WEEMALA: Greens defend residents’ right to choose - 27 August 2007

NSW Upper House Greens MP and Disability Spokesperson, Ian Cohen, today defended the right of every resident of Weemala to have the final decision on how and where they live.

Up to 16 profoundly disabled people have been promised ongoing accommodation on site at the Royal Rehabilitation Centre in Ryde after the Prime Minister intervened, but this leaves approximately 24 people in the lurch. Their futures depend on decisions in the hands of the state government and Ryde Royal Rehabilitation Centre board members.

“I am sensitive to the Disability Rights Movements’ slogan ‘nothing about us without us’”, said Mr Cohen.

“Our opposition to the present Weemala Site Redevelopment Plans stems from the apparent lack of input from residents and families into the process up to this point.

“The outcome we have been looking for is to ensure that the residents who have formed tremendous bonds and friendships over the years, are given genuine choices about which kind of residential care best suits their needs,” Mr Cohen said.

The Chairperson of the Weemala Residents and Advocates Committee Michael Matthews, is disappointed about all the broken promises made by the Royal Rehabilitation Centre to residents and families.

“In 2002 we were told ‘the future of Weemala is assured’, now we find the opposite to be true with the centre looking to force residents to move into community housing against their wishes and the wishes of their families. One resident has lived in this community for 53 years, and now he’s being told he may have to move, like it or not,” Mr Matthews said.

“The Greens believe that there is a time and a place for every kind of supported accommodation model from community living at one end of the scale right through to a revamped style of ‘non-institutionalised’ residential care at the other,” Mr Cohen said.

“Society as a whole needs to place residents and family like those at Weemala clearly in the drivers seat to ensure their right to choose is upheld,” Mr Cohen said.

“The government’s focus is about real estate not the rights of disabled residents,” Mr Cohen said.

Further Information: Ian Cohen: 0409 989 466