TO STUART ROBERT – MINISTER FOR THE NDIS
Disability workers call on the Federal Government to act immediately to ensure the ongoing safety of people with a disability and the disability workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Federal Government must take action now to ensure that people with disability are able to safely access services.
The Federal Government needs to urgently:
- provide funding to ensure all workers in the disability sector, regardless of employment status, do not go without pay when their ability to provide a service is disrupted due to COVID-19.
- provide personal protective equipment (PPE) and additional cleaning services to keep workers and people with disability safe.
provide ongoing infection control training.
- deliver wage increases to ensure workers are supported to continue delivering high-quality and safe services to people with a disability.
- work with the disability unions and the broader sector to prepare for a surge in workforce need so that new workers are appropriately trained, supported and safe.
These measures need to apply to all people with disability and the workers who support them – not just those in funded via the NDIS.
If we are going to beat this crisis, we need action now.
