In my April column for Business News, I had the privilege of working with a very inspiring woman, Amy Clark, member of the Disability Assembly of WA and a warrior in the disability employment space.
There are approximately 100,000 jobseekers in Western Australia with a disability with an 11.1% unemployment rate. Yet we are still waiting for a government response to the 11 disability employment recommendations made by the Disability Royal Commission.
The social procurement framework adopted by Victorian government has been recognised as the ‘gold standard’. Since it was introduced, almost 1,000 jobs have been created for marginalised jobseekers, mainly from construction works. During the first two years, road and rail builds alone generated 8,000 hours of employment for Victorians with disability, as well as twenty training placements in the transport industry.
Western Australia’s record $43.9 billion infrastructure pipeline presents the same opportunity. Spent wisely, that investment could unlock jobs and career pathways for people with disability, sans any added pressure on the public purse. There is so much opportunity in this space. Time for our governments to follow Victoria’s example and take definitive and impactful action.
Many thanks to Amy Clark, Member Council, Disability Assembly of Western Australia for her significant contribution to this article
You can find out more on this link below. Just head to page 55 of the April 2024 issue of Business News Magazine.
Business News | Digital Edition (smedia.com.au) (Please note that this is behind a paywall and requires a Business News subscription to read in full).