Some groups in the community have less opportunity than others. These groups might be disadvantaged because of their cultureor the country where they were born. Some of the submissions told us that there are people with disabilities who are also part of a disadvantaged group. These people face many challenges. They may have difficulty accessing information or services.
For families from different ethnic backgrounds, the issues are compounded. Many people from different ethnic backgrounds are not aware of their rights—to benefits, services, supports or respite. Due to the isolation felt by many carers and people with a disability from different ethnic backgrounds, language barriers or low levels of English proficiency still mean that these families do not access information and are unaware of what is available.
Indigenous Australians
The NDS [National Disability Strategy] as one of its first principles should acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as the original inhabitants of Australia and the custodians of the land. The Strategy should acknowledge the destruction of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities that occupation of Australia has produced. This destruction and the resulting dislocation and alienation is the primary contributor towards disability in Aboriginal communities. The NDS should commit to additional measures to support Indigenous people with a disability.
Some people with disabilities from an Aboriginal or Torres Straight Islander background may find it difficult to access services.
Some of the services do not take care of the individual needs of people from an Indigenous background.
For example, an Aboriginal man was told he had to move away from his friends and family. The man was a leader in his community. Moving away was very difficult for the man and everyone around him.
Non Aboriginal services do not understand the Aboriginal way of ‘shared care’ and the role that extended families play in supporting Aboriginal people with disabilities.
Women and disability
The submissions told us that many women with disabilities experience discrimination because they are women.
Many women with disabilities experiencedabuse.
Sometimes abuse happened in the places where the women were living.
Ideas for making things better
Here are some of the ideas people had to improve the lives of people with disabilities from disadvantaged groups:
- More money for programs for disadvantaged groups
- More information in a range of languages
- More understanding of different cultures
- Better transport options for Indigenous communities
- More help with housing and other services.