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WORKability I: Barriers noted that one of the main impediments to the employment of people with disability lies in employer concerns about increased exposure to legal and financial risks related to occupational health and safety, disability discrimination and unfair dismissal laws. [1]

As discussed in Chapter 2 of this report, WORKability I: Barriers highlighted two specific areas for ongoing consultation with the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, namely:

A list of the 29 Second Round Submissions and electronic copies, where available, can be found at: www.humanrights.gov.au/disability_rights/employment_inquiry/subs2/index.htm

Review of the Employer </em>Incentives Strategy: Department of Family and Community Services Improving Employment Opportunities for People with a </em>Disability, Report of the Review of the Employer Incentives Strategy </em>, March 2003

Australians with disability are much less likely to be employed than people without disability. They have a comparatively lower labour force participation rate (53.2% compared to 80.1%) and a higher unemployment rate (8.6% compared to 5%) than those without a disability.

Issues Paper 3, which was issued on the launch of the Inquiry, discussed the incentives and disincentives regarding employment of people with disability from the perspective of employers.

The issue of participation of people with disability in the open workforce has been the subject of much public debate in recent months. This is largely the result of the 'Welfare to Work' package announced in the May 2005 Commonwealth Budget. However, the issue is a longstanding one, as indicated in the submissions to the Inquiry.

No person can achieve a smooth transition and successful entry into the open workforce unless they are 'job ready', and this is especially the case for people with disability.

This section of the Interim Report summarises the main issues raised in submissions which relate to the job search phase of employment. Those issues include:

Discussion about people with disability in the open workplace tends to focus on whether a person can find a job, rather than keep a job. While successfully obtaining a job is clearly the first step for a person seeking employment in the open workplace, it is only the first step.

The preceding chapters of this report are a summary of the main issues raised in the submissions and consultations already conducted by the Inquiry. The issues have been grouped into themes as follows:

However, as discussed in Chapter 7, the Inquiry is conscious of the need for a holistic approach to addressing the participation and employment of people with disability in the open workplace. Therefore the areas identified in this Chapter should not be taken in isolation of other approaches to the issue of employment of people with disability.

The ACTU believes that an inquiry, as a vehicle for public education, would assist to promote employment opportunities for people with disability. Additionally the inquiry would provide the opportunity to consider ways to facilitate employment participation and could therefore provide a means to report and make recommendations to Government.

At present few reliable statistics have been gathered on related issues however Council is aware through its links across the disability sector and the anecdotal evidence of its members and staff that equity is far from being served.

From: Paul Morgan [mailto:paul.morgan@sane.org] Sent: Thursday, 16 September 2004 5:18 PM To: Sev Ozdowski Subject: Re: Enquiry Dear Sev Proposed Inquiry into Disability and Employment I write to formally express SANE Australia’s support for the proposed Inquiry. Employment is a crucial contributor to participation in and integration with the community - and exclusion of the vast majority of ...

Defining 'remote' as those regions where the nearest Capital city is a thousands plus kilometre away &#133; and / or, where the largest population centres have only thousands of occupants and are hundreds of kilometres away.

My name is Timothy Hart the Disability Coordination Officer for Northern, Central and Southern Sydney, the Disability Coordination Officer (DCO) Programme seeks to assist people with a disability move between school, vocational education and training and higher education, to succeed in their chosen studies and move to suitable employment by providing information, co-ordination and referral services for people with a disability. The Northern, Central and Southern Sydney Disability Coordination Officer position is hosted by the Centre for Developmental Disability Studies at Ryde.

Further assistance regarding this project may be obtained from: Mr Bruce Maguire - Disability Rights Unit Phone: 02 9284 9613 TTY: 1800 620 241 E-mail: brucemaguire@humanrights.gov.au

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) Public Statement on Immigration Detention in Curtin.

Key observations and concerns arising from the Commission&#8217;s visit are set out in the Commission&#8217;s public report, Immigration detention at Curtin.