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#StandByMe Campaign Rally – Redfern NSW

By December 12, 2017May 29th, 2019No Comments

The Disability Advocacy Alliance NSW joined the NSW Greens today at a rally in Redfern to urge the Government to reverse the funding cuts to disability advocacy.

Melanie Marne, NSW Community Connector, FPDN spoke at the rally and said:

” Without us and other services like FPDN our  people with disability will be further marginalised and experience more disadvantage . Aboriginal people living with disability sit under the double disadvantage rule. Being born Aboriginal was considered to be a disadvantage to be born both Aboriginal and to live with disability is what we say is Double Disadvantage so Aboriginal people living with disability are particularly at risk. And they need services like ours and other Aboriginal services to be delivered by Aboriginal people so they can feel more comfortable and safe within community.

Without services like ours they will have no support and most importantly NO VOICE

Advocacy gives them the chance to have a voice it gives them a fair go!

It educates. It empowers them to overcome barriers and challenges that they may face in life it gives them the chance to be heard.

It also gives them a lifeline, someone to listen, someone to care. It helps them to be stronger with in themselves so they feel strong and a part of this world.

To take away advocacy funding NOW will have a long term detrimental effect on these people, our people.

They will be left alone without a voice.

Silenced.

We know the difference we make to people’s lives with support. By taking this funding away is in turn abandoning the most vulnerable people in society the very people who we should be protecting.

Now that the disability sector is changing and the NDIS is rolling out this is the time that advocacy services like ours are vital.

It is the time to change for the better! To make NSW fairer and more inclusive. These funding cuts will only do the opposite.

We stand alongside our fellow advocacy colleagues and partners here today and we urge the government to reverse these funding cuts!

We are standing here for all people with disability both Aboriginal and non Aboriginal.

We are standing for inclusion.

We are saying DON’T WIDEN THE GAP!”

To support this campaign go to www.standbyme.org.au