One Nation has been called to apologise for a “repugnant” video released by party leader Pauline Hanson that mocks people with a disability in an attempt to discredit the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
Two of Australia’s peak advocacy bodies for people who live with a disability – People with Disability Australia (PWDA) and Advocacy for Inclusion (AFI) – called on One Nation to remove the video and replace it with a public apology.
Hanson on Friday morning released the clip on her social media channels. 9News.com.au has decided against sharing the video, as it mocks people who have a disability on multiple occasions.
It also describes the NDIS as a scam, claiming that conditions covered by the scheme include a stubbed toe, ”having trouble concentrating”, and voting for the Greens, who currently have 14 more seats across both houses of federal parliament than One Nation.
“The insensitive cruelty of this propaganda by the Hanson team stoops to new lows, with its offensive, inappropriate and inaccurate depictions of disability supports under the NDIS,” PWDA president Nicole Lee said.
“The NDIS not only improves the lives of ordinary people with disability but poses huge benefits to the social fabric of all Australians with or without disability.
“Through the NDIS, people with disability are one of the biggest contributors to the Australian economy delivering $2.25 for every dollar spent in the scheme or more than $2 billion a year.”
The AFI’s Craig Wallace, a long-term NDIS campaigner, also criticised the timing of the video.
“The video inspires hatred against disabled people and is a particularly nasty and vile depiction of the lives of highly vulnerable people with disability released on Good Friday, which is a day of love and reflection for many people,” he said.
“It blatantly misrepresents that people can receive NDIS support for temporary conditions like a stubbed toe when the reality is the NDIS is actually highly limited and constrained to people with permanent and significant impairment.
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“Many people still struggle to get basic equipment or personal care, others have had plans cut, and the prolonged assessments and bureaucracy mean that this is hardly a luxury.
“It is also inaccurate to suggest that people with disability are ‘scamming’ the scheme when we know we are actually more likely to be the victims of scams, poor services and rip-offs by services and businesses seeking to profit from disabled people.”
The NDIS was established under the Gillard government in 2013, but in recent years has faced criticism for reported delays, inadequate funding and support for its participants.
Fearnley is the first person with a disability appointed to the position.
“The country needs an NDIS that’s trusted, that is efficient, that is effective,” he said after being named as the new chairperson.
The scheme cost taxpayers around $35 billion last year to provide support to 535,000 participants.
An estimated 4.4 million Australians live with a disability.
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