Queensland Disability Network: Media Release

MEDIA RELEASE

QDN would like to announce that on the Wednesday, 17th February 2010 the Minister for Disability Service and Multicultural Affairs Annastacia Palaszczuk approved $120,000 dollars in funding over the next 2 years. 

 Fran Vicary, spokesperson for QDN said, “Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living with disability are often regarded the most marginalised group in our society. The funds will be used to further develop the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Disability Network Queensland (ATSIDNQ)”.

 “ATSIDNQ will be a network for members (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disability) and will provide a means through which they can have a voice on

issues that impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disability”, Ms Vicary said.

 Convenor for the ATSIDNQ Mr Willie Prince said he was “delighted that the minister is providing the funds to establish the network as it indicates she understands that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, who live with disability are often not able to speak out about issues that have a direct impact on their lives.”

“So many of our people are never heard and so, therefore, are just forgotten”, Mr Prince said. 

 “This network will stretch across the entire State of Queensland and give our people, particularly those who live in remote areas an opportunity to network and come together as a collective voice”, Mr Price said. 

 “The ATSIDNQ network will work in partnership with Queenslanders with Disability Network which is an established state wide network of people with disability.

 QDN will work with ATSIDNQ to establish a Reference Group to oversee the project. Members of the Reference Group will include representatives from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, Elders, QDN and people with disability”, said Mr Prince and Ms Vicary.