Dignity for the Disabled has become in the last four years South Australia’s highest profile disability advocacy group. Run only by volunteers and with no funding, federal or state, it has brought to the disability sector much needed public recognition and a highly visible level of advocacy designed to highlight unmet need, to Governments, media and the broader community.
Since its formation in 2003, D4D as it is commonly known, has been widely recognized and accepted as approaching disability advocacy with a modern and fresh approach designed to maximize impact in the media and focus governments, both state and federal, on the extraordinary waiting lists and chronic under funding of the disability sector in South Australia.
In 2005, Disability Minister the Hon. Jay Weatherill described the Dignity for the Disabled campaign as “the best disability advocacy campaign seen in twenty years.”
Dignity for the Disabled has worked hard on a cohesive approach to uniting the disability sector, establishing positive links with established disability organizations and groups to ensure a common approach for maximum impact in raising the profile of the sector. This includes focusing on bridging the traditional philosophical divide between people with disabilities and carer groups that governments have exploited to their advantage and has restricted the political impact of the sector in the past. The old saying that “united we stand and divided we fall” has resulted in massive attendances at Dignity for the Disabled events, including numerous disability forums, marches and meeetings, the 2005 Picnic in the Park, and the 2005 SA disability achievement awards, reflecting the broad acceptance by the disability sector of the need of a united voice.
While a few minority groups within sector have been unable to put their selfish and personal interests aside for the sector common cause, Dignity for the Disabled’s ability to field 14 candidates at the 2006 South Australian state elections, including seven great candidates with disabilities, reflected the philosophy and balanced, cohesive approach that D4D believes is needed for the disability sector to be able to engage the Government, the media and the broader community for the long term benefits of the disability sector.
The SA registered political party “Dignity for the Disabled Inc.” achieved 2.1% of first preference in the ten lower house seats contested, outpolling established parties like the Australian Democrats in five of these ten seats. This was an impressive first election performance.
More importantly, with $126 million of additional disability funding announced by the Government between 2004 and 2006, Dignity for the Disabled had a major impact in lifting community awareness that delivered results.
Dignity for the Disabled is currently working strongly on a number of projects in relation to the 2007 federal, state CSTDA agreement. The media releases the Dignity for the Disabled releases on a regular basis to the over 2000 organizations and people on its database, are estimated to be read by some 20,000 people supporting the disability sector. This includes key federal and state parliamentarians, Disability Ministers and their advisors and other key national disability organizations.
Dignity for the Disabled, as an evolving organization, is determined to see the establishment of a genuine, independent disability council for South Australia. Previous Ministerial advisory councils were unable to comment publicly, beholden to the minister and with the members chosen often for their compliance and agreement with the current government whilst working on projects selected by the minister, have failed to deliver the credibility, public profile and raise public debate that the disabled community in South Australia so desperately needs.
A strong, independent disability council like other public lobby groups including the AMA, the unions, retail and hotel associations, the mining lobby and teacher federations is what the disability sector so desperately needs.
The necessity of the sector to demand and insist on a peak body where members are elected by the disability community and represent all stakeholders in the sector including people with disabilities and carers and not agree to another “Ministerial Advisory Committee” will be a key factor in whether disability issues retain a high public profile and key focus on government agendas or once again become just a talking point amongst people with a disability their families and carers.
Dignity for Disabled would like to thank the thousands of people within and outside the disability sector who have supported D4D over the last four years.
By David Holst (President)
Dignity for Disabled (D4D) was disbanded in 2007.
July 8th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
Hi,
I became a member of the disabled community rather suddenly about nine years ago. Right now I am trying to find out how to find work as a disability advocate. I was very happy to come across d4d website.Perhaps you could point me in the right direction?
I live in the Barossa Valley so Im a bit isolated .
hope to hear from you soon Lee
July 11th, 2008 at 11:05 am
Hi Lee
It might be worth contacting Disability Advocacy and Complaints Service of South Australia (DACSSA) on
ph: 8234 5699 Toll Free: 1800 088 325 or Family Advocacy on ph: 8340 4450 Country callers: 1800 856 464. They may be able to point you in the right direction.
March 8th, 2010 at 10:49 pm
Hi D4D!
Lee’s question answers mine. Thank you,to you and to Lee.
Unfortunately I actually came on this website for a very different reason. When looking for my answer I saw your website and I was incensed by the name. Sorry if this seems unreasonable or overly touchy, but as a part of the disabled community and a part of the mentally ill community I have found that people are extremely cruel!
When I was young, and nothing has changed now, your name was a very cruel put down and still is. To some women it is used as a put down meaning, “D for dog”, and to the mentally ill as “D for dumb”, plus many others.
Maybe I’m taking political correctness too far, and boy would that be a change for me, but this seems to be an area which deserves some tact. I have worked with the police during my time at the Adelaide casino and I worked with ex-police at the casino, they often used the term “D 4″ or “D 4 D” as code when talking to each other to describe people who were mentally ill.
Just thought I would let you know, you can decide whether there is no such thing as bad advertising, or whether you want to do something about it. Those who need your help are often used to those who are supposed to help them abusing them.
Surely many of the people who seek your help are dealing with nursing homes or mental health institutions where they are being abused, or abused just by “the system” and people in it, or in general by society.
If this whole comment and text is out of line then I apologise!!!
My main reason for finding this type of thing so incredibly sensitive is that I used to go out with a young lady who used to answer to these names from her parents and family as she was considered to be “quote” dumb! She was just quiet and not an alcoholic like the rest of her family.
Thank you for your time. Steve
PS I am aware many things can be taken out of context, and that a name is just that a name, but language can be extremely important when dealing with people who have suffered abuse.
Thank you again for your time, and please understand this e-mail is made without prejudice or judgement it is only a comment, story and suggestion. I thank you for the help that you’ve given me in tracking down the disability advocacy complaints service of South Australia.
Thank you again for your help, your care and your interest.