Thank you, Jean, for a very insightful and challenging article. There is no doubt that we Australians who have been blessed to have not experienced the relentless demands placed upon the parents and families of the profoundly disabled have let you and your fellow travellers down. You raise several valid arguments and the broader community needs to support your endeavours to have your needs properly addressed.

Unfortunately, the whole area of caring and nurturing those with significant disabilities has for too long been an area of shame for a wealthy nation like ours. The time has come for the silence to be broken so that the needs of the profoundly disabled in areas such as supported accommodation and education might be properly addressed.

It would seem, though, that too many good people who might be able to offer worthwhile support are either ignorant of the real issues or are unaware of their capacity to help.

hopefully with advances in science and use of DNA sampling, prenatal screening will let people abort those genetically malformed. Accidents will always happen and people should be insured against this possibility.

Well done Jean, for exposing this inequitable system to public gaze.

Family members wrapped up in the care of the disabled know they are saving the government heaps of money but rarely do they get to see how much money. Its pretty grim when you compare invalid children and adults to the "well-off" aged care system which everyone agrees is chronically underfunded.

Jean, I agree, the burdens carers and their families carry are huge, and largely unacknowledged. There is excellent support available for some, but not for all, and it seems a virtual lottery who gets support and who doesn't.

Can you imaging rocking up at a hospital with a broken leg and being turned away because this month’s broken-leg fixing quota has been met? That's pretty much how support for disability support seems to be divvied up.

Care in the community is fine in principle, but in practice it’s often meant no care at all beyond what families can provide. It needs to be properly resourced, and based on need not a fixed pool – for the aged, the disabled, and the mentally ill

Yes Jean, I also say thank you for the care that you give and the pressure that you take off limited funding and resources. I would like to see two things:

I would like all the carers in the Sydney Metro area to pick just one day per year and take the person/s they care for to their local hospitals and clog up the system. Demonstate just what would happen to the system if all the carers just threw their hands in the air and shouted out "I've had enough". That might wake a few politicians up. Maybe if carers took all the people they care for to Nauru, Christmas Island, and Ashmore Reef we'd see some Australians falling over themselves as they rushed to assist you.

I would also like to see the AUD$7.2 billion that is spent each year on multiculturalism redirected to carers and other worthy causes. Those interested in multiculturalism could take up postitions at railway stations and other places and seek donations from the general public.

Aqvarivs, If you are a full time carer of a child with disabilities, single parent (the other parent left because they couldnt cope) and unemployed, how possibly could you afford 'insurance' against so called 'accidents' such as a child with disabilities....sounds like you as a citizen are not in favour of government help for families in this situation?

My grandson has an acquired brain injury,caused by the removal of a tumour.He also has total pituitary and hormone deficiency,these were also caused by the tumour.He does not fit the criteria for most groups of invalids and disabilities so my daughter was unable to get help with him.She booked him into respite care and sent the bills to the minister for health.After he had been to respite several times the ministers office called her and wonder of wonders they have now come to her aid.It seems you have to make things happen in these cases.Keep perservering,cause a stink ,eventually someone will help.Go to the media if you have to.

Thank you Jean for your heartfelt article. You are so right, governments have neglected families and the expectation that they should endure to the end! But families also may make the mistake that government should rescue them from their children. Isnt this the risk we all take whenever we have children-they are not always perfect? Sure, we might obtain assistance, but the state has never proven itself with anyone to be an effective parent. The only parents of disabled children I know who have successfully created a better future for their sons and daughters were those who realised the state will never provide the kind of life they wanted, and went out and organised it themselves. And that is true for everyone. It is wrong that departments expect "the community" to provide, but a good life has never come from being thrown in with others, whether they are elderly or disabled.

Disability activists/advocates also have something to answer for here. They have made demands which are, quite frankly, impossible for any government to meet. "Equal opportunity" has come to mean that ALL buildings must be accessible and ALL public transport must be accessible, that ALL children must be accommodated in the mainstream etc. When issues are raised about the costs of this the bleat is "but it is our right and the law says it is our right". It does not matter if the building is unlikely to be used, the public transport is being kept on for just one person at a tremendous loss to the tax payer and the child is so disruptive in the classroom that the other children are not getting what their right to an education. The cost of some of these measures then means that some of the services people with disabilities desperately need are being downgraded to meet the demands of what a friend calls "the articulate minority". (She also says that the vast majority of people with disabilities also have a wide range of communication disorders so that they cannot access what is rightfully theirs.)
And a member of the ALP tells me they plan more 'in the community care' because 'that is what people want' - and then admitted it is a good way to save money! It is a truly appalling situation.

Hi desert,
80% of all-of-life-carers become sole parent carers.
This means that because there are no supports or taxation offsets, most sole parent carers cannot earn an income that in any way lifts them out of the poverty cycle. In fact after paying for the cost of care before tax an $80,000 income can become as little as $25,000. This is because governments find it ‘cheaper’ to enforce ‘free care’ by not providing any. In fact most sole parents 24/7 carers never acquire assets, nor superannuation.

How then are we to be expected to provide for our sons and daughters futures?

Easy to say - you must have an accumulation of assets, but most of us do not. If my daughter did not need 24/7 care, I could have had all of those things that you seem to expect us to have.

Perhaps we should just die in our beds with our children at our sides? It would save the economy a fortune.

Oh that’s right the economy already saves a fortune.

Under your scenario, the public purse should not fund childcare, nor schools nor medical services for families - what about genetic illness, cancer, renal problems, heart problems, any problem from birth, should parents pay for these problems, even when their children are 20? 30? 45? what about 55? after all they made the decision to have them.

I do agree though that if I had 5 million to place in trust, I could die in peace knowing that my beautiful daughter would be well provided for, paying for 24/7 staff off the interest (if the public trustee couldn’t get their greedy little hands on it).

Nell, its just the expectation that the government should provide for all, and can actually provide something that is beneficial I am questioning. If you believe this, go for it. For me, I have seen too many government services (and non-government for that matter too) that neglect and abuse, and thats at the level they operate now. If that's where you want to put the future of your son and daughter, I would be careful - you may just get what you ask for. Planning for the future is more than just a financial matter, its about working with providers, seeing what other families have achieved, crafting a life around people's abilities and bringing them into positive contact with others. For me, the more giovernmet is involved in my life, the less control I have, the more decisions are taken away from me, and the more I have to be content with what's provided. I am not prepared to surrender to that.

Thanks Jean for telling it like it is.

We have to question why, when over 15.5 billion dollars is sitting idle it is being called good economic management when it means our mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, sisters and brothers who are frail aged, disabled, mentally ill or chronically ill are going without vital services and supports that would make their lives worthwhile.

Is this the kind of nation that we want? A nation that is build purely on economic rationalism which disallows that a nation is about it’s people?

Another 50 billion dollars is sitting in a future fund while many Australians have no future.

Loss of hope, becomes intergenerational and spreads its tentacles into the future like a social cancer…

Both major parties eye these 'windfalls’ off, but there will not be too many surprises that it will not be going towards good social policies and supports and services.

Economic rationalism and the economy have completely neglected the community. Simply look around you, when the community is neglected, disenfranchised groups turn to alcohol, drugs, crime and anti –social behaviour or suffer in silence creating massive depression with enormous impacts and repercussions on the health care system. The increase in assaults on the aged and the vulnerable are all part of the social disease that has grown from economic rationalism gone too far.

But to most politicians, this means little, few actually get down and dirty with the people they expect to score a vote off.

Neither major parties deserve our vote. Both the Liberal and Labor parties have forgotten that they are elected to represent the broader community, not just the big end of town.

Seriously think about voting for a Carers Alliance (political party) candidate for the Senate, they are running in QLD, NSW, VIC and WA. At least by giving someone new a voice we might have some issues addressed, not just 'party line' rhetoric.

Thank you for this story!

There is still such a stigma attached to being a disability carer in this country which leads to the issues being ignored at many different levels of government.

As the webeditor of the NSW Working Carers Support Gateway, we try and feature articles which will improve and enhance the life of working carers, but often our stories reflect the struggles of carers and the inaction of governments.

www.workingcarers.org.au

The more people speak out for the rights of Carers in Australia, the Better. This would allow us to highlight more of the positive actions that are adding value to the lives of working carers.

You tell it like it is, Jean. There are two great social inequities in this country. One is around our indigenous people, the other our disabled fellow citizens. The populace is aware of the plight of the aborigines but few know the extent of the neglect of disabled people and their families in our nation.

What sort of a country, indeed, supports 5% of its disabled population and tells the rest to go to hell? Hell is deciding whether to abandon one's beloved disabled son to a service system that has no place for him or leaving him to his siblings to care for after we are gone. That is all the choice we as parents have. If we lived in a third world country we would care for our disabled child until we died and hope that other family members would take over after we were gone. What is different in Australia?

I agree that we are poorly served by our advocates and peak bodies. Instead of shouting our appalling neglect and oppression from the rooftops, they have become embroiled in a philosophical debate around community inclusion. This discussion belongs in those far more advanced and civil societies which provide services for their disabled population. In our country, community inclusion usually means "at home with parents" even when those parents are in their seventies and eighties. The question in Australia should not be "what model of accommodation" but "what accommodation"?

The inequities are enormous. Those people whose experience of parenthood is the most difficult are the same ones who may never know a retirement. Those people who can least adapt to change are the ones who may never know a gradual transition away from the family home. Those people who most deserve this great nation's support are being shunned, and the generosity and sense of fair go for which Australia is renowned is somehow unreflected by our governments in the area of disability

Any Australian at any time could become one of these carers so we should all stand up for the help these people need. This is because of car accidents or other accidents that could suddenly leave a loved one disabled. Stroke or heart attack can do the same thing when a good recovery is not made. We all have aging parents who could be struck down at any time as well and there simply are not enough beds for them. So realise this could be the fate of any one of us and support these people when they ask for help.

The government gaily hands out money in world aid or quickly finds a billion dollars to buy John Howard a new plane when his last one had a bit of trouble, but they cant help their own people. It's a long way through life and we are all vunerable to things going horribly wrong, so there but for the grace of God go you or I.

Filty Work Downer...you appeared as a bully re:"phoney" slag attacks in todays media against your opposition. This is disgusting politics.. bad leadership and in my opinion desperately BAD governance.

At a community level anyone acting-out like this against another would have been sectioned under the crime prevention or vilification act.

If they continue with their anti-sociable behaviour there would be an intervention and support from Mental Health.

Among the things I dispise about the Howard leadership is the way he uses his team to do his dirty work. While he's out to impressm the dirt slings below the belt from the wings.We just chuck... wanting change for the well-being of this nation.

We NEED A FRESH and CLEAN approach. Compassionate and SAFE strategies to address the grow of human support needs.

We need to do more public issues on "bullying" and it's effects to Mental Health. Mental Health is about anothers "dignity". Insults and spital laughing sounds like "Lord of the Flies".

Australia, I call a Global Emergency on MENTAL HEALTH. I support Norman Sartorius (World Health)who has written a book called "FIGHTING FOR MENTAL HEALTH". It is a book that'dissects the impact of mental-health programmes, challenges developmental dogmas, explaining the de-synchrony of research and policy, and how staggering levels of the need in mental health repeatedly command low priority.

See Peer-to-peer support on;

http://www.miacat.com

This LIBERAL government has little understanding of what the word "whole " of government especially in Primary Health, PEER Support or "SUPPORT" (weekend news re: troops Iraq). The last reference I believe is extremely distatseful as spin from those invested in making peace work!

Among those who may have Mental Health issues we are loosing political a one-sideded economic battle.

As well as those engaged in the MH system there is an increasing part of our population having stress or strain issues like to household disturbance 6 debt, workplace bullying, poverty, see 23 issues in MH.

We have to try and do more to counter-act the social drift.

.

I wonder if people who are cheerfully criticising the government (this is an issue on which everyone wishes to criticise the government) are aware that spending on disability issues has, according to Bureau of Statistics figures, increased under the Coalition and decreased in some states?
The ALP has always claimed to be the party which has the better record on social welfare. Statistics do not bear that out. What is more when money is spent by the ALP even more appears to be wasted on projects that do not address long term issues.
Carers need far more support than they get but some 'disability activists' say they should have no input because they are not the people with the disability and do not know what it is like. Obviously they think that caring 24/7 for a person with a disability does not qualify them to have any input.
Education is an area of key importance for people with disabilities but again disability activists will say it is more important for a child to attend a 'mainstream' school 'like everyone else' than receive the physiotherapy, speech therapy and specialist educational skills attention in a special school. They claim that all it will take is 'more money' to provide the support services. It does not matter that the learning environment may not be the best one for the child. Separation for any purpose is seen as shameful and undesirable.
Employment is also an area of key importance but many jobs once able to be done with pride by people with disabilities have been computerised or mechanised. "Sheltered workshops" are seen to be as shameful as special schools. Activists insist that not enough is being done to find employment for people with disabilities. That their own demands have helped to reduce opportunities is something they refuse to recognise.
And where does that leave carers? Unable to leave the house in some cases.
Checked last night - the ALP has not yet written a disability policy but I was told that there are plans to introduce still more 'in the community' care.
CARERS BEWARE!

I would like to ask aqvarivs if they believe all people who aquire a disability are expendible and would you go so far as to say 'put down' all persons who aquire a disability by accident? Suppose you were that person! Isn't the better road one where everyone contributes to a Medicare levy that includes funding for every persons care needs, regardless of age or disability?

Is this writers view a reflection of a societal view and why disability funding is so poor? Why for example do people think frail aged citizens have a right to access a nursing home or cared accommodation service, but people aged less than 65 do not? Why are not all families required to take care of their own, not just those who are siblings or sons and daughters, who as adults, have a right to a life of their own choosing?
Is my daughter expendible because she had the misfortune to contract a virus, which had no vaccine when she was born? Is this how far we have evolved as a first world nation. Does economy now overrule humanity in our minds and eyes as a people or are we shocked by such a proposal and what will we do about it?
In case you hadn't noticed we will all have a chance to vote on these issues very soon. What will your response be?
Jean

A disabled child is a double whammy,

1 – every loving parent brings into the world children who they want to see grow and develop into independent and fully participating adults. This expectation is lost with a profoundly disabled child.

2 – a parents life is seriously curtailed in the caring for the needs of someone with profound disabilities.

Those who display such love for their less-than-perfect offspring deserve the respect and support of the rest of us, who have produced healthy fully-functioning children who, in my case, have grown into full participating adults in out community.

Once, when my elder daughter was in hospital (broken leg), she was in a bed next to a 8 year old boy with severe brain damage, he was blind dumb, incontinent, suffering the early onset of arthritis from medications previously given.
He was a SIDs death who medics had managed to revive but revive not soon enough. He was in hospital for respite care for his parents. His grandmother was there telling me about him. She said, considering the impact of his disability on the family including his siblings, she sincerely wished they had not attempted revival at all.

As a supporter of choice, I can understand how anyone knowing they have a defective embryo might choose to abort, rather than commit the rest of their life to caring.
I do not think making such a decision would ever be easy.
I am just lucky such a dilemma was never placed in my lap for me to resolve.

Care for the profoundly disabled is one way in which we can truly measure the quality of society and I would hope, in this field, we could be a world leader.

When all is said, I know I would far rather contribute to the support of someone else’s disabled child than they contribute to the support of my disabled child.

An old saying, “There by the grace of God go I”

It applies to everyone who is a parent and loves their children

trikkerdee & lolita,, if you have already given birth to a disabled child you must have weighed that disability against the childs future and known continuing with that birth would be a lifelong occupation and that eventually someone else must fill your place as caregiver. If your going to have a child you should have considered the totality of that endeavor and long since begun a system of financial planning that considers accident and disability.
I began a savings plan for any future child as soon as I began planning a future with my then girlfriend/soon to be wife. We had each pregnancy studied by the doctor using the best instruments and most current medical science. If we had had access to DNA sampling I would have paid to have that information. We informed ourselves according to our times. I am not judging those who's times were scientifically insufficient to be as informed. Yesterday was yesterday but, today we can with science and technology offer that reprieve where malformed births are considered. Accidents are accidents and should be insured against. Don't you people have insurance for yourselves and your children?

Thank you Jean for highlighting the issues so many family carers face. As a citizen of Australia I certainly expect that Government who holds the purse strings for the benefit the entire Australian community would provide supports to those citizens who need them. Aquarius, when you and your girlfriend were planning on only having perfect,whole children did you also factor in to your utopian dream the first home owners grant, baby bonuses, child care rebates, childcare, before and after school care, all of which is heavily subsidised from Government coffer? Did you factor into your dream the fact that you, or your girlfriend, or child could in the blink of an eye become permanently disabled through a non-compensable injury? Did you also factor in having a child who was unable to be identified as having a disability in utero or in the first few years of their life? Or a child who develops a debilitating and devasting mental illness in their late teens? Did it ever occur to you that one day you could become a fulltime unpaid carer - having to give up work, your dreams, your life and provide fulltime support and care to another without subsidy or assistance? If it hasn't then you should take notice and realise that not all things can be planned for or insured against. I am giving you the benefit of the doubt that your comments thus far result from ignorance and lack of life experience rather than a callous disregard for others whose lives are so different from yours so far. Remember it only takes the blink of an eye for this to all change and your world to turn upside down.Your future could be our present. What would you then want?

Thank you for your comments Jean. I am a single parent carer who receives 24 hours of respite each week. Wow, that sounds like a lot, but wait a minute, 14 of those hours are used up in travel because we live a long way from the nearest town.
If the local bus which picks up my disabled son is not running on any given day, I am told that I can pay for a taxi to take him 80kms (one way folks) or the fare can come out of his Mobility Allowance (we know that's a lot eh!).
Too bad if I live so far away, that's the luck of the draw. Notwithstanding, my son already pays for two buses (yes 2) and his mobility allowance is swallowed up within 8 days of the fortnight - not their problem.
Oh yeah, I can't access facility based respite because I have only been waiting 5 months for an orientation, and have completed the respite agreement in April 2007, sorry, we are too busy, but on the grapevine I hear other carers are being telephoned with offers of more respite because there a vacant beds?
Now what, I am banging my head up against a brick wall. I removed my son from a DHS run CRU because he was being allegedly physically assaulted and sexually appealing to another male resident.
Now I am waiting to be appropriately resources so that I can better care for him at home, but I am still waiting.

Aqvi - have you tried to get insurance for you and your disabled kid?
You can afford it right? Have you any idea of the sort of expenses some parents have? Some parents are stretched to the limit. Siblings go without. They go without a heck of a lot of other things too.
Often one parent will be the full time carer - no nice second income coming in but still plenty of extra expenses.
Governments of all persuasions could do a heck of a lot more with the same amount of money if it was properly targetted - but that would mean putting up with the inevitable outcry from some (not all)'advocacy' groups. It would mean trusting people with disabilities and their carers to manage their own financial affairs - and the advocacy groups are putting a stop to that just as much as any government is.
One of the things we have here is a small group who think that what they want is right for everyone. They do not listen to the majority of people with disabilities and they most certainly are not listening to carers. Carers are not even supposed to know what the people they are caring for want - only the 'articulate minority' I mentioned earlier know what everyone wants. No wonder we get nowhere.

I am deeply moved by the contributions of Abandoned, and cheered by the compassionate good sense of Col Rouge.

There will never be enough government capacity to meet all identifiable needs. If our present IR practices are followed it requires 4 shifts a day, for 7 days a week, that is 28 shifts or 6 workers to provide 24 hour coverage. So, there are 700,000 disabled, and we would need about 4 million persons to offer each of them individual full-time care. So, about 50% of the Australian work force would be required. This is stupid mathematically but I have done the theoretical figures to highlight the enormous task.

The issue is political. The issue is one of fairness and judgement. The Government obviously can't do it all, but is it doing enough? The old adage "the squeaky wheel gets the oil" applies. Keep it up, speak louder Jean.

Fencepost finally said the magic words.

Political - yes indeedy!! I have received an e-mail today telling me that family carers have formed a political party and will be challenging for Senate seats in the upcoming election. Good on you Carers go to town - or should that be Canberra. Now that is some squeaky wheel and long overdue.

The party is called the Carers Alliance, is listed on the AEC website as registered and is ready to go. I also understand that Carers Australia is running a campaign under the theme "if YOU don't care why should WE". So come on Australian carers - here's your BIG chance. Spread the word to be HEARD and Vote 1 Carers. Family carers need equity and equality - they should not have to do all the work, have all the responsibility and no rights. Up the mighty Carers - on www.carers.org.au

Communicat & scorpio, yes I thought of all that. That is why I started saving even before I got married. My wife and I PLANNED for children. We planned, scrimped and saved, and did with out...happily. As a career soldier for most of my working life, my income hovered around the national poverty level, so I am well aware of what can be done with a little money. We still don't have a plasma t.v. and never owned a new car or had a house built just for us. My family has gone with out many of the 'toys' and fashionable items society has to offer. Not one full of the latest, trendiest, most fashionable objects. We did not think we were immune to the requirements of, or the sacrifices necessary to be a home carer. So we took advantage of every medical practice and procedure that would give us the best odds of having healthy children and enough advance knowledge to abort any malformed baby. We have been fortunate to this day not to have had any debilitating accidents but, have been prepared for that event from day one with child savings and life insurance. The money we have gotten from the government 'for having children' has gone into their accounts for their future. I believe it will be medical advances in prenatal sciences that will offer the reprieve the author speaks of, but individual parents have to think ahead and plan ahead of the decisions that they are about to make. Life happens to too many people and they have no plan. Have not thought ahead.
31% of Australia's newborns are from single teen mothers. I haven't enough space to go into this topic but, everyone should educate themselves to this reality and follow up on the life expectancy, medical cost, long term care requirements, cycle of poverty, education, sexual abuse, domestic violence, drug addictions, alcoholism, and everything else that comes with it and the expenditure for government to cover the total cost of that persons decision or indecision.

Oh you poor thing Aqvarivs. I am sorry that you had to go to all that trouble to ensure your children would not be genetically just the same as you.

If, sadly, they were - through an accident of birth or life- wouldn’t you have liked our nation to offer them safe harbor, to ensure they had the supports necessary for worthwhile and complete lives?

The world is richer for the inclusion of all sorts of people Aqvarivs and I am certain the rich and colourful tapestry that is our world would have welcomed your non genetically prodded, poked or modified progeny as well.

Perhaps it might have taught you what real love is Aqvarivs, because real love is not conditional, it is not a concept; it is not something you can purchase via lab results.

Good morning. I read the article with great interest. I can add to the information that as a result of the Federal / State government bickering over the CSTDA funding that the Federal government has decided to go it alone and is current preparing for tender submissions for accommodation services in NSW. This means that families, people with disabilities, service providers and all will have to deal with two levels of governement in providing accommodation services. Public forums are being held by the Feds during October. Look up the FaCSIA web site for meeting details. The antics on both State and Federal governments but particularly the Federal government over the funding of programs has been an appauling indictment on the way in which Australia deals with such issues.
In addition, it may be of interest to forum readers to know that service providers who rely on 100% overnment funding to provide accommodation services recieve annual partial indexation. The impact of the governments 'generous ' partial indexation policy has resulted in an averge annual funding increase to accommodation service providers of 1.1% per annum for the last 10 years. No wonder services are going backwards fast. Many existing accommodation services are in financial dire straits because of the paultry government attitudes to funding. And this has all occurred in a climate of increasing accountability and scrutiny by governments who demand high level performance and accountability from organisations from whom they buy business. Signed Witchdoctor.

Ah so it is all the fault of the government is it Aqvirvs? If you want to put your baby allowance into savings for the future that's fine with me but please do not grumble about being poor as a result.
As for the single mothers issue has it occurred to you that it is society rather than government who now puts the pressure on young teen mothers to keep their children? Adoption is looked on as wrong and children are sometimes required to live in the most horrific of circumstances because there is a policy of keeping mother and child together at all costs - and that is, sadly, often at far greater cost to the child than the 'trauma' of adoption.
But this was about caring for children with disabilities - and there will be no money around for that while other members of the community make unreasonable demands about issues like increased child care allowances so that they can have the 'extras' they now look on as rights and necessities rather than the icing on the cake. Many carers would like to have just the dry bread!

Perhaps witchdoctor, it is a mute point because the states were asked for their unmet needs figures and failed to produce them.
Given that the bureaucracy has been the biggest growth in the public sector, this ask was perhaps not too unreasonable?

Frankly the States record is abysmal on disability services.
In 20 years the accommodation support sector has reduced as the population has grown. Where once 10.8% of people had accommodation, that figure has dropped to 2.8%.

Yes, the Federal ‘offer’ was appalling which shows the contempt held by politicians for caring families. As a matter of citizenship alone, the Federal government should fund all accommodation supports and respite care services.

You are right while we have a double layered system, all we will get is cost-shifting, penny pinching bureaucrats who are paid to be ‘clever’ in hiding the unmet need, deferring supports while pretending to give a damn.

It seems to me that we have wall to wall Labor states that are failing us and ‘big brother’ the federal Liberal party who equally does not give a damn.

Caring families should all VOTE NO to any party, State or Federal, Liberal or Labor who is unwilling to fix the mess. It can only be fixed with population based benchmarks, anything less is another layer of Band-Aids trying to hold in place the ones peeling away underneath. The Senate report on the CSTDA agreed with the benchmark figure, now we need a political party willing to fight for it.

*Read the recommendations for carers in balancing work and family.

Part 1 of 2

Aqvarius the fact that 31% of children are born to single parents has nothing to do with this topic. Low income families get more government assistance purporting to being single parent families than they would get if they present as a single family unit with dad working in a low paid job. I think in fact Australia pays a maternity allowance to women desperate or unscrupulous enough to lie about their relationship to get government benefits.

I quite agree that children growing up in single parent families are growing up in poverty with all of the attendant disadvantages from poor housing, inadequate food, poorer health, greater chance of mental illness, less opportunity to participate in the community poorer educational outcomes etc.

I doubt you are able to insure yourself or set up an annuity to care for a severely disabled child for the term of its natural life. Some diseases can be detected by checking the amniotic fluid in utero, other conditions like cerebral palsy occur at birth or soon after birth. All babies are screened a birth and quite a high proportion have conditions that are detectable at birth but the babies go home with their families so that when the condition becomes apparent their parents love them too much to put them in the substandard state care. Saves society a lot of money.

I know one woman whose perfectly normal baby started throwing epleptic fits at age 2. The fits were severe and frequent and after each bout the child lost the ability to walk talk, feed himself etc. After 3 years dad said to wife "There are 5 people in this family, do you want to waste your life on this deteriorating disabled child or live with me and our 2 normal children". She chose to abandon her child who was regressing and for whom she could do nothing but the state would not accept the child into care.

Part 2 of 2

80% of disabled children live in single parent households and other siblings are seared by the experience of growing up with disabled sibling. Most seem to resent the impost of the disabled child, some children feel guilty, the only person I know who seems OK was the treasured son born after his brother was disabled.

Aqvarius by all means look after yourself and prepare your body for pregnancy but don't feel holier than thou that your children are sound of body and mind. Your family's health is a matter of probability not certainty. Be very thankful that that is so. If you had ever looked after a disabled person you would know its absolute luxury to be able to snatch 1 hour to yourself in a very long day when nothing happens unless you have done it. Bet you've never been sobbing so loudly the neighbour came in and poured milk on the cornflakes and let themselves out quietly so the disabled person could eat their breakfast.

Then can we talk about the number of pills a disabled person is on every day. I counted 35 pills some taken at 6 am, more at 8 am, more at noon, others at 6pm and more at 10pm. The drugs would poison a healthy person and be very confusing to some one who was bone tired or getting on.

However the good thing is carers are so busy running around they are slim so they save money on gym memberships. They are also bone tired.

Do we consider ourselves a civil society when we let sectors of our poulation engage in a desperate struggle to live in our community? Do we view disabled people as deserving of their affliction?

Aqvarius I must assume that during your army service you were never exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam or spent uranium devices in the Gulf conflicts

Families are having a tough time, no doubt about that. But as a "carer" myself (a term I hate actually - it takes away my real roles of father, husband, son-in-law etc, which are more real to me than the quasi service role 'carer' implies), I reject the notion that I should see my relative as a burden. Our relatives are not seared by our disabled family member, but enriched. We have learnt what is more important in life, we have learnt not to judge people by how perfect their genes are or by what they look like and we have come to see how enriched we have become because of the family we have. That is, we see our family member as a contributor to our life, not a deficit or detractor. I will not be a 'victim' and I will not make them a burden, that so much of this discussion has emphasised. I am committed to bringing them a full life, and I am getting one too! I continue to care because others probably won't! And I don't need Carers Australia to teach me how to become a Victim.

Hey desert
I will bet my bottom dollar that your disabled relative has a ‘manageable’ disability.
Not for you waking from being unconscious because your head was slammed into a wall by a severely intellectually disabled adult son because he does not like the word ‘wait’.
You probably have government funding and lots of it to help you carry through your ‘enriching’ programs, that make life so easy peasy and rewarding.

You probably can leave your house, take a holiday, share the support. You probably own a house because your family has money. You are still married with a supportive partner and you are likely to earn a decent enough salary as an activist advocate.

Tell me how much public funding does your family member with a disability receive and what kind of ‘disability’ are we speaking about, physical impairment? Desert, there is no one size fits all just as every disability is different, so is the support needed. This nice little reasoning of yours is easy if the disability is mild or physical. Place moderate/severe intellectual disability with violent frustration into the mix and families are beside themselves with the grief that comes from society turning their back.

And people like you whose problem are comparatively minor get it all and waltz around saying how valuable an experience it all is. I love my son, but the roses are few and far between.

Well aqvarivs...No, I didn’t give birth to a disabled child, he became disabled after he was born, and yes I did realise after he had a brain haemorrhage that it would be a life long disability, and mine would be a lifelong caring role. I think you are talking about learning that your child in utero has a disability, perhaps you don’t realise that this isn’t the only way a disability can happen.

Financial planning was in place for his birth and his life, but unfortunately 25 years ago I didn’t have the name of an insurance company that would cover me for the cost of a disabled child and his whole life time....do you know the name of an insurance company who would cover for this, I think not. I had the best specialist care in town and we also informed ourselves according to our times, but still it happened, and a physical or mental disability could happen to you too in your perfect little world

Nell, can't you state your opinion with out an attack.
Purposely bringing malformed and mentally challenged children into the world in the name of love is a very questionable practice but, to suggest society would be minus a particular joy if you hadn't is a twisted selfishness I have never encountered before.

Communicat, Your post is lost on me I didn't post about the government being at fault for anything, and I have no expectation that society should take up my responsibilities as a parent. Perhaps you misread or misunderstood what I posted. I fully agree that there are great demands on our tax dollars, and I believe that much of that burden is down to expectations of entitlement and rights and not about people arming themselves with knowledge, getting the necessary education, and making the proper decisions prior to their actions, knowing the responsibility that is inherent in those actions/decisions, especially where innocent babies/children are concerned.

Billie, your making nasty little assumptions. That you can not state your opinion with out an attack also shouldn't be my fault too. I don't place myself above anyone, I don't feel holier than thou. I feel that if I can do it, than anyone can, and that then the question comes back to forethought, planning, and somebody making the hard decisions. Not leaving it for society at large to come behind and pick up afterwards.

trikkerdee, your exception isn't the rule. I'm speaking in general terms not to every exception nor childish perfection. Unless you want your circumstances to be lumped in with the maternal prospects of the drug addicts and alcoholics.

We can not control lifes every moment but, we sure can filter out the known from the unknowable and take the steps necessary that give us every advantage. And with due attention and some diligence of forethought many of the 'problems' we face as a society could be made less severe if not 'totally solved'. Children should not be victims of life as they take their first breath. After the first breath it's the same chance as anyone else.

Felicity, it must be very tough. Being alone to face the relentless nature of care is too. And I the rejection by friends, family and society is hardest to bear. I imagine its not much fun for your son either.
I do have some other family and we get 3 hours of respite a week, but that is all. He has a cognitive impairment that effects behaviour and language and it is degenerative and will kill him. But I can't change any of that. I can only change my response - and that is what I am addressing. Railing against the world wont change a thing, but I have to deal with my own attitude first. One can love someone and still devalue and reject them. I have had to look at myself through all of this and deal with my own rejections and very conditional acceptance. Otherwise we expect from other people what we are unwilling to give ourselves. Projecting blame and exaggerating how hard it is does nothing to make our sons and daughters more appealing to others. We say others turn their backs, as we present them in the most negative ways. Huh? How is it working for you Felicity?

It is not worth having an open discussion with aqvarivs he obviously wants people to react to his ill informed opinions and narrow little world.

Keep the real debate going and give him a miss.

The fact is Australia should look after it's own.

The fact is there are 2.7 million carers out their and your voice is HUGE if you all learn to use it.

This political party is an excellent beginning, you all have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

If you can't get active, get noisy and make it LOUD.

The gun lobby can get people into parliament and they are few.

You are an enormous group of disadvantaged disaffected voters.

Believe me the powers that be will be watching very closely and if your party shows promise they will react.

The only thing they care about is their numbers and they won't want to lose to their seats to you.

Good luck!

Hi Dessert
How old is your child? Mine is 21 when he was born he was completely normal at 18mths he contracted meningitis and was left with severe brain damage and uncontrolled epilepsy.You talk about attitude,mine was optimistic I decided that we as a family would give him every opportunity to learn as much as possible[he learned to ski,swim,ride a bike and roller blade before he was 10]over the course of his life he has given me great joy and also great sorrow, as he got older his epilepsy took a toll and his abilities diminished and his violent behaviour increased, I think this was due to the drugs he has to take and the frustration he feels.I admire your attitude to your son and hope time will leave untouched

Aqvarivs, as a member of the Australian Defence Forces aren’t you and your family automatically entitled, by virtue of your paid employment, to any number of privileges/subsidies for health care ( including breast implants), dental care, accommodation, moving/ relocation costs, and access to Defence Force Welfare? Aren’t you also entitled to a pension that is far more generous than the general aged pension when you retire? Aren’t you entitled to compensation and support if you are injured in the course of your work – work that is responsible for more acquired disability in communities around the world than any natural event? Doesn’t all this largesse come from the Public purse? Surely you are aware that any insurance policy is voided by War, acts of God or terrorism.

Vietnam and Gulf War veterans have been fighting for decades for acknowledgement that their exposure to chemical and biological agents of warfare are potentially responsible for the very high disability rate in their offspring .

For unpaid family carers their home is their workplace 24 hours per day, 365 days/year, year in year out. If they receive any assistance in their care role in the home, they can be sued by any paid worker injured in the family home. Carers are not compensated for any injury they may receive performing their caring role, they cannot take time off when sick –substitute supports are extremely thin on the ground. For some family carers their homes are literally ongoing war zones. Carers are also expected to pay the extra costs associated with disability Family carers certainly are treated very differently and it is because they and their offspring are so neglected that they are speaking out, not as victims, not because they view their family member as a burden, but because the care role is made so onerous through the lack of community/government partnership in providing the needed supports.

70 years ago another soldier led a nation and the world to war based on a mantra of genetic purity and superiority – your comments would indicate that mankind hasn’t advanced too far since then

Thank you hells bells, you speak words of wisdom. Our 2.6 million caring families have far more important matters to discuss. Society will be judged not by how affluent or successful some sectors are, but by how well our most vulnerable citizens are cared for.

The reality for families caring for people with a dependent disability is that governments of all colours have refused to address the issue of discrimination against people with disabilities and the families who care for the most dependent of them.

Government bureaucracies and vested interests maintain the best place for such as these is with their families, at all costs, but what happens to them when their parents die of old age, or become users of aged care services themselves?

Carers groups were the only authors of submissions to the Senate Inquiry, with a detailed plan to introduce population-based benchmark funding to the CSTDA. The proposal asks for a benchmark of 18 beds or support packages per 1000 of the population aged 15 to 65. This is just 1.8 per cent of the target population of persons with a severe or profound disability. All governments are ignoring this sensible and just solution to the problem of the state, federal blame game.

Aged care has had such a formula for years for 108 beds or packages per 1000 of the population aged over 70, but the community is saying nothing about the 55,600 people aged over 34 years and still living with aged parents or the 700,000 others without any rights. Why are people with disabilities being so grossly discriminated against whilst the funded sector says nothing?

The pressure for both parents to be in the paid workforce means that unpaid carers are literally a dying breed. Make a difference people, use your vote to say NO to the exploitation of families as unpaid care labour and use your email to tell politicians you object to such treatment continuing.

scorpio, thanks for comparing all soldiers to Hitler and all science to the nazi's campaign for racial purity. What the soldiers in your scenario are asking for is that the government take responsibility for their collective actions. Soldiers don't declare war. Politicians do. Are you really that ignorant. Soldiers are no more responsible for war than policemen are responsible for crime. And don't make anywhere near the money or benefits package.

Good God. Are Australians really this fantastically stupid.

Before the emotives decided they had a 'right' to such mob mentality (and personal attacks) my point as stated, was that the 'reprieve' Jean was looking for would not come from an already over stress system of taxation. That it would only come from the advances in medical science, education, and proper decision making. As I said earlier. Much can be foretold in the womb today, that prenatal science is improving and that any potential impact there can be mitigated leaving the accident of disease to be dealt with. Medicine is advancing on disease and science and technology is helping with disabilities. We can use further education programmes, technology, and science to preclude many unwanted pregnancies, auto accidents, drunk drivers, drug addicts, a whole host of issues that negatively impact on our ability to answer each and every circumstance in every individuals life that eats away at the tax dollar. Freeing the already immense burden thus giving more money to the remaining social problems.

Me and the few remaining nazi scientist hope that DNA will be used as a tool to filter out even more potential problems and that heredity diseases and other genetic hiccups will be caught before more lives are restrained by physical and mental malformations. Though DNA will never be able to mitigate the numbers disabled through drug use and drunk driving. Ya can't fix stupid!

The greatest problem in the ‘disability industry’ is that every person with a disability is placed under the same banner as having the same needs.

If a person had a physical disability acceptance and inclusion with the same opportunities that are available to most, is not only obvious but for most, relatively easy.

Our society provides many wonderful innovative appliances that allow people with physical disabilities the opportunity to live completely, to add to the rich social fabric of our communities.

But… people with severe intellectual disabilities and aquired brain injury need someone with a decision-making capability to be at their side all waking hours, their days are spent being guided, prompted and reminded. We are talking about people who grow into adults adults, middle-aged men and women, whose abilities are often at similar level as children.

Having said this, I believe it is a richer world for all people to be included in our communities, but to even pretend that a severely intellectually disabled person wants or needs or expects the exact same things as everyone else is simply a crock of over intellectualised rubbish that is rammed down our throats by advocacy ad nauseum.

The essence of a person is their ability for thought, conceptualising communicating and their ability to love. Our world, our friendships stem from this. My daughter has the love side down pat, and in her own way is blessed because her world is so uncomplicated, which leaves me, her mother facing a world so more complex because to give her the support she needs, I must be many people and this means there is very little left of myself for myself.

Well said Nell. There are far too many people out there who presume that they have the right to speak for your daughter when they do not know her or her needs. They make your job still more difficult. Some advocacy groups and many old guard activists/advocates are doing more harm than good. They believe that what they want for themselves is what is right for everyone. They keep saying it is the only way forward. When governments (of all persuasions) see this as a means of saving money then they will naturally do so.
The ALP's plans for more 'in the community care because this is what people are asking for' fill me with dread, horror and alarm. So many parents and siblings need some respite help and time out but they are going to be told that the 'extra' help for in community care is going to solve the problem. It's the biggest con out - and a lot of people are going to fall for it. It is going to be supported by a lot of people with disabilities who are able to live intellectually independent lives and who can participate in the social life of the community. Not everyone can do that and they desperately need other forms of care, support and love.
It is time that some of the 'peak' bodies in disability started listening to what people really want - not what they want.

Thanks communicat because my daughter needs acceptance, she needs the opportunity to extend herself, she needs more input than I as a single person can give her, because I am tired; I need some ‘me’ time, whoever me is that has been lost in the everyday struggle of social isolation that occurs to primary carers.

I have forgotten the essence of myself, my friends are ‘free’ their children have left the nest, they go out, they have holidays, ones where they do not still have to care 24/7 for another’s needs. They make decisions about their lives, perhaps as simple as to going out to lunch or to see a play. Nothing in my life is spontaneous, I have to book any moment of ‘stolen’ time three months in advance and still cannot be guaranteed that block of time will be the one I need.
I agree with you dessert, the label ‘carer’ is awful, but it is what society by its very inaction has forced us to become. The expectation that we, the family can support this level of care for decade after decade more often than not sustained by poverty level centrelink benefits is not only despicable, but condemns all you readers of this page. We are lawyers, physiotherapists, teachers, artists, musicians, engineers, journalists, chefs - every profession. Our common link is a simple one; because we love we are damned, because you do not care to step out of your comfort zones to speak out.

You the reader are far less socially aware than you would like to believe you are. I know you will go on to another article and put this page out of your minds. You read this and your level of concern lasts but a moment in time.

You can do one simple thing to help us all enormously. It is simple and easy.

You can DONATE YOUR SENATE VOTE.

It will not change the outcome of this election, whichever party wins the Legislative Assembly will gain government, but it will change our lives. It will give us a voice.

Hi communicat, thanks for your comment.

Very wise commentators often tell voters that we get the government we deserve because we elect them!

The same philosophy is true of the power now wielded by the Disability advocacy sector. It occurs because governments find it suites their agenda, not yours or mine as unpaid care providers. So government curries favour by giving these well paid individuals funds and a privileged place at the policy and planning table, where they arrogantly decide what is right for our loved ones.

What caring families need to do is take a leaf out of the paid work-force book. When they want better pay and conditions they take industrial action, even to the extent of withdrawing their labour. Teachers do it, nurses and doctors do it, police forces do it and they are all critical players in the game of life which is our society.

However, when we ask caring families to take such industrial action, to take their loved ones to their local department of Human Services and declare a 24 hour strike for better pay and conditions, they shrink from such action. It makes no sense because if the carer falls down and breaks a leg the same scenario will apply, its called emergency respite, right.

Imagine the media coverage if such action was taken nation-wide?

Unless and until caring families take positive action to tell governments we are overworked, under paid, exploited and neglected as citizens, nothing will change.

Families who contribute so mightily to the welfare of the nation have the power in their hands if only they have the intestinal fortitude to use it.

Every marginal seat can be altered. How about the Carers in the Prime Ministers seat of Bennalong taking the lead

Bennelong would be a good place to start - but there is a need to acknowledge that Bureau of Statistics figures show that the Coalition has spent more than the ALP - nowhere near enough but still more. It is a myth that the ALP is the 'caring, social welfare party' - figures show otherwise but they continue to be labelled as such quite erroneously.

Rumour (believed to be very well founded) has it that the ALP plans on cutting back still further in some areas of disability funding.(Note their move on the dental care of those with chronic illnesses!)
They certainly ARE NOT planning to give carers any extra support or to provide any additional respite care. They ARE planning to shift things around and make it look like they are offering extra when in fact they, despite protestations from Kevin Rudd, plan to cut back.
Disability is seen as "too expensive" and the responsibility is supposed to go back onto families...who have far too big a burden now. They forget that when a carer becomes ill through overwork then the whole thing can go through the roof and it ends up being even more expensive.
I think I have used up my quota of comment for the day but I'll try and find the actual reference if I can.

Communicat,

The report on government services 2007 says this about funding: Total government expenditure on CSTDA funded disability services was $3.9billion in 04-05 of which state and territory spend was $2.8billion or 72.5%. Of the federal spend of $1.1b just $595million was transfer payments to the states. The remainder was for commonwealth employment services.

The federal government spend on aged care residential,support was $7.1b in 05-06 and the HACC program delivered $1.4b of which the federal contribution was $858million, a total federal spend of $7.9b for aged care services.

When the numbers of persons with a severe or profound disability in each age cohort are compared: 428,000 over 70 and 700,000 under 65 (rounded), it can be plainly seen where the injustice lies?

The federal propaganda on its contributions to people with disabilities claims they spend $12.8b, but Brough’s tricky press release includes welfare payments such as disability pension $8.7b, carer payment and carer allowance$2.4b to make the figures look better. He conveniently forgets to include aged care pensions of $29b in the aged care spend total, which then blows out to just under $37b.

No-where am I saying that the states are off the hook, far from it. The states play the same game by claiming ‘ since we came to office we have increased disability funding by 60%, 80%, etc. What is clear is that doubling almost nothing budgets still only give us almost nothing budgets! This is why over 92 per cent of all disability cared accommodation is still delivered by families. Exploitation Maximus!

Population benchmark funding means that disability services need to deliver $10,9b of recurrent funding now. This only services 1.8% of the disability age group. Neither Labor nor Coalition are worth voting for unless a major shift in policy occurs.
Hell is likely to freeze over first, so Carer families need to say no to both of them and cast a protest vote. Both Rudd and McLucas steadfastly refuse to give a date for a policy release. Coalition have no policies either!

Dear Felicity, its very hard living in a community that worships beauty competence, independence and wealth and to have none of those things. We ceratinly do need some help, but help that builds up and sustains, not just that gets rid of someone - but where we all get to benefit and grow. My fear is that the demand for respite, and for just any accommodation will be responded to and we will have services that are large, depersonalised, crowded and aweful - and our loved ones will end up there, so that we might have a better life. Our decisions today affect the generations behind us, and what kind of services will they find because of what we demanded? I hope you get the help your son really needs, and that allows you and others to relate to him positively so that you both get a life.

How strange desert, I didn't see anywhere that Felicity was asking for anything but support because she was living a difficult life and you started to preach that she should beware what she asks for.

You are assuming that you know what is in her heart and mind?
I feel an agenda coming on.
The point is what agenda?
There are no support services. There is no accommodation.

You advocates are so busy driving your isolationist agendas that you don't actually have time or inclination to lobby for services for the other 98% of people - you know the ones, who are in the community struggling with nothing. Living with aging parents who are forced to be lifelong carers, too old and tired to give them this 'inclusion' that supposedly living in the community away from anyone else who might be considered by you as devaluing to them.

I never hear a word from you all about the thousands of people with disabilities and mental illness who reside in sub standard boarding houses, in abject poverty.

If you took 20% of your time away from driving policy to nowhere, we would not have this mess.

If you all spoke out about the national disgrace that is chronic underfunding instead of concentrating on your idea of perfection for the 2% you actually assist, perhaps we would not all be so desperate for assistance?

$42 million was spent on advocacy in 2005 - what did we get?
In Victoria it was that stinking disability bill.
Hoorah it was the beginning of the end because families have had enough.

You people are desperately trying to hang onto lucrative incomes at whose expense?

I have been saying what Lolita says for decades. Words are not enough, it is action that counts. People who often do not know a disabled person are making decisions that impact on thousands of lives. We need to get our disabled family members out there, let them be seen and abandon them - if only for a short period. Domestic heroism goes unnoticed - we must make it more obvious. Industrial action on the homefront!

How many can remember the 1950's and the debate that was raging around state aid for private schools? Governments remained unresponsive, so in the early 60's a sit-in was organised in Goulburn where there were at the time seven private schools and one high school. All the private schools closed for two weeks and thousands of children converged on the high school. I was in year 7 at the time, and I was one who sat in the playground where there were no seats available and stood for hours on the queue for the loo. It was enough to show governments that they couldn't cope without the contribution of the private sector, and soon after that, the first grants for private schools started to trickle through. Government funding for private schools throughout Australia is now just taken for granted.

That experience left me with a clear view that it is bums on seats (although as I've just pointed out, there were no seats in this instance) that make the difference. All the lobbying and letter-writing will never have the same impact as a mass sit-in. Yet it is understandably very scary for caring parents of disabled people with high needs, medical issues, the capacity to wander and become lost, etc. The fact remains that it is only a huge demonstration of revolt that will force our elected members into some response to our dire circumstances. I am up for it and I live in the Bennelong electorate. Who else has what Lolita calls the "intestinal fortitude" to down tools and withdraw our labour?

Judging from those post who claim they have no respite and must be at some loved ones side 24/7/365. How much money would be necessary to improve that life? If you want to call the necessity of 24/7/365 of personal care a life? Or are you really talking about more people doing what your doing for you to improve your life. Before going to government for more money, or any money, or forming your own political party you should have more than bums sitting on floors. You will need to reach a consensus on need that can be translated to the general public. Where are the co-operatives? The community homes, as care specific homes run by effected parents? Cost sharing initiatives effected by these parents? Care sharing initiatives effected by these parents?
Not a critique. Just questions. Ideas.

Congradulations Jean!
Great job on telling it just like it is! I'm so proud to be associated with such fine carers as you guys and am really stoked to have recently joined the forum.
Oh! As for Aqvaris, let me just say this to you. I'm a 28yr old Australian with Differing Abilities and took great offence to your inferrence concerning people with disabilities.
Undoubtedly, humanity is inriched by the fact we have people born into the world like myself as you ought to know being a self proclaimed 'nazi scientist' as it was FDR and company that whooped your sorry arses in WW2! And guess what FDR was, A person with DISABILITY!
Enough said.

Hi Dessert
You talk about throwing our children away, thats not want we want,I love my son and would never let that happen.What we need is shared care where parents are part of the team and not shut out as in the past.Size does not an institution make it is the the lack of caring well trained staff and parent involvement that created the horrors of the past.My son went to a boarding school run by Anglicare for a few years he loved it and I got a break, he still tells me that he wants to go to the school where he sleeps there.
What kind of services will he find? The ones we demand if we fight together we will be heard and change will come.All of our children have different needs one size does not fit all and family home can be an institution just as easily as a larger facility don't get me wrong I don't think large is good no more than 30

"Me........> and the few remaining nazi scientist<......... hope that DNA will be used as a tool to filter out even more potential problems and that heredity diseases and other genetic hiccups will be caught before more lives are restrained by physical and mental malformations."
Posted by aqvarivs, Thursday, 20 September 2007 12:45:59 AM

Honest to Gawd!! Akers, you certainly know how to put your jackboot square into your face, don't you?

Fair go. You've pointed out the failings of other posters here, while blundering on your merry way with something that appears damn close to an 'Aryan purity' philosophy;- then you go and confirm it!

And YOU talk about imperfect? YOU talk about stupid? Jeepers!

Aqvarivs,
Your ideas such as co-operatives, community homes run by parents and cost/care sharing initiatives by parents are fantastic and governments should view them favourably. In fact they are so worthy of consideration governments should expand such a wonderful idea to encompass child care, aged care and every other sort of care required by the Australian community.

We could have co-operative hospitals with doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and the general public being compulsorily required to donate their time in a cost sharing initiative. In the further interest of economic rationalisation and mutual obligation child care could take place in a street by street co-operative care sharing venture whereby parents would be rostered to care for all children in the street in an unpaid arrangement – this of course would mean that all parents would have to work part time to enjoy the benefits – but think of the empowerment for those families and the savings to government.

Government could also pass legislation making it mandatory that adult sons and daughters must care for their elderly parents in the home – thus maintaining intergenerational family obligations. If adult sons and daughters aren’t available grandchildren will do regardless of their age. For those requiring care who have no immediate family to perform this role, a genealogical search could be undertaken and distant relatives co-opted. This would provide an economic windfall for government – no more nursing homes, no more community assistance, no worries - the family (or co-opteds) could do it all, including paying any extra costs involved.

In the interests of fairness and equity all families would be required to sign up to the same AWA (pay and conditions) that carer payment recipients presently operate under – namely 25 hours a week free of the care role, 65 days a year free of the care role, 2 weeks hospitalisation for the carer per year and all substitute care costs, for the family member requiring care, to remain the responsibility of the carer.

What a wonderful and visionary idea – everyone in the community sharing the care.