Kevin Hogan (Page, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I commend the previous speaker. It is a very important bill and it is quite a complex issue that we are talking about. Sometimes when you talk about issues of fairness and equity, it can have the exact opposite effect. That is obviously why this bill is being considered. As we know, this bill is establishing a payment scheme for supported employees with intellectual impairments in Australian Disability Enterprises who previously had their wages assessed under the Business Services Wage Assessment Tool.

The payment scheme will help provide ongoing employment for employees with a disability. Mr Deputy Speaker, I am sure you are aware—because you are very active in your community and very well respected—that there are 193 organisations operating Australian disability enterprises in communities across Australia, supporting 20,000 workers with moderate to severe levels of disability. You might be interested to know that, as in all communities, I have a number that do absolutely fantastic work. What they provide these workers with disabilities cannot be measured in financial gain; they provide them with a sense of purpose, with social interaction and provide respite for carers and parents. I cannot name all the organisations in my community—there are so many—but some are Caringa, Windara in Casino, Summerland House, the House with No Steps, which operates extensively throughout my community.

Another enterprise is a group called Multitask. The people who run Multitask were so concerned about the issues that this bill is responding to that they asked me to go to visit them and their workers to see what they do and the benefit it provides everyone in that facility. Graham Mapstone, the CEO of Multitask, invited me out. Raelene Vincent, Kim Vincent and Joe World showed me around. I had the pleasure of meeting the 40 or so people working there that day. They all came up to me and pleaded that 'We don't want to lose the option of coming here. We want Multitask to be able to offer this service.' There are many reasons beyond the financial that they are there, but they were so passionate about it. After my visit, Miss Leanne Maree Butt rang my office and insisted that she come to see me to reinforce the importance of the organisation. She wrote me a poem, which she has asked me to read out in parliament, and I will. The poem is headed 'Challenge Multitask Meeting with Politicians'.

Just come and sit down for a while or two,

Politicians, as well as us usual people,

If you take our jobs away from us,

It leaves us poor and bored,

For there is nothing to adore.

Sit for a while

With a happy go lucky smile

Upon our facial dials.

Dear politicians just think for a while

And leave our jobs for us, please,

So that we can wear happy go lucky smiles

Upon our facial dials for a fairly long time.

It is a lovely poem and I think it epitomises the passion and the reward she gets from going to Multitask—the benefits for her from going there two or three times a week are intangible. She engages with her friends there, and she has been doing it for many years.

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