Speech by Bill Shorten

10 November 2009—Walk On National Launch

Bill Shorten's full speech

Today, we are here to acknowledge people with spinal cord injury and launch the Spinal Cord Injury Australia’s Walk On program.  Every year, perhaps about 300 people experience severe spinal cord injury.  They join about 10,000 Australians who live with this condition.  10,000 – it’s almost a small town – worth of people.  Unfortunately, even though we are at the Opera Point – fantastic – people with spinal cord injury like many people with impairment; experience marginalization and are almost invisible to the broader community; not you; who are generous enough to be here but for many others.  

As these people can attest the injury can occur in the blink of an eye.  It can be a youthful misjudgment; it can be something that goes wrong at work or it can be just plain bad luck. Forty-seven per cent (47%) are from transport injuries, thirty-three per cent (33%) from falls.  It is one of the shards of fate that can strike any of us at any time and leave us wondering how we put the pieces of our lives back together again.  Spinal cord injury can be devastating psychologically as well as physically as its’ recipients are left to deal with feelings of helplessness and to cope with new challenges in their life that no-one ever plans upon.  

Regardless, of the therapies that is; that are on offer or indeed the great research that is being done to minimize the effects; I would suggest to you today that what we need, in addition to the program such as the one that we are launching, is a fundamental change in the attitude of Australians towards people with disabilities.   We need a recognition, that impairment is a fact of life and that practically what causes many of the difficulties are the barriers which the rest of the community put in place.  

We need a recognition; that merely because you have one attribute to your very complex personality; which is an impairment; that one attribute; your impairment; should not be what defines how other people see you.  We do need a recognition, that merely because you have this complex impairment does not mean that you are a second class citizen, does not mean that you cease to have dreams and hopes and indeed the desire to contribute to our community.  

It’s fantastic that we are here launching this program and that we are able as part of our efforts in Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Week, to promote greater public awareness for spinal cord injuries.  

I acknowledge that life-time care for a person with a spinal cord injury comes with a price tag.  Quality care does come with a price tag.  What I find it hard to accept, and indeed do not accept, is that compensation and support in this country should be a lottery.  Some will receive greater financial support, not because of the injury that you have incurred, but because of the manner in which you have incurred your injury and the jurisdiction in which you have incurred the injury.  We talk a lot in this country about the fair-go, we have two native animals on our coat of arms, the emu and the kangaroo, we cannot take a backward step.  What we do, however, is tolerate the lottery which is support for the people with spinal cord injury by virtue of where it happens and the manner in which it happens as opposed to what has happened.  

All too often whilst some have the support in some jurisdictions such as NSW, they get support, but in other circumstances be it a sporting injury, be it sometimes domestic liability, be it a general liability injuries; people are left relying on the support of their families and charities.  I am pleased that organizations such as Spinal Cord Injuries Australia exist in this jurisdiction and others.  What I regret is that such organizations are required to exist because the nation as a whole fails to fulfill its’ agreement with all citizens that they be treated equally.  I, for one, do not believe that this country is too poor to afford solutions for all of it’s’ citizens regardless of the manner in which they have incurred their injuries.  I do accept that intensive treatment as soon as possible after an injury can dramatically improve the quality of life and indeed reduce the cost to the community. 

I believe Walk On has great potential to some of the 10,000 Australians affected by spinal cord injury.  As Peter has said, this is based on an American program, started since 1999.  I think even listening to Nathan, shows what it means to fight against overwhelming odds, especially if you have a little bit of help.  Listening to Nathan, it reminds me that small victories and improvements are actually remarkable accomplishments.  Being able to drive a car again, being able to hold your child, talking to Dennis Cooper being able to ski, being able indeed perhaps to do just simple things such as cleaning your teeth or brushing your hair. 

I think these things make huge differences to a person’s self-esteem and their quality of life.  I acknowledge that since May of 2008 there has been progress through Walk On in Brisbane and participants have experienced some outstanding stories of recovery and I had the opportunity to read the comments of Professor John Steeves, he is the chair of the International Collaboration of Repair Discoveries and he has said that whilst not the cure of spinal cord injury there are a lot of results which have been achieved through the treatment of increased activity of the patient or in other words activity-dependant rehabilitation. In other words, research as he says, is not just peering down microscopes, but they are focused on rehabilitation.  Professor Steeves says it more eloquently than me, but he is without a doubt, he is regarded, as the global expert.  He has explained that one of the most hardest, and the most punishing forms, [the hardest and most punishing forms of treatment] it still has nothing but positive results. That’s the increase of activity……

You have to undergo the movement, you have to make the effort and once you make the effort - all kinds of things can happen.  This related to a majority of the problems raised by people with spinal cord injury from nerve re-generation to assistance with pressure sores.  He was at pains to point out that an increase in the physical activity of the patient does nothing but assist in the quality of life in a large number of areas where there are common problems with people who have acquired a spinal cord injury.

The Professor stated that in most cases of spinal cord injury the individual still has some preserved function, some level of movement, some sensation below the level of injury.  We can use that residual preserved function to improve with activity; functional outcomes, thereafter.  I understand that this is not a cure and what we are talking about today is not a cure; nor should people believe it is.  However, I certainly believe that all research and therapies that will assist people with their independence and achieving a quality of life; is certainly something governments at all levels should be encouraging and supporting and I have no doubt that all support intensive, repetitive activity to increase people’s independence, strengthen fitness, should be encouraged in all capacities that we see.   

So I would like to thank Peter and his team at Spinal Cord Injuries Australia.  This organization has been providing assistance since 1967 and providing services for people with paraplegia or quadriplegia since that date.  Also, Spinal Cord Injuries Australia promotes that rights of people living with disability and the word “rights” sometimes attracts the ire of the conservative press but I do believe that the fundamental vision of disability has to recognize that every person regardless of impairment has rights.  Its’ services encompass all of life; from hospital to home to workplace, and includes workplace injury prevention and developing and delivering program that educate, support and care for the well-being of the Australian disabled community.  

The Federal Government has been supporting SCIA (Spinal Cord Injuries Australia) with financial resources both with the Department of Education and Workplace Relations, and my own department of Families, Community Services, Housing and Indigenous Affairs.  I do also believe, that this Government, the Rudd Government is interested in further promoting the rights of people with disability and I have no doubt that in the weeks and months to come we will see more in this space which I think will be of great interest to everyone here.  

It is my pleasure to introduce Rhys, and before I introduce Rhys, I would also like to say that all of you being here actually helps; because I do believe that disability is one of those issues that sits below the surface of the consciousness of all Australians in politics.

But please believe that the fact that all of you here; I take as a sign of hope; that people in Australia are interested in issues to do with disabilities and it is on that very positive note that it is my pleasure to introduce Rhys Tappenden who has moved from NSW to QLD to be able to access the program and I believe he said something that epitomizes the program and what we should all be aspiring to in disability and what it means to participants.  It’s funny to quote a person you’re going to hear from – but I quote this – “I think one of the biggest things Walk On has offered me is the confidence to go ahead and try whatever I want in life.”  Rhys Tappenden

I would like to introduce you to Rhys – Thank you very much.

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