IM this article to a friend!

April 18, 2005

Govt urged to fund community worker for deaf

From: ABC Online, Australia - Apr 18, 2005

The ACT Opposition is calling on the Government to fund a community worker for hearing impaired residents in next month's Budget.

The Opposition disability services spokeswoman, Jacqui Burke, says Canberra is lagging behind other states and territories that already have employed community workers.

"We cannot espouse to being an inclusive community unless we are prepared to put our actions into words," she said.

"The Government must look at this issue, I think, as a priority. We must ensure that we are addressing this section of the community's basic human rights."

She says the ACT has about 38,000 hearing impaired residents.

"The situation is that we are the only state or territory in Australia that doesn't commit funding for a dedicated community worker for the deaf or hearing impaired," she said.

"Many of these people in our deaf or hearing impaired community are struggling right now to get simple things, basic human rights such as legal advice in a proper way that comes easy to them. We take that for granted."

© 2005 ABC