Privatisation and The Discrimination Act 1992

 The Federal government has introduced   privatisation of services for the disabled. 
 Hodge (1999) has critically reviewed the claims of financial savings from    
 privatisation. He points to the claimed average level of savings and examines and distinguishes between those actually found for the provision of physical services and of human services. Whilst significant savings have been demonstrated for the provision of physical services such as road making or rubbish collection, the results for most human services is at best equivocal. There are no savings, only minor savings or even increased costs.

Hodge (1999) has noted major implications of privatisations for the quality of service, and difficulties in building-in incentives for public interest objectives, compared with profit, such as social welfare, equity and quality of service.

The Disability   Discrimination Act 1992 has no provision to penalise the governments for cutting down services to the disabled. It ought to be introduced.

Melville Miranda 
Victoria 
Date: 9-9-03