A “WALLABY GREAT” SAYS NO TO DISCRIMINATION
John Connolly was a legendary coach of our national rugby union team, the Wallabies, he also coached the Queensland Reds where he won the Super 12 Coach of the Year award in both 1998 and 1999. He was also a Sunshine Coast Councillor.
We are proud to announce that this outstanding Australian has decided to become an Ambassador for the Disability Doesn’t Discriminate Campaign.
Nine months ago, John was helping out at his Dad’s house. He stepped aside to take a phone call, lent on a fence post that collapsed, and fell two metres into the neighbouring property. He dislocated a shoulder, broke his arm and his neck and is now in a wheelchair. He spent nine months in hospital.
It was there he discovered that if you acquire a disability at the age of 65 or over you are banned from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
You will be thrown into the shambolic aged care system and receive nowhere near what you may need in quality care., support, equipment or aids.
Luckily, John has the resources to manage the large costs of his rehabilitation and ongoing support.
But he recognised many other Australians aren’t as fortunate as him.
He also recognised that this was age discrimination pure and simple, that everyone should be treated the same and not be discriminated because of their age.
He supports Recommendation 72 of the Royal Commission into Aged Care and Quality that states; Equity for people with disability receiving aged care “By 1 July 2024, every person receiving aged care who is living with disability, regardless of when acquired, should receive through the aged care program daily living supports and outcomes (including assistive technologies, aids and equipment) equivalent to those that would be available under the National Disability Insurance Scheme to a person under the age of 65 years with the same or substantially similar conditions.”
It’s an honour to have John on board as an ambassador for the campaign. Join him, sign up and support the Disability Doesn’t Discriminate campaign and end this age discrimination.
