Enabling the students with disability in education

This idea got bipartisan support at the 2013 election, but we have made no progress since.

Former Education Minister Christopher Pyne continually denied there was a problem, and failed to put aside any money in the Budget to increase disability funding.

The first comprehensive collection of data on disability in schools, the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on Disability, has now been completed. Every school in Australia has submitted their data.

This must not be wasted, it needs to be used to increase the amount of funding available for schools for disability.

Our new education minister must take the lead and work with States to deliver this funding to schools where it is needed.

This will cost money, but the long-term cost of allowing thousands of students to become disengaged, and to leave school without the skills needed for work and life will be far greater.

One of the parents who travelled with me to Canberra was Theresa Duncombe, whose son Ben has an intellectual disability.

She says that:

Our family has high expectations for our son Ben – I want him to have a great education, both at home and at school, and to go on to full time work and financial independence. I don't think that's unreasonable and I think our school system should be able to deliver that.

If we want people with disability to become accepted and included into our society, that has to start at school.