ABOUT
Disability Doesn’t Discriminate, but the Government does. Turn 65 and become disabled, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) – meant to be your safety net – doesn’t cover you.
Also excluded, Australians who were over 65 and living with a disability when the NDIS was rolled out.
It is discrimination that could impact you, your mother, your father, your sister, your brother, or anyone you love. We need your help to end that.
How is this possible?
In 2013, the Federal Government deliberately amended the Age Discrimination Act allowing the NDIS to legally exclude people over the age of 65 from the NDIS.
What does this mean?
More than 4.4 million Australians – one in five – live with a disability. Almost half (44.5%) are over the age of 65.
Right now, people who sustain their disability after the age of 65 are funded through the My Aged Care Scheme not NDIS. It means a person with a Spinal Cord Injury receives $52,000 a year instead of $165,600.
Why do older Australians with a disability not matter?
The Federal Government knows what it needs to do.
- Immediately adopt two key recommendations from The Aged Care Quality and Safety Royal Commission.
- Remove age discrimination from the new National Disability Strategy, due for release in late 2021.
Who’s behind the campaign?
Spinal Life Australia, has been advocating for people living with a disability for the past 60 years.
We began in Brisbane when a group of people, living with paraplegia and quadriplegia, wanted to make a real and tangible difference to the lives of Australians living with a physical disability. Learn more about us here.
Like many others we have been campaigning on a local level on this issue for many years. We decided we would go national on this issue, as the government wasn’t listening. Enough is enough.
By getting together as ‘one voice’ behind this campaign we can make a change and end age discrimination!
What you can do
Add your voice to this campaign. An email, on your behalf, will be sent to your local Federal MP asking where he or she stands on discrimination against people over 65 who become disabled and challenge them to introduce a Private Member’s Bill to end the discrimination.
Have your say
The ‘Disability Doesn’t Discriminate’ campaign gives Australians living with a disability, their families and carers a united voice. Share your story so together, we can be heard.
Influence policy
Send a personal email or letter to your State or Territory MP urging their Premiers and Chief Ministers NOT to sign the new National Disability Strategy, when it’s released later this year, unless it ends age discrimination.
Behind the campaign – Spinal Life Australia
Spinal Life Australia has been advocating for people living with a disability for the past 60 years.
We began in Brisbane with a group of people, living with paraplegia and quadriplegia, wanting to make a real and tangible difference to the lives of Australians living with a physical disability.
Our team of health care workers, activists, researchers, volunteers, and friends are committed to providing critical support services, and advocacy at an individual and a national level. We advocate for a fairer and more equitable Australia and work to empower, support, and educate. Learn more about us here.
DISABILITY DOESN’T
DISCRIMINATE
BUT THE GOVERNMENT DOES
The law firm is calling on those who have been excluded from receiving NDIS support due to their age to put forward an Expression of Interest in pursuing the class action lawsuit.
Click here for more information or to complete an Expression of Interest form.