Thousands of Australians living with disability who are desperate to enter the workforce have been given an admission they've been let down. The Federal Government has announced an overhaul of the Disability Employment Services program - or DES.
Of the 104 current providers working with the scheme, 44 will have some contracts with the Commonwealth discontinued.
Eight will be axed altogether. The Social Services Minister is Amanda Rishworth.
"These poor performing providers and poor performing services are across states and territories. And of course as I said there are many high performing services. Services that are doing a good job. And people living with a disability that are with poor performing services, will be transitioned to high performing services. And we will be working with them for that. Because quite frankly, people living with a disability deserve the best possible service and support to get a job."
Advocates say reform is long overdue.
Just 53% of people of working age with a disability are employed, compared with 84% of those without a disability.
Professor Simon Darcy is from the business school at the University of Technology Sydney.
"We know that the figures are irrefutable. Over the last 20 years, there hasn't been a change in the number of people with active workforce participation with a disability."
