(2012-2020)

• Social Inclusion Board

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Report Image: Strong voices

08 November 2011From the foreword by Commissioner for Social Inclusion and Chair of the Social Inclusion Board Monsignor David Cappo AO...

"In South Australia, a state with a proud history of social innovation and reform, it has become clear that we are sorely lagging behind the nation when it comes to supporting people with disability, as well as families and carers.

To address this, in December 2009, the Premier of South Australia, the Hon Mike Rann MP, asked the Social Inclusion Board to tackle what would be its greatest challenge to date; a wholesale reform for people with disability, as well as their families and carers. This announcement heralded the beginning of what would be the largest disability community engagement ever held in this State, with more than 2000 people telling us where systems had not worked for them and where improvements must be made. The Board not only heard of a service system that responds mostly to crisis but also of a system where the power lays, not with citizens, but within the bureaucracy.

We uncovered a system that is unsustainable in its approach, both to the delivery of services and supports as well as to funding. The result has been that for far too long, people with disability have been shut-out from participating in the social and economic life of our society.

In order to get things right, it has become obvious that bold action is required and this action must be delivered with great urgency.

This report, titled Strong Voices, seeks primarily to address the power imbalance – to move it away from systems and bureaucracy and towards people with disability, their families and carers. It is a plan, not just for Government, but for the whole community, to change the way disability is considered as an issue. It is now time that Government and the community sees people with disability not for what they cannot do, but for who they are and what they can achieve as citizens."