Comments on green words growing: Australians Mad as Hell

Hi there, thought it may be useful to correct Em&#...

2010-08-10T18:13:20.476+10:00

Hi there, thought it may be useful to correct Em's perceptions about Australia's disability system. Australians with severe disabilities, or those who have children with severe disabilities, are literally told to "beg a charity" to supply a wheelchair, without which they can't move or their bodies deform so badly they need (taxpayer-funded) surgery - that is a Third World disability system. Do not be mislead into thinking the existence of a disability pension or any other form of disability government department of advocacy actually results in relevant, targeted and crucial disability supports and services. Hundred and thousands of Australians who have disabilities, or whose children have disabilities, will tell you that is public perception, not daily reality. We too pay for ALL our severely disabled son's therapy,equipment and services. He is 15, so far we have spent over $500,000 borrowed, non tax deductible dollars to pay for this. How is that an improvement on Indonesia?

Fingers crossed indeed, Katy! The warmer day was j...

2010-08-05T18:01:08.758+10:00

Fingers crossed indeed, Katy! The warmer day was just lovely.

Hope the necessary measures will be taken to impro...

2010-08-04T13:19:55.363+10:00

Hope the necessary measures will be taken to improve things. We have serious problems with our system, too. Fingers crossed things will improve for all. Glad you had a warmer day!

Hi Emma, it's unseasonally warm here today - w...

2010-07-31T12:36:55.866+10:00

Hi Emma, it's unseasonally warm here today - was 21 in my bedroom early this morning. Almost feels like time to put the doona away, although apparently it will be chilly again next week. I imagine Ballarat must still be very nippy.

You raise good points about the quote from the lobby group, I reckon it would be worth approaching them with your thoughts. Perhaps they can explain their reasoning better, or perhaps they will agree it is an unfair comparison.

Hi, Thanks for giving that link - and all those ...

2010-07-31T09:09:48.132+10:00

Hi,

Thanks for giving that link - and all those stats. I had no idea there were so many people living with a disability.

I want to check out the campaign, but I do take issue with some of the wording of the 'mad as hell' campaign - which is the part about a 'third world' disability system.

There is no disability system in the third world - I used to live in Indonesia with a boyfriend and his mother had a stroke while I was there.

The level of support, even at a primary care level, was non-existant. He and I paid for all her care, and her long-term treatment came from me, contacting a stroke organisation in Austrlia and getting some PDF documents listing exercises she could do to bring back the movement in her arms and legs!

So - whilst I completely agree more could be done in Australia, I think it really weakens the argument to compare our support to thirld world country support, becuase we are just so lucky in so many ways.

Hope that doesn't sound too picky, I actually feel very grateful to get the disabiity support pension because I know if I lived in most other countries in the world I wouldn't get a cent.

Hope you are still enjoying some balmy weather up there - (I am dreaming of Indonesian beaches - it is freezing here in Ballarat!)

Em