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Leaners? Bigots? Disability boss hits back

AAP

AAP

Don’t cry that it’s over, smile that it happened.

Graeme Innes fought back tears as he described his love for the job he’d be leaving after eight years, paraphrasing Dr Seuss.

“It’s the best job I’ve ever had,” the outgoing disability discrimination commissioner told the National Press Club on Wednesday.

Mr Innes, who is blind, used his final speech as commissioner to take an indirect shot at the man who took that job off him – Attorney-General George Brandis.

He said he still had the passion to continue to advocate for the rights of people with disabilities.

But he did not have the stomach “to advocate for the rights of bigots” – a play on Senator Brandis’ controversial comments on the Racial Discrimination Act.

“So perhaps it’s time for me to move on,” Mr Innes said.

There was more. Mr Innes also rubbished the government’s post-budget mantra dividing people as lifters and leaners.

It was a “facile” concept that did not take into consideration the many barriers people with disabilities faced, forcing them to become leaners.

Those barriers ranged from getting a job, to the transport required getting to the job, to something as simple as making a coffee to get ready for the job.

Despite the government’s budget efforts to get people into work by tightening restrictions, it was not backed up with a jobs plan.

“Again, we are blocked from being lifters,” Mr Innes said.

However, the commissioner did have some commendations for the government, applauding its commitment to the national disability insurance scheme (NDIS).

The scheme will provide people with more support and services, but there was still much more work to be done.

“We have to be very careful we don’t just say `oh right the NDIS is here, we can forget our responsibilities’,” he said.

Mr Innes’ role will be taken on part-time by age discrimination commissioner Susan Ryan.

She plans to focus on tackling employment barriers as her first port of call – particularly in the public sector.

Ms Ryan had high praise for Mr Innes.

“No-one’s going to fill his shoes,” she told AAP.

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