WILLING

Chapter 5: Addressing employment discrimination against Australians with disability — conclusions and recommendations
The DSS National Disability Employment Framework Discussion Paper noted that there are differing
views on ADEs:
One in support of ADEs as they currently are; and one that recognises the need for supported
employment, but believes the current ADE model is segregated and produces poor wage
outcomes for people with disability. 47
ADEs…can be viewed as unfair and inequitable because wage-setting arrangements are
controversial. 48
The Inquiry notes that the Australian Government is currently engaging with stakeholders through the
Fair Work Commission to develop a new wage tool for use in supported employment. 49
Another significant concern raised with the Inquiry in relation to both the Supported Wage System and
Australian Disability Enterprises was that individuals are not given sufficient opportunities to transition
to open employment or to a full wage. Although there are over 20,500 people with disability employed
in ADEs across Australia, 50 in 2014 only 159 ADE employees (0.8%) moved into open employment. 51
The DSS National Disability Employment Framework Discussion Paper also noted that ADE’s have been
criticised for taking on employees who may benefit from working in open employment with adequate
support. 52
The Discussion Paper has proposed a new system to improve the operation of ADEs, under which ADEs
could become businesses that were willing to employ people with disability who received an ongoing
support package. 53 They would not be required to be notforprofit and could compete in the open market
on the same basis as other businesses. In this way, ADEs could continue to be an option for some job
seekers with particular needs, provided sufficient numbers of such job seekers choose to work with
these employers to make this business model viable.
Options for ADEs operating in a market-based environment could include:
• focusing on the enterprise side of their business and becoming like any other employer that
employs people with disability
• focusing on providing an ongoing support service to other employers
• becoming a training organisation for people with disability and a pathway to open employment
funded under the training section of the service catalogue
• moving to a labour hire model where the ADE employs, places and supports employees in
other businesses (some ADEs are already moving in this direction).
5.5 Self-employment
The issue of self-employment for people with disability was raised on a number of occasions with the
Inquiry.
The Inquiry heard that the benefits of self-employment for a person with disability include a sense
of independence and autonomy, financial independence, flexibility and the chance to use skills,
qualifications and experience. The Inquiry argues that a pathway into self-employment should be simple
and accessible. However a number of issues were raised in relation to having to come through the DES
system in order to access assistance through the New Enterprise Incentive Scheme (NEIS):
My DES Provider tried to deter me from enrolling in the NEIS Program, even though I had the
necessary skills and qualifications and had spent many years working in the industry. 54
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