Australia, let’s get real with jobs

People with Disability Australia calls on Federal, State and Local Government, employers in business and the third sector to get real with jobs for people with disability with the launch of our Getting Real on Jobs.

“The recent closure of an online petition with 38,000 signatures which called for an increase of the economic contribution of Australians with disability, due to pressure from Myer, demonstrates just how much we need to kickstart a positive conversation,” said Craig Wallace, President of People with Disability Australia.

“According to the ABS in March 2012 nearly one million people with disability were not in the labour force, Australia is near the bottom of the OECD league tables for poverty and jobs while people continue to be left out of the community,” said Mr Wallace. “Australians with disability are skilled, productive, hard-working people who deserve a fair go.”

Nearly one in five Australians has a disability and Deloitte Access Economics reported that Australia would increase its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by $43 billion if employment rates for people with disability were increased by one third.  A 10% increase in the labour market would mean an increase of between 191,000 and 203,000 jobs for people with disability.

PWDA is calling on a commitment to a national goal of 200,000 jobs for people with disabilities by 2023.  We are putting fresh ideas on the table to cut through the red tape, noise and confusion on this one.  A big boost is achievable if we work hard, think big and join together”, Mr Wallace said.

A new petition on change.org reframes the debate with facts, ideas and solutions on people with disability and jobs in Australia. “People with disability will not be silenced on this issue,” said Mr Wallace. “We need to recognise our collective failure on disability and jobs and start to turn things around through continuous innovation and some game changers.”