decisions now, we will get the budget sorted out by the 2014/2015 budget year,” Mr Newman told reporters on Thursday.
He maintains the government is ready to start a NDIS trial in Gympie, but only if the federal government funds it.
“The decisions we are making are vital decisions to get this state back on track, and we’re only doing it because it’s the right thing to do,” he said.
Disability Services Minister Tracy Davis says changes have been made to the types of disability services funded, without duplicating other government support.
Families will continue to have access to respite, in-home support, walking and communication aids and therapy services, she says.
“There will be no changes to the support package for the vast majority of families and those existing arrangements that may have to be modified will be done in consultation with families,” she said.
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