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Despite widespread
discrimination often hidden behind a range of
apparently acceptable guises, people with physical
disabilities throughout Australia have organised
themselves into a movement which is continually
growing in strength, militancy and political
sophistication, particularly over the last 20
years.
People with disabilities have
set up a number of organisations which are involved
in a wide range of social and political activities
including:
- shaping government policy
by employing tactics aimed at influencing
politicians and bureaucrats such as individual
lobbying, public rallies and protests and media
campaigns;
- law reform at both a
Commonwealth and State level;
- assisting other people
with disabilities to understand their rights and
to feel confident and informed enough to assert
themselves;
- lobbying for more and
better services.
As a result of these
activities and campaigns there has been progress in
legislative, policy and service development for
people with disabilities in Australia.
Unfortunately this progress
is coming to a grinding halt within the context of
the political climate. Governments, bureaucracies,
businesses and individuals over-emphasise the
importance of Rationalist Economics to the
detriment social justice issues such as
disability.
Nevertheless, the disability
sector is still working hard to influence those in
a position of power to cater to the needs of all
people with disabilities.
The disability movement has
also worked to raise the awareness of the wider
community and to ensure that issues which concern
people with disabilities are on the public
agenda.
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