From:
Sue Egan [pdca@ozemail.com.au]
Sent:
Wednesday, 24 May 2000 9:34
To:
HREOC
Subject:
DO NOT SUPPORT EXEPTION FOR ORTA!
My
name is Sam Peterson and I live in Brisbane.
I also work in the
Disability
Sector in employment. I do not support
the application for
exemption
by ORTA and wish to put forward my reasons, in addition to
those
already received, which I also support wholeheartedly.
Accessible
Transport is an enormous issue in the lives of people with a
disability.
Lack of accessible transport has been identified since 1981,
by
the United Nations, as the single most important issue that affects
the
lives of those with a disability.
Transport
means the difference between staying at home or living some
kind
of quality of life. No-one has the right to simply take what little
transport
resources there are, away from people with a disability
without
some kind of consultation mechanism and something else put in
its
place for the interim period. Nowhere
in this debate have I seen
that
offer! In other words what are people
with disabilities going to
use
for transport where their buses have been taken away? Surely there
isn't
an expectation that everyone can afford taxis.
Even with a
concession,
it is very expensive to travel to and from work each day in
a
taxi! The non disabled sector would not
accept it, so why should
people
with a disability.
I
don't support the exemption. I think it
is totally shameful to even
think
that it is okay. I also think it is
inappropriate to be doing
this
at this late stage, when Australia has had years to get organised!
The
whole world will be watching us later this year, and this is the way
we
treat our own citizens!
Definately
NO!
Sam
Peterson
Brisbane