Senate Inquiry into the Social Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2015
WAAMH and Developmental Disability WA prepared a submission to the committee on the Social Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2015 on the grounds it would cease income support payments for people who have been charged with a serious offense and are in psychiatric hospital due to mental impairment.
Both WAAMH and DDWA do not support the Bill. Our main points centre around the equality of treatment with prisoners, the range of offenses in the Bill, the right to social security and an adequate standard of living, barriers to community interrogation and transition, conditional and unconditional release, disability justice service, and the time period.
The Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs released their findings based on feedback to the Bill on 16 June 2015.
WAAMH's views are quoted heavily throughout the report.
Read the Senate committee's report here: http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Community_Affairs/Social_Services_2015/Report