At a press conference announcing support for the recommendations of the Productivity Commission's report into disability care and support this week, Julia Gillard described current access to disability services as 'a very cruel lottery'.
That the Prime Minister affirmed the Government's commitment amid ongoing criticism of her 'no carbon tax' statement is testament to its significance. And the Government's response demonstrates compassion and goodwill during a time when many citizens have expressed disgust at the Government's treatment of unaccompanied asylum seeker youths.
It is a sweet result for Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten, whose vision and drive to reform the fragmented and under-resourced disability sector has finally paid dividends. Shorten's work in this area was largely unnoticed by the broader public, as it was understated and without media fanfare.
As Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities in the previous Government, he visited a specialist school last year in Canberra. Parents of students with disabilities expected a media presence, but Shorten's role was purely about information gathering in the pursuit of better policy and better outcomes.
It was to Shorten's credit that the Productivity Commission's inquiry was initiated: in his first junior ministry he became well aware that the current system was 'not delivering the kind of care and support Australians expect for people with disability'.
The final report's recommendations differ little from those in the draft document. The pleasant surprise was the Government's response, which supports the Productivity Commission's vision for the disability sector — to provide individuals 'with the support they need over the course of their lifetime', and financially sustainable reform of disability services.
The main recommendation is for a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), which will provide all Australians with insurance for the costs of individual care and support if they or a family member acquire a disability. An adjunct National Injury Insurance Scheme will provide no fault insurance for anyone who suffers a catastrophic injury.
The schemes will provide peace of mind that if something goes wrong, there will be a 'safety net'. In the Government's words, 'care and support should be based on people's needs, not a lottery of what kind of disability they have, how they acquired it or where they live'.
Of course, it's only 'in-principle' agreement — but it's exactly the beginning that people with disabilities, their families and carers, and disability advocates were seeking.
The Government will immediately commence working with states and territories to start building the scheme, and has allocated $10 million towards the technical policy work required. A COAG Select Council of Ministers will be established next month, and an expert advisory group will advise it on establishing foundations for reform and preparation for the scheme's launch.
There is significant work required to build the capacity of disability services and, by extension, the profile of careers in the disability sector. Currently there are two universities offering degrees in disability, and continued professionalisation of disability work will result not only in greater support for people with disabilities, but in greater expertise and innovation in other areas of the sector.
More importantly, the proposed reforms will improve the lives of many Australians. Gillard stated that the Government 'was informed by our Labor values ... giving people the opportunity to get ahead, [and] ... making sure nobody gets left behind.' Certainly, John Della Bosca's involvement in Every Australian Counts helped build support for the proposed scheme.
Cynics who suggest the beneficiaries of these reforms comprise a significant block in Labor's base, forget that disability is not a partisan issue. Besides which, the Liberal Party also backs the reforms.
Those affected by disability tried not to hope too much for an NDIS. The costings in the draft report led some commentators to wonder whether the Government would adopt such recommendations.
Thankfully the Government has not used the budget to kybosh or postpone the scheme, though it noted that 'future reform of disability services will require investment from all levels of Government' and that 'reforms will be delivered in a way that is consistent with the Government's fiscal strategy'.
Tellingly, there is very little online commentary decrying the NDIS, which suggests there is broad support for these proposals.
The only downside to the scheme is that it won't be established for a long time, because the Commission found that to transform the disability sector would take 'at least seven years'. But that's alright. If we wait a little longer it will be done properly.
Moira Byrne Garton is completing a PhD in politics at ANU and works as a policy analyst in the Australian Government (not in the area of disability policy). One of four children experiences severe physical and intellectual disabilities. Views expressed in this article are her own.