Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

In the very short time that I have to contribute to this debate on the Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Amendment (Welfare to Work and Other Measures) (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2006 tonight, I would like to pick up on some of the points raised by the member for Bowman. I start by saying very strongly that I support the right of people to work. I appreciate the fact that people, where they are able to work, should be able to work. Prior to entering parliament, I had a lengthy career of fighting for people with disabilities to have the opportunity to enter the workforce. It is because of my background in working with people with disabilities, assessing their suitability for work and looking for suitable employment for them that I have been so opposed to the Welfare to Work legislation—not because it is about moving people from disability support pensions into employment but rather because I have always believed the legislation is quite flawed. I believe that, when drawing up this legislation, the government have disregarded a lot of professional advice that they have been given.

One of the most important things for a person with a disability is to feel that they can move from the disability support pension to work. The role of government in that is to minimise the risk and to empower them to feel that they can succeed. The moving of a person from welfare to work should not be about moving them from one benefit to another, which is what I believe has happened with this legislation. The government has decided, in its wisdom, that people on disability support pensions should be moved to Newstart allowance. That will make it even harder for a disabled person to return to the workforce.

People with musculoskeletal disabilities have been targeted by this government as having insignificant disability. Anybody who has had any experience working with disabled people can attest to the fact that these people are just as disabled as those who suffer from other injuries. The government has shown its lack of understanding and direction, and this has been reflected by punitive legislation. The original Welfare to Work legislation, which we debated in December, was flawed, and it is because of its flawed nature that we are here today debating this amendment. I seek leave to continue my remarks when the debate is resumed.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.

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