Christopher Back (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Senator Fierravanti-Wells. Can the minister advise the Senate how the government's overseas development assistance is improving the lives of people with disabilities in our region?

Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Back for the question. December 3 is International Day of People with a Disability. It provides us with a very good opportunity to look at the way that this government is delivering in a disability-inclusive overseas development assistance program.

One in seven people globally has a disability. That equates to about one billion people. It is not just one billion people; it is actually one billion people and their families who are disproportionately affected by poverty and who often live in countries where there is little infrastructure and little support for people with disabilities. We have an overseas development assistance disability strategy called Development for All 2015-20. This supports people with disabilities to improve the quality of their lives across a range of different areas: in the health sector, in the skills development sector, in the empowerment sector, in terms of assisting advocacy of people with disabilities and, most importantly, in education.

It was a pleasure today to attend the Australian Disability & Development Consortium launch of a series of videos which celebrate the achievements of our Development for All strategy and highlight some of the very, very positive things that we are doing as part of this strategy. For example, in Vanuatu we have a skills development program that in 2014-15 saw more than half the trainees in that development program increase their income over six to eight months after doing the program. This is a concrete way that we are delivering assistance to people with disabilities. (Time expired)

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Back, a supplementary question.

Christopher Back (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the minister for that comprehensive answer and ask if the minister can explain why it is important that Australia helps people with disabilities in our region.

Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The stability of our region depends on strong economic growth and poverty reduction. By supporting people with a disability to enjoy fruitful and productive lives, we are assisting them to make an economic contribution to their country. And by making an economic contribution to their country they are assisting the economic stability of that country and in turn contributing to the economic stability of our region. For Australia, the economic stability of our region is paramount. Therefore, the work that we do in the overseas development area and assisting people with disabilities to empower them to assist them in having a strong voice in the international development space is ultimately contributing to the stability and security of our region.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Back, a final supplementary question.

Christopher Back (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask if the minister can explain how we here in Australia benefit directly from providing assistance to people with disabilities in our region.

Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is estimated that national economies lose around five to seven per cent of GDP when people with disabilities do not have equal access to economic opportunities and are left behind. Therefore, investing in the disability sector is beneficial not just to that country and to the people in that country but it is of benefit, as I have indicated, to the security and stability of our region and, ultimately, to Australia.

Our economic stability is furthered if every person, irrespective of their ability or disability, can make a concrete contribution so that they can have access to education and employment opportunities so that they can enjoy fruitful lives and make a good contribution so that they can overcome their difficulties and participate fully in their communities.