Australian Prime Minister criticized for “blessed” remark

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ASPartOfMe
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20 Apr 2022, 9:29 am

Blessed’: PM criticised for comment about him and Jenny

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Scott Morrison has been blasted for saying he and wife Jenny were “blessed” to have two children who weren’t disabled.

Mr Morrison was questioned about what the future of the National Disability Insurance Scheme would look like under his government by an audience member at the Sky News/The Courier Mail People’s Forum on Wednesday evening in Brisbane.

The woman, Catherine, said she had a four-year-old autistic son.

We are grateful to receive funds through the NDIS but I’ve heard many stories of people having their funds cut recently under the current government,” she said.

“I’ve been told to give my son the best future I should vote Labor.

“Can you please tell me what the future of the NDIS looks like under your government?”

Mr Morrison then asked questions about Catherine’s son and what his name was before he spoke about his own family.

“I can’t ...,” he began.

“Jenny and I have been blessed, we have two children who haven’t had to go through that,” he continued.

“And so for parents, with children who are disabled, I can only try and understand your aspirations for those children.

“And then I think that is the beauty of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.”

Shadow Minister for the NDIS Bill Shorten was quick to point out that every child should be seen as a blessing following Mr Morrison’s comment.

“ScoMo says he is ‘blessed’ to have two non disabled children. Every child is a blessing,” Mr Shorten tweeted.

“The NDIS is there to help people with disability live their lives to the fullest. The Morrison government has slashed NDIS plans for thousands of children around Australia. Labor will fix the NDIS.”

High-profile disability advocate Carly Findlay wrote that she was putting her phone down to “quell the rage”.

“Dear @ScottMorrisonMP - please stop seeing disabled people as burdens,” she tweeted.


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flamingshorts
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21 Apr 2022, 7:47 pm

Helps if your freemason senior NSW police daddy gets you off the charges. Fake Christians everywhere. Defended by Australian Christian Lobby, another fake organization. It's role is to fool Christians into thinking they have influence. At least Grace Tame doesn't support him or does she? I believe they both have the same religion. It's all fake. Before you criticize Christians you will have to find one.



kitesandtrainsandcats
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21 Apr 2022, 9:16 pm

Searching found some interesting things.

Among them, https://www.theguardian.com/australia-n ... ent-policy
"
It should be noted, too, that the NDIS leadership last year established a secret Sustainability Action Taskforce, intended to “slow growth in spend per participant”. It has refused to exactly say what this secretive unit did, refusing FOI requests and stonewalling questions in parliament.

Labor says that, like Catherine’s son, Ethan, many of the cuts are to the funding packages of autistic children. Advocates believe the NDIS leadership is concerned there are too many autistic children getting on the scheme, and too few moving off it despite “early intervention” support.
"
...
"
Many say dealing with these cuts – that is, gathering the evidence and information needed to challenge a decision – is like a full-time job. This is contrary to the very purpose of the NDIS.

And indeed, this goes to one of the defences put forward by Morrison’s colleagues to defend his “blessed” comments – that meant he had been blessed not to have to deal with the NDIS.

Morrison spoke glowingly about the NDIS, but he noted it “still has faults” and could be a “very difficult system” to navigate.

If having to deal with the NDIS is not a “blessing”, that’s not a matter of bad luck. It’s a question of government policy and administration.
"


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carlos55
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22 Apr 2022, 10:16 am

Without commenting on this specific incident I hear a lot of negative things about Australia gov in recent years becoming more totalitarian and downright nasty.

A big shame because the biggest attraction to this beautiful country was once its easy going nature.

They need to go back to that


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Fnord
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22 Apr 2022, 10:39 am

ASPartOfMe wrote:
Ableist bigotry, plain and simple.



Dial1194
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07 Jun 2022, 12:36 am

Update: said Prime Minister has had his government thrown out of office with massive loss of voter support, and has also (separately) lost leadership of his party.



Suzyb
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08 Jun 2022, 6:15 am

Dial1194 wrote:
Update: said Prime Minister has had his government thrown out of office with massive loss of voter support, and has also (separately) lost leadership of his party.



Phew! I am glad to hear Australia voted him out. What a shocker of a statement and a PM.