John & Bev Hawkey

My wife and I are the parents of a thirty nine year old Downs Syndrome daughter. We have lived at Orange NSW all our daughters life and beyond. Our daughter attended the local special school and went onto employment at Wangarang Industries Orange and has been there for over twenty years. She has been very successful at Wangarang doing a variety of different jobs and we have been pleased that she has been gainfully employed and occupied. As a result she interacts with many people and has developed into a very capable lady. Her capabilities include winning medals at the Special Olympics in Perth some years ago and as a result of her achievements she was nominated and chosen to carry the Olympic torch in Orange for the 2000 Olympic Games. She became an ambassador for disabled people not only in Orange but where ever she touched base. We now fear that employment and occupation for the disabled is being threatened by a government policy and it's ongoing effects that has been set up by people who have little or no knowledge of the disabled requirements in our Country. And I might add just don't care. We fear for our daughter and other disabled people that they will be cast out onto the streets and fall into this countries declining social standards.
We in Orange have already seen a person who was not cared for as a result of the unwanted Richmond Report who roamed the streets and became the laughing stock for many of the community. That person was rumoured to have been taken advantage of sexually. Fortunately the person has been rescued and now attends Wangarang and is a a person changed to far better things. Has this affluent country Australia lost sight of the need for our disabled people in favour of spending enormous amounts of money on those who are already driven by greed and have no regard for people who are contributing in their own way to supporting themselves. J R Hawkey

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