Senator Mitch Fifield says the disability portfolio has not been demoted and confirms, "As minister with responsibility for disabilities, my key priority will be the full implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme..." Credit: AnsonLu (iStockphoto)

Last week, Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced Senator Mitch Fifield as the Assistant Minister responsible for disability and carers in his new ministry. Dr George Taleporos spoke with the man who is tasked with fulfilling the Coalition's promise to fully implement the National Disability Insurance Scheme and advancing the opportunities of people with disabilities.

I first met Senator Fifield at the National Youth Disability Conference in September 2012 and was keen to hear what he had to say in his opening address. (You can see it in full here.) In his address to the packed audience of young people with disabilities, Fifield acknowledged that he did not come to the portfolio of Opposition spokesperson for disability and carers with any prior relevant experience. He even admitted that he'd never had a close friend or relative with a disability. In his role, however, he witnessed that people with disabilities were living by third world standards and he believed we deserved better.

Twelve months on from this address and Senator Fifield is now in a position to act. We know that expectations of people with disabilities are high following the introduction of reforms to disability services that were first initiated by the former Parliamentary Secretary Bill Shorten and legislated by former Minister for Disability Reform, Jenny Macklin, under Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

People with disabilities have now had a taste for what it means to be taken seriously by government and we are hungrier than ever to see these reforms continue.

Unsurprisingly, Prime Minister Abbott's announcement last week that the role of Minister for Disability Reform no longer existed under the new government was met with disappointment and anger by some sections of the disability sector. There are concerns that this indicates a change in priorities and that disability had been demoted to a junior ministry.

Senator Fifield disagrees. "Disability has not been demoted. I was and remain the ministerial ranked portfolio holder. Having held the disabilities and carers portfolio for the Coalition for the past four years I am extremely pleased that there will be continuity in front bench representation at ministerial level for Australians with disability, their families, carers and the organisations that support them. As Assistant Minister for Social Services I will have responsibility as the dedicated Minister for disabilities and ageing."

How the new ministry plays out for people with disabilities is yet to be seen. To me, what has been made clear from day one is that we are in a new political climate where people with disabilities are in a position where we, once again, need to fight our way to centre stage. We have lost many of our allies in government, namely Shorten, Gillard and Macklin, and we need to make new ones among those who are now in power.

It is no secret that the Coalition supports the NDIS. "As minister with responsibility for disabilities, my key priority will be the full implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme and to preserve cross party consensus for the scheme... The Coalition government is committed to the full implementation of the NDIS according to the timeframe negotiated between the Commonwealth and the States and Territories," Fifield said.

Tony Abbott himself is on record as saying, "I am sometimes accused of being Dr No ... When it comes to the NDIS, I am Dr Yes." We also know that Abbott pushed Gillard into legislating the increase in the Medicare levy, to build a funding base for the NDIS, before Parliament dissolved. Gillard initially announced that she would take this policy to the election. Abbot's move made it clear that he did not want to make the NDIS an election issue and that his commitment was real.

According to Fifield, the new Government is scrapping the name DisabilityCare. "Australians with disability don't want to be objects of care, they want to be supported to independence. What I have heard loud and clear from people with disability is that the name DisabilityCare does not reflect their aspirations. The Coalition will revert to the name National Disability Insurance Scheme. This will be at minimal cost and certainly dramatically less than the $22 million the outgoing government wasted on glossy television ads that conveyed no information about the scheme or eligibility."

While the name is far less important than what the scheme actually delivers, this move by Fifield demonstrates his healthy understanding of current disability politics. He shows a solid grasp of disability as a social issue and understands that addressing social attitudes is vital.

"Through four years as the Coalition's spokesperson for disabilities and carers I have been fortunate that many Australians with disability, carers and organisations have taught me a great deal. One thing I have learnt is that a culture of acceptance in a society is ultimately driven by individual attitudes and actions. These can't be legislated, but policy can make a difference through the supports provided by the NDIS, schools and employment services to enable individuals to participate in life, study and work. Seeing, living, learning and working with people with disability is how awareness will be raised and people with disability included in community life," he said.

Fifield also confirmed that he will take responsibility for increasing employment opportunities for people with disabilities. "Policy for employment issues for people with disability fell under two ministers in the previous government. The Coalition will have all employment policy for people with disability under the one Minister. This will allow a more comprehensive view as policy is developed... [and] a more intensive focus on these employment issues."

It remains to be seen if this change leads to positive results or instead leads to segregation and marginalisation of a policy issue that requires a whole-of-government approach. We know the former government had little success in improving the employment prospects of people with disabilities, so we can only hope that a more focused approach by Fifield will make a difference.

I asked Senator Fifield if he employed people with disability in his office and his answer was, "The individual circumstances of staff are private to them unless they choose otherwise."

Interpret that as you wish.

Personally, I feel Senator Fifield is 'job-ready'. I also believe he understands the importance of speaking directly with the people he's working for and involving them in policy and decisions.

He said, "People with disability will be involved in a number of ways in planning and decision making including through input directly to me as minister, to the joint standing NDIS Parliamentary Oversight Committee we will establish, and through more formal consultative mechanisms. But most importantly I want to work with people with disability to make sure that the existing consultation mechanisms are up to the job."

He added that the most important thing he has learnt in working closely with people with disabilities is "to never limit people through low expectations."

I can't help but think that maybe this is the approach that we should all take when working with the new government.

Dr George Taleporos is a disability rights advocate with expertise in access and equity and disability service reform. He has a physical disability, a Ph.D. in Psychology and an Honours degree in Sociology.