1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:03,800 Speaker 1: Five double a nice with Matthew Pantalas. 2 00:00:03,960 --> 00:00:11,000 Speaker 2: Tomorrow is the Day of people with a disability. We 3 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:14,120 Speaker 2: were talking last night about hidden disabilities and the sunflower 4 00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:17,840 Speaker 2: lanyards that are around. Well, the day tomorrow it takes 5 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:22,120 Speaker 2: in those people as well as everybody else. And let's 6 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:26,000 Speaker 2: find out where the disability sector is at the moment. 7 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:30,360 Speaker 2: From LIVET Disability Support, which used to be it had 8 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:33,000 Speaker 2: a different name. You might know it better as Community 9 00:00:33,159 --> 00:00:38,159 Speaker 2: Living Australia. Now LIVET Disability Support. To talk to us 10 00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 2: CEO is Mark Kolinski and he joins me now Mark, 11 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:45,960 Speaker 2: good evening, Hi, Matthew, tell us a little bit about 12 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:49,440 Speaker 2: the day tomorrow. What does it mean for people with disability. 13 00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:53,720 Speaker 1: Look, it's a really really important celebration of people with 14 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:58,360 Speaker 1: disabilities and what they contribute to society. So it's about 15 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 1: you know, people being valued and contributors rather than receivers 16 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:06,320 Speaker 1: in community. 17 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:11,679 Speaker 2: Okay, So celebrates that, as you say, and I suppose 18 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:15,360 Speaker 2: opportunity probably greater than ever for people with disabilities to 19 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 2: contribute to society. 20 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:22,240 Speaker 1: Absolutely. You know there's over five and a half million 21 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 1: people disabilities living in Australia right that's about one in 22 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:29,560 Speaker 1: five people in Australia have a disability of some sort. 23 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:32,480 Speaker 2: That's unreal, isn't it. That's a lot of people. 24 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 1: Well and one on three people actually you know, know 25 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:39,319 Speaker 1: someone with a disability or are touched by disability in 26 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 1: some way. So it's incredible, it's and so that's why 27 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:46,840 Speaker 1: we think it's so important to celebrate people's achievements. And 28 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:52,200 Speaker 1: they come in different, different sort of levels. So you know, 29 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:54,720 Speaker 1: one of the things that you know, at Libert, we're 30 00:01:54,760 --> 00:01:59,800 Speaker 1: supporting this guy that that is working in a supermarket 31 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 1: and he's stacking shelves as a volunteer. But he says 32 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:07,640 Speaker 1: hello to everyone that walks in and says, Hi, my 33 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:11,320 Speaker 1: name is so and so what's your name? And people 34 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 1: started going to that shop just to talk to me 35 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:15,800 Speaker 1: because you know, they want to talk, they want to 36 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:18,960 Speaker 1: be be friendly. And so all of a sudden, that business, 37 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:22,840 Speaker 1: you know, the turnover stepped up. 38 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:24,440 Speaker 2: How about that. 39 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:28,399 Speaker 1: So there's different things that people can do and do contribute. 40 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:30,920 Speaker 2: How do we market in Australia. I mean, we know 41 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:35,079 Speaker 2: it's the day, but is anything done especially for it? 42 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:39,360 Speaker 1: Yeah. Absolutely, there's lots of celebrations that are happening, barbecues 43 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 1: and you know, people are having different functions. A lot 44 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:47,840 Speaker 1: of local government gets behind it and recognize their residents 45 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 1: with disabilities, so they do a really good job. Organizations 46 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:56,120 Speaker 1: that support people disabilities have different celebrations as well, and 47 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:58,840 Speaker 1: you know, we tend to really just like to focus 48 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:02,600 Speaker 1: on people's achievements and what they do rather than just 49 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:03,520 Speaker 1: have a celebration. 50 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 2: Okay, So it raises awareness ultimately, doesn't it about people 51 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:11,720 Speaker 2: living with a disability? And some are not visible. 52 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:15,760 Speaker 1: That's right, there's a lot of people with hidden disabilities. 53 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:17,760 Speaker 1: In fact, you know, I look at the amount of 54 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:23,120 Speaker 1: people working at Libbert Disability Support and we have quite 55 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:27,560 Speaker 1: a few of our staff support workers do have hidden disabilities. 56 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:31,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, okay, so that's important to take note of. And 57 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 2: I suppose, as I mentioned at the start yesterday, Jenny, 58 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:37,560 Speaker 2: I think it was rang through and started the conversation 59 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:42,760 Speaker 2: about people with the sunflower lanyards, which is such an 60 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:43,640 Speaker 2: excellent idea. 61 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 1: Oh, it's really important because you know, I had a 62 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 1: brother with a disabilities passed now, but you know, he'd 63 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:55,320 Speaker 1: been a shopping center. He was a gentle giant to explain, 64 00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:57,760 Speaker 1: but sometimes if he didn't really want to do it, 65 00:03:57,760 --> 00:04:00,640 Speaker 1: he couldn't say no, he couldn't talk, but he would 66 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:02,280 Speaker 1: let out a bit of a screech and say no. 67 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 1: You know, by screeching he's saying I don't want to 68 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:06,840 Speaker 1: go there. But everyone to get a bit confused by 69 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:10,040 Speaker 1: that and frightened. So if you had a sunflower landyard, 70 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:14,520 Speaker 1: they would say, oh, yeah, he's okay, you know, yeah, yeah, excellent. 71 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 2: Thing is the chance for people to get involved, even 72 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:20,000 Speaker 2: organizations to get involved with the day tomorrow. 73 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:25,479 Speaker 1: Absolutely so I think through their local local government would 74 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 1: be a good idea of if they it'd be nice 75 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:32,120 Speaker 1: for lots of different businesses to reach out to disability providers. 76 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:34,159 Speaker 1: There's a lot of admin Australia at the moment with 77 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:39,080 Speaker 1: the nda S and yeah, get involved. Absolutely. 78 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:44,240 Speaker 2: I imagine for liver community housing is what it is. You 79 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:47,599 Speaker 2: probably don't have enough, do you? Or do you? Perhaps no, 80 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:49,400 Speaker 2: you need more, a real shortage. 81 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:53,719 Speaker 1: It's what's happening at the moment, Matthew in the in 82 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:56,560 Speaker 1: the with the nd S, we have two streams. We 83 00:04:56,680 --> 00:05:00,919 Speaker 1: have people with housing funding and then most people with 84 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:05,880 Speaker 1: disabilities don't get housing funding from the NDIS. So unfortunately, 85 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:09,080 Speaker 1: all the new houses built for people disabilities, they have 86 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:11,640 Speaker 1: to have funding to go in for them. So there's 87 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:14,680 Speaker 1: people forced into the private market they just can't afford it. 88 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, so what's what's the answer? Just more and more 89 00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:21,240 Speaker 2: housing needed and who provides that? Is it government? Is it? 90 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:24,560 Speaker 2: Is it private developers who build it? Our how's it work? 91 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:28,360 Speaker 1: Look, I think we can't keep on going back to government. 92 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:30,840 Speaker 1: You know, there's only a set amount of money and 93 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:36,200 Speaker 1: we can't keep on hitting taxpayers. But certainly we need 94 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:40,359 Speaker 1: to invest all together, so private developers, governments and everything 95 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:43,320 Speaker 1: to make that money go further. And you know, my 96 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:46,000 Speaker 1: mums and dads, you know, I think back to my 97 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:49,919 Speaker 1: brother again. My mother was saving money for my brother 98 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:52,719 Speaker 1: for a rainy day so he could actually buy a 99 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:56,280 Speaker 1: house if he couldn't find somewhere to live in. You know. 100 00:05:56,960 --> 00:05:58,839 Speaker 1: So I think there's a lot of people that do 101 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:02,279 Speaker 1: have those assets. They're just keeping it away in case, 102 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:05,120 Speaker 1: you know, something goes wrong with the NDIS or whatever. 103 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:06,880 Speaker 1: And there there is a lot of pressure there on 104 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:09,040 Speaker 1: families and people disabilities at the moment. 105 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:11,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, I don't know if you've had a chance to 106 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:15,440 Speaker 2: look through it. The government put out the Disability Royal 107 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:18,440 Speaker 2: Commission Progress Report just recently. 108 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 1: And. 109 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:24,080 Speaker 2: Does it come towards meeting some of the needs of 110 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:26,840 Speaker 2: the sector. Have you had a chance to look at it. 111 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:30,120 Speaker 1: Look, there's a lot that needs to be done and 112 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:32,760 Speaker 1: there's a lot that hasn't been done yet. And to 113 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 1: be honest, they need to get on with it if 114 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:39,320 Speaker 1: they really want, if they're really serious about having a 115 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:43,200 Speaker 1: human rights approach to people with disabilities or just people generally, 116 00:06:43,760 --> 00:06:46,880 Speaker 1: they need to get this right. And it's not working now, 117 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:47,240 Speaker 1: is it. 118 00:06:47,839 --> 00:06:49,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, well it doesn't seem to be. I mean a 119 00:06:49,760 --> 00:06:54,360 Speaker 2: lot of areas to cover education, employment, housing, as we've 120 00:06:54,360 --> 00:06:58,640 Speaker 2: been discussing, and it goes on and on. Just about 121 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:02,280 Speaker 2: every government department would be impacted in some way. And 122 00:07:02,520 --> 00:07:05,240 Speaker 2: that's as you say, you know, there's a lot more 123 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:10,320 Speaker 2: to do. It must I imagine it's money perhaps will 124 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:15,440 Speaker 2: will is the other thing? Governments? How much do they 125 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:17,520 Speaker 2: need to be pushed down the road to do something? 126 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:22,080 Speaker 1: Absolutely? Look, and you know we look at the hospital system, 127 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:25,120 Speaker 1: you know with the bed blocking and stuff, and there's 128 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:29,040 Speaker 1: well over one hundred people disabilities in hospital in South Australia. 129 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:31,040 Speaker 1: And you know, they did fix it for a while 130 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:32,840 Speaker 1: and I know they're working on it now and the 131 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:37,680 Speaker 1: government's doing what they can, but you know, it's not 132 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:39,400 Speaker 1: where you want to be if you're not sick, is it, 133 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:41,480 Speaker 1: you know, whether you have a disability or not. 134 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:45,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely so. All right, Well the day is tomorrow 135 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 2: and hopefully some of those issues take the focus for 136 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:53,000 Speaker 2: a while at least on the day. Mark, appreciate your 137 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:57,040 Speaker 2: time tonight, thank you, and all the best for International 138 00:07:57,080 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 2: People with a Disability Day tomorrow. 139 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:01,960 Speaker 1: Thank you very much, Matthew, thank you. 140 00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:08,360 Speaker 2: Mark Kolinski, Chief Executive LIVET Disability Services was Community Living Australia, 141 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:12,640 Speaker 2: but tomorrow the International Day of People with Disability and 142 00:08:12,800 --> 00:08:15,200 Speaker 2: commemorated December three here in Australia.