By Tony Maher
On Sunday I was asked by The Age's political editor, Michelle Grattan, what my union's position was on gay marriage and whether I would vote for it at the coming ALP conference. As far as I know we don't have a policy, but I have no doubt my union would support equal rights.
This issue is very important to some people and there has been a lot of publicity given to whether the Gillard government can be persuaded to introduce the change. It is also said marriage reform is important in repositioning the ALP electorally on a social policy.
I disagree with that last proposition. As a piece of social policy, changes to the Marriage Act are the last step in a long process of removing inequality and discrimination for same-sex couples.
There have been amendments to about 30 pieces of legislation removing financial and other forms of discrimination and those amendments have had bipartisan support, as they should. While this final step should be taken, it should be put in perspective. It's not the signature reform that will mark a Labor government.
If Labor is truly looking to re-establish what the party stands for in a social policy, the clearest way to do that is to embrace the Productivity Commission's recommendations for a new National Disability Insurance Scheme.
This is a large-scale change that affects the lives of millions of people with disabilities, their families and carers. One in five Australians has some form of disability.
Most Australians know a friend or family member affected by disability. What people don't know is that the disability system is broken. The Productivity Commission described it as underfunded, fragmented and inefficient. Every day we are letting down Australians with a disability.
The National Disability Insurance Scheme would provide long-term, high-quality support and care for 360,000 people. All Australians would be eligible; it would be universal, just like Medicare. Alongside it would be the National Injury Insurance Scheme, which is a no-fault scheme providing lifetime care and support for all people newly affected by catastrophic injury. This applies to about 800 people every year and would reach 20,000 in the long run.
It is an area where governments have not kept pace with community needs. The Whitlam government is, among many other achievements, remembered for Medicare. The Hawke and Keating governments are remembered for universal superannuation. There is a gilt-edged opportunity for a Gillard government to be remembered for the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
Disability support should be a core role of governments. Even the Productivity Commission, which is known for advocating market-based solutions, recognises this.
We need a universal scheme, not a user-pays scheme; a scheme funded by the whole of society to help those struck down by disability.
Ben Chifley famously said: ''I try to think of the Labor movement, not as putting an extra sixpence into somebody's pocket, or making somebody prime minister or premier, but as a movement bringing something better to the people, better standards of living, greater happiness to the mass of the people. We have a great objective - the light on the hill - which we aim to reach by working for the betterment of mankind not only here but anywhere we may give a helping hand. If it were not for that, the Labor movement would not be worth fighting for.'' There could not be a better example of Labor values than a universal disability insurance scheme.
As we live through the unprecedented resources boom, now is the right time to make big, transformational social policy decisions.
At the start of the year the Prime Minister outlined key issues for the government for 2011: a flood levy to repair the devastation of floods and cyclones; the rollout of the national broadband network; a carbon price; and the mineral resource rent tax. These are important, but they are all economic reforms. The gaping hole is a big social policy piece.
By the end of the year the government needs to respond to the recommendations of the Productivity Commission. It's time to lift our level of ambition. It's time we improved society. It's time for a National Disability Insurance Scheme.
Now that's a signature reform.
Tony Maher is president of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union.
Follow the National Times on Twitter: @NationalTimesAU