Hollie Hughes (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Families and Social Services, Senator Ruston. Can the minister please update the Senate on what the Morrison government is doing to remove barriers to employment for people with a disability?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Morrison government is absolutely committed to challenging misperceptions about people with disability and promoting a more inclusive Australia. In this financial year alone, we will be spending around $34 billion on programs and services to support and improve the lives of Australians who live with disability. Today being the International Day of People with Disability, it's timely to reflect on the contribution of the more than 4.4 million Australians who live with disability. It's about celebrating their lives, their achievements and their contributions.

It's also an important opportunity to mark the contributions that people with disability make to the workforce and to focus our attention on making sure that we change the attitudes of our employers, so that they understand that people with disability can be a really strong asset in so many businesses around our country. I would encourage employers, not just today but all year round, to see the ability in disability and to hire based on what people can do and, in doing so, improve the job opportunities for people with disability and understand that people with disability are missing out on jobs because people just don't think this needs to change.

Today I acknowledge the pin that I am wearing and I notice a lot of my colleagues are wearing too. It was designed by Oliver Mills, a 32-year-old man from Adelaide who lives with cerebral palsy, epilepsy and vision impairment. But that's only a small part of Oliver's story. He's also written four books and he's an artist, a poet and a speaker. We cannot overlook these talents and the experiences of people like Oliver and the contribution that they make to Australian society. So today, on the International Day of People with Disability, I encourage everybody—I encourage our communities, our workplaces, our schools—to participate in the International Day of People with Disability. (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hughes, a supplementary question?

Hollie Hughes (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the Minister advise how the Morrison government's 2020-21 budget is helping people with a disability to get into the workforce?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We are investing more than $3 billion into disability employment services over the forward estimates. Changes announced in this recent budget mean that investment in disability employment services will be better targeted, working to assist jobseekers most in need of specialised assistance to ensure that they can be supported in the workplace.

We're also investing an additional $45 million in the Individual Placement and Support program, which will now expand out to 50 sites across Australia. The IPS program co-locates vocational and other support services with youth mental health services through the headspace program. It focuses on the needs of young people, making sure that we support them either remaining in education or getting into employment, and making sure that the young people are accessing the services that they need to enable them to do that. By offering early support, we hope that we will be able to set up these people for a lifetime.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hughes, a final supplementary question?

Hollie Hughes (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What is the government doing to support people with a disability that are employed within the Australian Public Service?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We all know that a job is an absolute game changer in anybody's life and it shouldn't be any different for somebody with a disability. As a nation we need to rise to the challenge of improving the employment outcomes for people with disability, and that starts with the Australian Public Service setting an example. Four per cent of people the Australian Public Service currently employs have a disability. I'm really pleased to say that in the department of which I have the pleasure of being minister that figure sits at 6.8 per cent.

Today, I am pleased to announce that we've released the new Australian Public Service employment strategy to make employing people with a disability a mainstream activity in the culture of the Australian Public Service. Only this morning I had the pleasure of meeting Nick and Gordon, two fantastic young men who work at Services Australia. When I was speaking to their supervisors, they said they are some of the best employees they have had and their work is outstanding.