Friday 3rd April, 2020
Australian Greens Disability spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John has labelled Health Minister Greg Hunt’s announcement of the establishment of a National Advisory Group to guide development and implementation of a response plan focusing on the unique health needs of disabled people a “huge win” for the community.
“This is what the Greens, Australia’s peak disability advocacy organisations and the community have been calling for for weeks. This National advisory group should have been started weeks ago but the reality is that now they’ll be forced to play catch up,” Steele-John said.
“We don’t have any more time to waste. Disabled people need a dedicated and natinonally coordinated stategy now to ensure that they have the information and support they need to get through the COVID-19 pandemic.
“So far the government has failed to actively include us from the response to COVID-19 and this has caused significant anxiety and concern amongst our community.
“Today, more than 70 of Australia’s disability organisation and advocacy bodies released a statement calling for ten urgent actions to be taken to address the impacts of COVID-19 on disabled people, our families and our support networks.
“I’m calling on the National Advisory Group tomeet urgently and consider these ten action points to ensure that disabled people, our families and our support networks can have the information and support we need to get through this COVID-19 crisis.”
