By NOEL MURPHY
GEELONG’S DisabilityCare headquarters will ramp up pressure on the city’s legal aid centres, according to Community Law Australia (CLA).
Centres such as Villamanta Disability Rights Legal Service and Barwon Community Legal Service would need more money to service calls for help from additional clients and advocacy agencies, CLA warned.
A peak skills body has previously issued a warning that DisabilityCare might be unable to live up to its hype as Australia’s National Disabilty Insurance Scheme provider (NDIS) if Canberra fails to produce outstanding funding for staff training.
Community Sector and Health Industry Skills Council Services chief Rod Cooke said no extra funding had been stumped up to develop the skills of disability carers.
His concerns followed lawyers and disability activists expressing concerns earlier this year about potential staff shortfalls and and low-level wages.
CLA’s Carolyn Bond said DisabilityCare’s overhaul of the disability sector would trigger eligibility and participation issues.
“DisabilityCare, like any other insurance or benefit scheme, has rules about eligibility and these cans sometimes be technical and confusing,” she said.
“It’s vital that people with a disability can get free quality legal advice to ensure they don’t miss out on the support they are entitled to.”
Barwon CLS boss Nick Hudson said his centre was already handling a high volume of clients who identified as living with a disability.
“Our concern is that we are going to see a major influx in clients with these legal needs and potentially not have the resources to meet the increase,” he said.
DisabilityCare and its services have come under growing scrutiny since unveiled by Federal Government.
Critics have warned 457 visas might be needed to fill staff vacancies because carers were already in high demand and their wages were low.
James Cook University academic Professor Matthew Yau has also suggested sex-worker services and professional sex therapy should be available under the scheme.
Prof Yausaid disabled Australians were entitled to assistance for “everyday tasks” including “hiring a sex worker to satisfy their needs”.
