ABBOTT ABANDONS STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY

Media Release

Kate Ellis MP.

Shadow Minister for Education

 Shadow Minister for Early Childhood

14 May 2014

Despite promising to deliver extra funding for students with disability the Abbott Government has cut all dedicated support.

The More Support for Students with Disability program, worth $100 million a year, has been terminated, and has not been replaced with the Gonski disability loading the Government promised before the election.

Before the election, the Abbott Government promised:

"...more funding for people with disability through the 'disability loading' in 2015."
CHRISTOPHER PYNE - MEDIA RELEASE - 23 AUGUST 2013

The Prime Minister reaffirmed this commitment in the Parliament:

"On schools, those loadings will be fully delivered."
TONY ABBOTT - HANSARD - 3 DECEMBER 2013

"Students with disability, parents and teachers have been abandoned and betrayed by this Prime Minister," Shadow Minister for Education Kate Ellis said.

"There were clear promises made by Tony Abbott as part of disability reforms that there would be additional funds for disability education from 2015."

"It is sickening that students with disability are today paying the price for Tony Abbott's broken promises," Shadow Minister for Disability Reform, Jenny Macklin said.

The Abbott Government's betrayal will be extremely distressing for families around the country who were promised their children would finally get access to education that meets their needs:

"A typical school experience for students with disability involves limited choice of school, discrimination, bullying, limited or no funding for support and resources, inadequately trained staff and having to contend with a culture of low expectations."
STEPHANIE GOTLIB - CEO CHILDREN WITH DISABILITY AUSTRALIA - 12 MAY 2014

Teachers were counting on additional support so they could meet the needs of students with disability, but they will be left without the resources they need to deliver the best education for every child in the class.

"These cruel cuts will be nothing but a fast-track to a life on the Disability support Pension for students who will simply never get the change to realise their potential," Kate Ellis said.