MORE than 25,000 Australians with disabilities will be denied the disability support pension (DSP) and pushed on to the dole over the next three years under tough new rules for ''borderline'' cases.

In moves to cut the dramatic growth rate in the DSP and compel more people to work if they can, new applicants deemed to have some capacity for work would be rejected on their first application for the pension. Instead they would be placed on the dole - leaving them up to $116 a week worse off - and forced to do training courses for up to 18 months in a bid to make them job-ready.

But they would still be free to reapply for the DSP at any time while in training, if they can make a case that they are still unable to work 15 hours a week or more.

The changes will come into effect from January 1, 2012 - at the same time as new impairment tables announced in last year's budget.

The Rudd government argues the new assessments ''will help people with disabilities return to the workforce by focusing on their ability rather than their disability''. The shift will compel new applicants to provide ''sufficient evidence that they are unable to work independently, even with assistance and support''.

Most will have to provide proof they are unable to get a job through a mainstream job service or vocational rehabilitation. But people with a severe disability or illness or those who are clearly unable to work have been reassured that they will be fast-tracked on to the DSP in future.

The tougher rules are expected to cut the number of newcomers on the DSP by 7550 in 2011/12, with a further 9912 and 7945 in the following two years. The new regime will also save taxpayers $383 million over four years.

But Treasurer Wayne Swan - who has campaigned for more than a decade to secure welfare and family payment reforms - insisted the changes were ''not predominantly driven by a savings exercise at all''.

''I have a long history in this area, I understand the challenge of dealing with long welfare dependency and people in positions where they can't necessarily make the transition from welfare to work despite all the best will in the world,'' he said. ''That is part and parcel of fundamental reform in that area.''

The number of Australians on the disability pension has grown by more than 30 per cent over a decade, rising to 777,000 last December.

The changes are projected to cut the growth rate in the DSP by around 10 per cent a year.

What's the point? they cut the growth rate of the DSP by 10%, and the dole queue grows by 10%. Of course, the dole is much less than the pension, but I wouldn't think that would have any effect on the economy on the whole.

The greens are the only party that have any heart for our most vulnerable and disadvantaged citizens.

The more we neglect the disadvantaged, the more we encourage crime. I wish the instigators of these petty policies would have the brains to look at the consequences of their actions.

mantra<<No doubt Tony Abbott will make an announcement shortly that welfare will remain untouched and means testing removed again.>>

................................................................................
.................

Yes, Liberals and their wealthfare. I think any welfare should be reserved for those who cannot, for one reason or another make ends meet on a day to day basis. Otherwise, if people can get along ok without it, stop it altogether.

It should be for the truly needy.

You are right with the babies, my regional community is flooded with young mums, and they don't stop at one or two.

Quote:


How freaking petty!?

A headline saving of a pissy $383M over 4 years is less than $100M PA - but at what associated costs!?

Is that the gross saving on the cost of DSP payments - or is that after the associated increase in draconian bureaucratic costs!?

What of the effect to the day-to-day costs and living standards of the disabled and their families - including the stress, anxiety, depresssion, familicides and suicides!?

This level of divisive pettiness is straight out of the Lab handbook - I expected better of the Labs...

Quote:




You have hit the nail on the head vegi. They may just know what's around the corner, so they tighten up now in readiness. Gone are the days when the major parties stick up for the downtrodden, they'll squash them under their foot a bit more while their down.

The country is going to pack and we need the greens in the senate to keep the peace if nothing else. I wouldn't like to see riots like they've had in Europe.

<<Somebody needs to stick up for the most disadvantaged of all, the mature-aged unemployed.>>
................................................................................
...............

Bob Brown said he will stick up for the disadvantaged in general. I'd give him the benefit of the doubt. What have we got to lose? not a great deal, looking at the major parties, dismal lot that they are.

If you care about the weakest, the most disadvantaged, the old and fragile, the disabled, the unemployed the most vulnerable of our citizens, then you are like the greens. They care too,

The greens need to raise $70,000 by Thursday for advertising. They need to get the message out there. We need the greens to have the balance of power in the senate, for our own safety.

Please donate, even $10 will help. Just think, you might be helping your great, great grandchildren.

https://greens.org.au/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=59