Disability
Many Victorians face insurmountable barriers to being involved in community life. Thousands of people who have disabilities cannot get the support services, accommodation or aids and equipment they need to live independently. Long waiting lists mean that many people must wait years to receive a service - some will most likely never receive it at all. VCOSS strongly believes that everyone has the right to full and equal participation in their community. VCOSS identifies access to services, transport, work and housing as areas of priority for our advocacy in disability (follow the links for more information about VCOSS' work in these areas).
We raise these issues in our annual State Budget Submission. Download the disability chapter in the VCOSS 2008-09 State Budget Submission. Following each budget VCOSS writes an analysis of the Government’s spending commitments.
VCOSS has lobbied for the introduction of a cross-departmental Office for Disability and for the rights of people with disabilities to be protected through the new Disability Act. VCOSS also calls for the timely implementation of the State Disability Plan 2002 – 2012 through strategies outlined in the Victorian Government's action plan to address disadvantage and increase opportunities for all Victorians, A Fairer Victoria.
In conjunction with the Victorian Disability Advocacy Network, VCOSS is auspicing the development of the Disability Advocacy Resource Unit (DARU) aimed at strengthening advocacy by and for people with disabilities. The Accessible Transport Watch Project is a joint initiative of VCOSS, the Disability Resources Centre (DRC) and Disability Advocacy and Information Service (DAIS) that aims to investigate, monitor and report on the accessibility of transport in Victoria.
Publications on the subject are listed here. If you would like to find out more about VCOSS' work on disability policy contact:
Rivkah Nissim
rivkah.nissim@vcoss.org.au