DESPITE being in a wheelchair for almost 40 years, Bev Watson is all about talking the talk and walking the walk.
A rural access worker with Moorabool Council, she’s the embodiment of what she preaches: that opportunity and independence can change the lives of those less able.
That’s why she’s championing the National Disability Insurance Scheme as a way to empower more than 1000 Moorabool residents who need daily help to get by. She said its greatest legacy – apart from slashing waiting lists and relieving pressure on carers – would be putting disabled people behind the steering wheel of their own lives.
“There is evidence that suggests that when people with disability are given greater choice and control over their services, they achieve better life outcomes,” Ms Watson said.
“Most people with disability strive to be independent. The NDIS will assist with this independence.”
Ms Watson has remained in control of her own destiny despite being struck down with polio when she was six. When she became pregnant at 26 with the first of her three children, she opted for a manual wheelchair.
“This meant I was able to care for my baby much more confidently and safely than if I was still dependent on callipers and crutches. I count myself as a very fortunate person. I’ve had the opportunity to gain an education, work, have a family and be accepted for the person I am, not the disability I have. If the NDIS does nothing else, I hope it provides these same opportunities to others in the future.”
With 1305 Moorabool residents needing help with their day-to-day lives due to disability, and more than 13,000 in Melton, Ms Watson admits local access is hampered by limited resources.
“Many businesses were established when people with a disability were not as present in the community and physical access for people who use wheelchairs for mobility was not a consideration.
“Fortunately, there is now an increasing understanding that people with a disability are very much part of all communities, and regulations and changing attitudes mean access in all its forms is becoming more evident.”
Last month, the Senate gave the federal government the go-ahead to set up the scheme, including launch sites that will begin in Victoria in July.
In its first year, the NDIS will provide care and support for up to 10,000 people with significant and permanent disability.
