E&OE TRANSCRIPT
KATHRYN ROBINSON, HOST: If you weren't aware, today is National Auslan Day and today the Federal Government has announced workplaces will be provided more support to improve accessibility and pay for Auslan interpreters. The changes are the first to the Employment Assistance Fund caps in 13 years. And joining RN Drive to talk through them is the Federal Social Services Minister, Amanda Rishworth. Welcome back to the program.
AMANDA RISHWORTH, MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SERVICES: Thank you. It's great to be with you.
KATHRYN ROBINSON: Amanda, can you take us through these changes and when they will come into effect?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: These changes are really important. The Employment Assistance Fund is an important fund that allows, for example, workers to get access to Auslan interpreting services or indeed, workplace modifications. These have been capped for 13 years. So, for example, with Auslan, each year it's capped at $6,000, and for workplace modifications it's been capped at $30,000. What we've announced today is from the 1 July 2023, these caps will be doubled because we know that if you want to get Auslan interpreting services for workplace training, for training for a promotion or just to do some workplace activities, you can run out of that $6,000 really quickly. So, there's been a lot of calls through the Jobs and Skills Summit to increase this cap. I'm really pleased that we've been able to announce a doubling of that cap to $12,000. And for workplace modifications, that limit has been doubled to $60,000.
KATHRYN ROBINSON: So, what is this doubling in caps in response to? What have you been hearing from the businesses you're engaging with?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: I've been hearing from both businesses, but also from employees to say that the amount, that's been stuck at the same amount for the last 13 years, is not going as far. So, what it has meant when it comes to Auslan is that there have been some workers that have missed out on opportunities to do workplace training because they haven't been able to access this fund. When it comes to workplace modifications, we know that building costs have gone up and so that the cost of putting in new ramps or other modifications, they've gone really up in price. So, what I've been hearing is that this has acted as a barrier for those with a disability to fully participate in the workplace. Now, what I must emphasise is this is the government's contribution, it shouldn't stop an employer also making a contribution and investing in their workplace as well.
KATHRYN ROBINSON: We know that the unemployment rate for working age people with the disability is double that of those living without a disability. Do you have any modelling or projections about the number of people who will find employment as a result of these changes?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, look, there's no silver bullet when it comes to employing people with disability because we've seen stubbornly high unemployment rates for the last 30 years. But we think that this, along with a number of the other initiatives we've taken, will shift the dial. So, some of the other initiatives we've taken have been to partner with the Business Council of Australia to improve employer confidence when it comes to employing people with a disability, to look at other models where we're able to support employers to get access to people living with disability and also to improve our Disability Employment Services. We know that some are good, some could do better. We're looking at reforming that across the board. We want to see, though, that stubbornly high unemployment rate shift, because when I talk to so many people with disability. They want to get the same opportunity in employment as their peers.
KATHRYN ROBINSON: If you've just tuned into RN Drive, thanks for your company and welcome. My guest is the Federal Social Services Minister, Amanda Rishworth. Minister, we've spoken about modifications here for business, but expensive home modifications are adding to the cost of living pressures for many living with a disability. There was a story earlier this week, I don't know if you heard it run on AM, but some Australians living with a disability are considering moving out of their homes because they can't keep up with the mortgage repayments, plus the costs of making modifications in their home. Do you think that there should be more support coming their way?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: When it comes to home modifications that isn't covered by this scheme. It is covered through the NDIS and I know that Minister Shorten, that case in particular I think, Minister Shorten made some comments and asked the agency to have a careful look at that situation. But when it comes to home modifications, they are part of NDIS plans. Obviously, we're doing a review of the NDIS and how it can best support people's needs and I'm sure home modifications or supported accommodation living will be covered in that review.
KATHRYN ROBINSON: You mentioned Bill Shorten there just on another matter. He announced the use of debt collectors for social welfare being abolished and that work instead to be done by Services Australia. Why do you think that change is important and does Services Australia have the capacity to do that work?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, I think Services Australia is a very professional organisation. They interact with customers across the board. They have integrated services that have social workers and other expertise. So, I think this is a really positive move and it makes sure that we are learning some of the lessons from Robodebt. Just in my own portfolio, there were many what were called ‘in-flight reviews’ that occurred under the Robodebt scheme that were just sitting and not being resolved. We cancelled those in flight reviews because that was leaving a lot of people with a lot of stress and a lot of turmoil. So, as a Government, whether it's in my portfolio or indeed in Minister Shorten's portfolio, we're looking at how we make sure that government services are delivering for people that need it. And I'm sure that this will be a very welcome move by many people.
KATHRYN ROBINSON: Just finally, Minister, the Federal Opposition leader, Peter Dutton has been in Alice Springs saying violence and crime there is still out of hand. He argues that the Voice to Parliament won't actually address any of the issues on the ground in places such as Alice Springs. Do you think he has a point?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: I'm really disappointed that we're seeing the Leader of the Opposition play politics with the Voice, play politics with some of the difficult issues in Alice Springs. I've listened to Aboriginal Elders, Aboriginal Leaders across this country who say you cannot make policy that works without us. And that is what the Voice to Parliament does. It recognises our First Nations people, but it also ensures that Parliament will get advice and work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to address what are often intergenerational issues. So, I actually am concerned that what the Leader of the Opposition is doing is playing politics with this and not sitting down and looking at how we deliver solutions on the ground. And the Voice to Parliament is absolutely about delivering solutions in partnership with our First Nations people on the ground.
KATHRYN ROBINSON: And what about getting on top of the situation on the ground in Alice Springs right now?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: I've also spoken pretty regularly about some of the intergenerational issues. I've spoken with a number of peak organisations, as have my colleagues. We have announced obviously a significant investment in Alice Springs to tackle some of these issues. But coming up with solutions that are not in line with what the community want and what the community want to work with us on is not going to solve some of the intergenerational problems that we see in some of our First Nations communities.
KATHRYN ROBINSON: Federal Social Services. Minister Amanda Rishworth. Thanks so much for your time this afternoon.
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Thank you.