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Below is the response we received from Dr Verity Cooper regarding each of our key asks.

Do you commit to demonstrating leadership in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) by investing in strategies and initiatives across government; committing to ambitious employment targets for under-represented groups across the Australian public sector; and promoting the importance of DEI in the private sector?

Yes, showing leadership in DEI (we can't go down a Trumpian path).

Will you commit to directly investing in accessible and affordable social housing that complies with the minimum accessibility standards set out in the updated National Construction Code 2022 Livable Housing Design (LHD) Standard; supporting implementation of the LHD Standard without unnecessary concessions throughout Australia (e.g. through monitoring, data collection, reporting and capacity building); and ceasing to fund group homes?

Yes, social and affordable housing that is fit for purpose for people living with disability is important to continue building.

Do you commit to prioritising the design, piloting and staged rollout of a new NDIS navigator program; prioritising and co-designing a well-funded system of Foundational Supports; and continuing existing funding arrangements for all services, programs, and supports for which the NDIS Review proposes replacement Foundational Supports until such options are fully established and working well?

NDIS needs a thorough overhaul, of inefficient provision of services and detection of fraud (one plan provider has identified $500 million of duplicate or fraudulent claims in just their remit alone). The NDIS Royal Commission recommendations need implementing, but agreed, we can't let services that people living with disability rely on, fall through until the changes have been made.

Will you commit to investing in the co-design and implementation of a targeted, properly resourced, five-year Action Plan to address the prevalence of violence against women and children with disability?

Totally agree that a "lens" is definitely underwhelming.  

Governments need to listen to their communities and change priorities to what the people want and need, rather than what multinationals and rich donors want.

Josh Frydenberg said it best: "Everything is affordable if it's a priority".

Do you commit to raising the rate of the Disability Support Pension (DSP) and updating DSP arrangements to eliminate barriers, disincentives, and penalties for people to earn more income from employment so they can afford the basics during a cost-of-living crisis?

Yes, the Disability Support Pension needs to increase to at least the poverty line, and people should be able to earn from outside work as well up to a certain point.