It is a good article, it is a shame it hasn't had better publicity. I want to know what happened to moving people from supported employment to real jobs? If they can hold a proper job then they should have one. How is it fair that people on DSP can have assets in their name and get income from these assets but yet they can't support themselves?

Thank you Interestedonlooker. I want to clarify one issue.

The ISP program is not the same as a DSP pension. They have different purposes.

Karen's disability would have required her to live in an institution at a much higher cost to taxpayers had she not received government assistance to live in the community. She was on her way to a potential six-figure income when she was stopped by her family from achieving her education and career goals. Had she continued, she would have likely been completely off taxpayer assistance by now. However, that would have meant her non-disabled family members could not have continued to use her cash government payments for their own living expenses.

When Karen tried to bring these issues to the attention of proper legal authorities, she was silenced by her family and then blocked from continuing with her life goals.

It is a great Australian tragedy for any person with a disability to try so hard to become a productive member of society and be stopped so easily. Only policy changes can correct this.