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Article

5 Aug 2018

Author:
Michael Smith, Front Page Report

Employees with disabilities paid [AUD]$1 an hour

31 July 2018

Thousands of employees with disabilities in Australia are being paid as little as [AUD]$1 an hour.

This breaches international law and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, lawyer groups say.

It’s also contributing to issues such as poverty and depression, disability advocates say.

...The consultation looked at the employment and conditions of 20,000 people with disabilities in “Australian Disability Enterprises”, which operate in a range of industries, including hospitality, catering, retail, horticulture, packaging, manufacturing, recycling and cleaning services.

A government discussion paper confirms wages range from [AUD]$1 an hour to full award wages....

...“The Australian enterprises do not comply with international law and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD),” AED Legal Centre says...

...ALHR said the wages are “unacceptable and in violation of international law, domestic law and basic standards of human dignity and decency”, in its submission.

...“Moreover, there is strong evidence that demonstrates that women with disabilities bear a disproportionate burden of poverty and that women employed with disabilities experience significant and systemic discrimination.....”

Disabled People’s Organisations Australia, in its submission, said:...“We are concerned that Australian Government continues to inaccurately view supported employment...as compatible with its obligations under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.”...