Thursday 26th March, 2020

Australian Greens Disability spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John has again called for urgent action to ensure disabled people have access to clear information and the appropriate supports to get through this crisis, after the disability Royal Commission today put out a statement of concern about the impact COVID-19 will have on the disability community.

Wednesday 25th March, 2020

Australian Greens disability spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John has called on Minister Ruston to urgently extend the COVID-19 supplement payment, announced as part of the government’s second round of stimulus, to disabled people receiving the disability support pension and to carers who receive the carer support payment.

“Minister Ruston has been given extraordinary powers up until the end of this year which enable her to introduce measures to ensure that Australians who receive income support can get through this crisis. 

Friday 20th March, 2020

After seeking advice from medical professionals, my colleagues and my family, I have made the decision to stay in Western Australia - I won't be travelling to Canberra for Parliament next week. 

We're all in this together and all of our lives have been disrupted. For at risk people, including disabled people, we're having to re-evaluate and adapt, balancing our usual routines with minimising the risk to ourselves and those we love. 

Thursday 19 March, 2020

Australian Greens disability spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John has described the COAG Disability Reform Council's (DRC) response to COVID-19 as appalling

Senator Steele-John has called on the DRC to act with more urgency, and provide more clarity about the impacts COVID-19 will have on disabled people, our families and our support networks.

Australian Greens Disability spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John has called on the government to implement a comprehensive action plan to ensure that everyone in the community has access to the right information and the appropriate supports to get through the COVID-19 crisis.

"Many people across our communities, especially disabled people and others who are at risk, are feeling worried and uncertain about the impacts the COVID-19 crisis could have on them and the people they love," Steele-John said.

Monday, 2 March 2020

The Disability Royal Commission has formally written to the government on 14 February, 2020, asking them to legislate for the identity of witnesses, and the privacy of their information, to be protected beyond April 2022 - the end date of the Commission -  officials from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet revealed today in estimates.

Wednesday, 26 February 2019

Tuesday 17th December 2019

Our blind and vision-impaired communities are celebrating today, after years of campaigning alongside the Greens, that audio description will be made available on Australia's public broadcasters: the ABC and SBS.

Australian Greens Disability Rights spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John said there are more than 450,000 blind or vision-impaired Australians who are currently unable to enjoy television with friends and family, or reap the medium's educational potential.

Australian Greens Disability Rights & Services spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John said the vast majority of the government's reduced budget surplus of $5.1 billion - announced today in the Mid Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook - was coming from a structural underspend in the NDIS.

"This is a government who is boasting about balancing their books on the backs of disabled people and our families," Steele-John said today.