Joining the call for a review of the Disability Support Pension is Member for Paterson, Meryl Swanson says the program's application process is "cruel and unfair."
She claims the process of proving eligibility for the pension asks people to jump through too many hurdles and it places unnecessary stress on those with a disability and their families.
Meryl Swanson says a complete review of the DSP is needed to ensure people get the support they deserve.
"It's about the time it takes, it's about the hurdles that people are asked to jump over, it's about the fact that people's treating doctors are completely disregarded and they're often assessed for the disability support pension against the word of their doctor by a bureaucrat in a half hour phone conversation," she said.
"So we need to go back to the drawing board on the Disability Support Pension."
According to the Paterson MP, applying for the pension takes an "incredible amount of time" and applicants face constant reviews and assessments which are just inadequate.
"Some people with disabilities that they've had their whole life and now being told by a bureaucrat on the phone 'oh, we've done a review and you should be able to work' when they have doctors and specialists saying they are incapacitated and not able to work."
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| Meryl Swanson |
However, she says they're not looking to dismantle the pension scheme but make it better.
"No one wants to see the Disability Support Pension wroughted. We don't want that but what's happening at the moment is certainly above and beyond what needs to make it function properly and fairly for people," she said.
"A complete review is needed."
