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.

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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