Ken Wyatt (Hasluck, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I want to compliment the member for Fremantle for putting forward this motion. It has always been my belief that our commitment in aid, particularly in the areas of health, and in this particular field, are significant in the contribution that we make. I know that we often agree to the rights of individuals—we sign conventions—but the thing that needs to follow in this process is consideration of humanity and compassion in the way that we implement programs and put them into place.

I recently had a unique experience in Hasluck, where I have established a disability and carers advisory group that comprises carers and people who are experiencing difficulties. But let me say that without the health and allied health industries and agencies found in developed countries such as Australia, the plight of the disabled in developing countries if fairly dire. It is problematic because they do not have access to the level of skills and the types of supports that are needed.

Let me just share with you some of the things that I have discovered in my journey, which I think would be compounded significantly in countries that experience third-world conditions or who do not have access to the same things that we do. What was said to me was, ‘We agree that children and young people are hit with disabilities but the hardest hit are the mothers—the carers who look after children.’ I suspect that that is compounded in third-world countries or countries that we provide aid to.

Seventy-five per cent of marriages disintegrate, and men walk away for their responsibility of caring for children. Again, I think this problem would be compounded in countries that you have alluded to in your address. Post-school options for disabled children in Australia are dire to nonexistent in many parts. The young disabled men and women of Australia are sitting at home alone and isolated. Their parents do not know where to turn for help. That was the very clear message that came out in a First World country. I would suspect that the issue in any nation that we support would be much more dire than that.

I also heard some clear messages about accommodation options. Independent and supported accommodation options are few and far between. The consequences of having no accommodation options for carers is that elderly parents look after their children until they themselves die. The other message I heard clearly from parents and caregivers was: ‘What happens to the person I am caring for when I die?’ If we have this dilemma in this country, then, again, it would be compounded in the countries that we provide aid to, where there are no systems that provides that level of support and comfort. I think in our own backyard we are hearing some of those very significant messages.

Once they become an adult, disabled children are often lumped in the 16 to 65 age group; their individual needs are not addressed. Carers are isolated and lack support from agencies in the community. Respite care is expensive and difficult to arrange. With their lives as tough as they are, carers have the added burden of having to negotiate ridiculous red tape and bureaucracy. At least we are fortunate enough in this country to have that opportunity, although it is not favourable in terms of the challenges that the families face. I would hope that our aid is going to the process of implementation. Not the broad ranging establishment of a program but the way in which it counts for any child or any adult who has a disability that is affected, because the figures that the member for Fremantle mentioned are horrendous. The aid that is often provided from a number of countries is not sufficient to meet needs. Again, we have that same situation in our own country, so there is a compounding effect for anyone living in a country where you do not have access to the types of supports that prevail here.

The other thing that is challenging is that you can often be lost within systems. If people get lost within a system such as ours, then I suspect the figures that you provide are only indicative—they are not the true figures for children in countries that we provide aid to who experience disabilities. I commend the member for putting forward this motion and I support it. Thank you.

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