What is it about?

The rollercoaster adventures of parenting three kids, dealing with disability and mental health - and discussing disability discrimination and how to tackle it.

Saturday 27 March 2010

Mad as Hell

Time to make YOUR vote count

We want to inform you personally of the launch of an Australia-wide, grassroots, web-based political lobbying campaign to support a National Disability Insurance Scheme– a no-fault insurance scheme designed to fund the essential services and supports needed by people living with a disability.

This
would transform Australia’s broken disability support system and finally give real hope and control to millions of Australians affected by disability. Full details of this electoral campaign are available now at the campaign website - aptly named Mad as Hell .

The Mad as Hell campaign is directly relevant to:

Ø More than one million Australians with permanent disabilities

Ø Over 500,000 family members who are primary, full-time carers, plus extended family members, including sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles and grandparents

Ø
Tens of thousands of health professionals, teachers, therapists and disability workers who witness each day the devastating impact of Australia’s dysfunctional, crisis-driven support system on people with disabilities and their families

Ø Thousands of Australians working for the disability service organisations that now overwhelmingly support the introduction of an NDIS

Ø Every Australian now and in the future – because none of us is immune to disability arising from accidental injury, chronic illness or from birth

The Mad as Hell campaign will
harness the voting power of every person who understands the need for fundamental reform to Australia’s broken disability system. The numerical strength of our combined votes can make political parties commit to full implementation of an NDIS – regardless of which party is in power.

The Mad as Hell Campaign features a Pledge of Voting Intent at the next Federal and State elections. The Mad as Hell Pledge states:

I pledge that in the next Federal and State elections, I will only vote for a political party which publicly promises to transform Australia's broken, inefficient, crisis-driven disability support system.

All
Mad as Hell Pledge postcodes will be matched to Federal and State electorates, and candidates standing for election in these seats will be notified of the number of Pledges made by electors – with particular attention paid to marginal electorates.

How you can help Mad as Hell achieve an Australian national disability insurance scheme

To support the Mad As Hell campaign you don’t have to give any money to anyone; you don’t have to write to your Federal or State MP or local newspaper; you don’t have to become a member of any organisation or political party; you don’t have to march in the streets. All you have to do is:

1.
Go to www.australiansmadashell.com.au

2. Click on the Pledge, enter your name, email address and postcode, then click Send.

Millions of people = Voting Power

Ordinary Australians have just one moment of power in a democracy – when we cast our votes on election day. Proposals for a transformative National Disability Insurance Scheme are now being considered by the Federal Government, and a Federal election is due later this year. So now is the time for all NDIS supporters to unite and harness our combined voting power to ensure fundamental reform of Australia’s disability support system.


Remember, there are millions of us who are directly affected by the dire state of Australia’s current disability support system. We belong to one of the most numerically powerful groups in Australian society, united by the anger and outrage we feel at the grave injustices we see all around us every day; and united by our wholehearted desire for sweeping, transformational change, justice and equity, in the shape of a no-fault, entitlement-based National Disability Insurance Scheme.


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