Matt Thistlethwaite (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Recently, I met with Irene McMinn, Mark Hoarau and Janne Bidenko from the DeafBlind Association, an advocacy group for people with afflictions such as Usher syndrome—people who are legally both deaf and blind. Completely self-funded, this body has been campaigning to raise awareness and secure more services for people in our community living without sight and hearing. They expressed their joy that Labor's National Disability Insurance Scheme will finally deliver the care and support that people need. But a distinct lack of services still exist for people living with these afflictions, particularly trained communication guides and people who are skilled in tactile finger spelling—a must for deaf-blind people if they are able to leave their home and communicate with people.

A number of courses in disability and welfare and TAFE certificate III in Auslan were available in New South Wales, but the New South Wales Liberal government's cuts to TAFE have meant that many of these colleges are no longer offering these important services and important courses—a disgrace, in my view. There are a number of private providers but the fees are prohibitive for many people who have these afflictions. As we roll out the National Disability Insurance Scheme and people get packages, we need to ensure that there are qualified people to deliver these packages, particularly for people who are deaf and blind. I call on the New South Wales government to reverse the disastrous cuts to TAFE that have seen these important course reduced and services for deaf-blind people cut in that state.