Disability Employment Service providers live and die by this process and, just as NOVA will receive good news as far as the ratings go, other service providers will now be acutely aware that their contract with the Commonwealth will end and as a consequence, their own employment is likely to be terminated.
The mantra of providing an environment in which ‘higher performing providers’ thrive while ‘underperforming services’ are removed will be trotted out in justification of this process.
This is Orwellian doublespeak.
What is best rewarded under the present system is not the delivery of service to people with disability that actually changes people’s lives.
Full time employment is not rewarded.
An end to economic dependence on welfare is not rewarded.
The amount (hours) of work undertaken is not rewarded.
And yet these are the very things that have attracted many staff to their jobs. Improving the lot of people with disability to the greatest possible extent is the underlying philosophical foundation of many providers now smeared by the charge they have not acted in their clients’ interests.
I mourn the loss of good services, of good and dedicated colleagues and the loss of choice for participants.
The relentless march to mediocrity, disappointment and stagnation continues.
Why am I so dirty?
Last time this utter nonsense was inflicted upon people with disability 46 providers closed their doors completely, their disillusioned but skilled staff scattered to the wind.
Thousands of long standing relationships; jobseekers and workers with their agency, agencies with employers and employers with their workers were destroyed.
And this is the real kicker:
Things got worse!
The destruction of the disability employment controlled by then Minister Kate Ellis brought an overall loss of 16% in just the first 18 months (note: dislocation causes lost opportunity costs, duplication and waste – this is management 1:01!).
I note the media are starting to wake up to the scandal that is Australian employment programs.
We appear to have a good Minister in Mitch Fifield and he deserves to be given a chance.
That said; this nonsense - the arbitrary reallocation of job seekers - must end. Determining ‘performance’ on anything other than real changes in the lives of participants must end.
We need a system that returns to including the wishes, opinions and needs of people with disability.
Indeed, a less trusting person might feel that ‘the system’ actually doesn’t have much faith in the ability of people with disability and that these folk are incapable of making sensible or informed choice.
That’s not so and we need a Disability Employment Program that reflects the genuine wants and capacity of those who have a disability to fully participate as members of an inclusive workplace.
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