Parliamentary Committee to investigate migration and disability
Wednesday 26 November 2008
The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, and the Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children's Services, the Hon Bill Shorten, today announced that they will ask the Joint Standing Committee on Migration to look at the health requirement in the Migration Act and how it impacts on people with a disability.
Senator Evans said the case of Dr Bernhard Moeller and his family had publicly highlighted concerns about the effect of the regulations on people with a disability applying for permanent visas for Australia.
‘I have concerns that although they are small in number, there are cases where families currently living in Australia who have a family member with a disability require Ministerial intervention to resolve their application for permanent residency,’ Senator Evans said.
‘It raises the broader question about how the health requirement in the Migration Act deals with people with a disability.
‘There are concerns that the health requirement only considers the estimated cost to the public health system along with state-related costs such as special educational needs and community care and does not recognise a person’s ability or what they can contribute to the community.
‘We must balance the need to contain public expenditure on health care and community services and safeguard the access of Australians to health care and community services in short supply with the expectations of visa applicants.’
Mr Shorten said it was important that the application of the Migration Act did not create indirect discrimination for people with a disability.
‘People with disability encounter barriers such as exclusion from community, educational and employment opportunities, a lack of funding for and access to services and lax enforcement of disability standards and legislation,’ Mr Shorten said.
The terms of reference for the committee will be finalised in consultation with the committee chair. The committee will be able to examine those issues and hear from interested parties and the public.
URL: http://www.minister.immi.gov.au
/media/media-releases/2008/ce08115.htm
Last update: 27 November 2008 at 10:35 AEST