Anna Remington, UCL Institute of Education

Microsoft has announced its intention to hire more autistic people – not as a charitable enterprise but because, as corporate vice-president Mary Ellen Smith said: “People with autism bring strengths that we need at Microsoft.” Employing autistic people makes good business sense.

A scheme to increase the number of people with disability hired by the Australian Public Service (APS) has come into effect across the Service.

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THE DANGERS OF BEING DISABLED

The report notes the Australian Human Rights Commission found last April that Australians with disabilities have inadequate safeguards and poor access to services.

Forty-five per cent also live below the poverty line and are at an increased risk or violence or prison.

This appears to be the Government taking credit for something where it did little or nothing (editor).

03 February 2015

Senator the Hon Marise Payne
Minister for Human Services

In an Australian-first 11 people with Autism Spectrum Disorder have begun traineeships designed to harness their unique abilities at the Department of Human Services in Adelaide.

Margaret Paul reported this story on Friday, February 6, 2015 12:35:00

Friday 6 February 2015 8:34AM

Lawyers acting on behalf of a class action of more than ten thousand workers with a disability are calling on the Government to support the case.

According to the federal and high courts, these employees have been illegally underpaid in breach of the Disability Discrimination Act for more than a decade.

Friday, Feb 6th, 2015

Australian Greens spokesperson on Disability Senator Rachel Siewert has labelled a decline in work force participation for people with disability over 20 years as ‘a sign that our government is not doing nearly enough to create equity in the workplace for people with disability’.

Margaret Paul reported this story on Thursday, February 12, 2015 18:55:00

PETER LLOYD: The ABC has obtained a draft copy of the National Disability Insurance Agency's proposed safeguards to prevent abuse and reduce the use of medication to restrain people who are violent. 

Disability advocates say it's a good start, but unions are warning safeguards will be useless unless the scheme has more money. 

Margaret Paul reports.