500 signatures reached
To: Politicians
Save the Victorian Disability Sector
Dear Community Members,
My name is Antony and I'm a Victorian Disability Support Worker. I’ve proudly been a member of the Health and Community Services Union (HACSU) for 27 years.
I’m writing to you not just as a union member, but as someone who cares deeply about the future of our disability sector in Victoria. Right now, that future is under serious threat.
Eight years ago, after the Victorian Government privatised Supported Independent Living (SIL) services, it stepped in with a $2.1 billion subsidy to protect the wages and conditions that HACSU members had fought for over decades. That funding runs out on December 31, 2025—and without urgent action, we’re facing a disaster.
Over 7,500 disability support workers could lose more than a third of their wages. 580 group homes could close. Nearly 5,000 participants—real people, with real lives—could lose the care and stability they rely on every single day.
This isn’t just about numbers. It’s about people being forced out of their homes, workers who have cared for them for years being made redundant, and families being left with nowhere to turn.
And it’s about losing something we’ve all worked so hard to build: the Victorian gold standard.
This standard is something all Victorians should be proud of. It means:
- Mandatory training for every support worker
- Safe staffing ratios
- A clear career path for workers
- Quality care that puts people first
Without proper funding, these safeguards—and the dignity and stability they provide—will disappear.
Participants are already being treated like numbers in a broken market. The system is failing them. Providers are closing homes, slashing services, and walking away—not because they want to, but because the funding model is simply unsustainable.
We cannot let this continue.
We are calling on:
The Federal Government to:
- Introduce a $900 million workforce compact for registered providers of SIL who wish to bargain to protect wages and conditions of disability support workers in SIL.
- Transition NDIS funding to the Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority (IHACPA) and restore block funding
- Implement mandatory registration and training for the disability workforce
The State Government to:
- Extend the current subsidy until the federal government steps up
- Acknowledge that they are the provider of last resort and that they have an obligation to provide certainty to Victorian participants, families and disability support workers in SIL.
This campaign is about more than policy. It’s about dignity, fairness, and community. It’s about standing up for the people who rely on this system—and for the workers who hold it together.
Here’s how you can help:
- Sign our petitions
- Contact your local MPs
- Attend community meetings and advocacy events
- Share this message with your friends, families, and networks
Your voice matters. Together, we can protect the Victorian gold standard and ensure no one is left behind.
Thank you for standing with us.
In solidarity,
Antony
Antony
Why is this important?
At its heart, this campaign is about ensuring that people with disabilities—some of the most vulnerable members of our community—continue to receive the care, safety, and support they need and deserve. Without sustainable funding and clear action from governments, thousands of Victorians risk losing access to essential, life-changing services.
The current funding shortfall threatens to:
- Slash wages for over 7,500 workers by more than a third
- Significantly reduce the 5 main providers of group homes ability to operate approximately 580 group homes
- Displace even more participants from their homes
- Undermine quality and safety standards that have been built over decades
This is not a distant issue—it’s a looming crisis that will affect families, workers, and participants alike if action isn’t taken urgently.
Victoria’s disability support sector sets the benchmark for the nation in terms of:
- Staff training
- Career progression
- Staffing ratios
- Safety standards
These are hard-won protections built through decades of union advocacy. Without continued investment and a proper funding model, these standards could be lost—taking the sector backwards.
Disability support workers play a critical role in the lives of participants, yet they now face:
- Massive wage cuts
- Job losses
- A devaluing of their profession
By campaigning for fair wages and strong employment conditions, you're standing up for the workforce that holds this system together.
This campaign is about demanding that:
- The Federal Government fixes the broken NDIS pricing model
- The State Government continues support until a long-term federal solution is in place
- Both levels of government take responsibility for the sustainability of disability services
It’s a call to put people over profits, and policy over politics.
Everyone deserves the opportunity to live with dignity, independence, and support. Your campaign represents the broader fight for:
Equity in access to care
Equity in access to care
- Fair treatment of workers
- A compassionate, well-funded public service model
This isn’t just a disability sector issue—it’s a community issue.
When we unite, we win.
By joining, people are not just supporting a cause—they’re becoming part of a powerful movement for justice, fairness, and sustainability in disability care.