Life Support

Did you know that the legal minimum wage for people with disabilities under the Supported Wage System (SWS) in Australia can be as low as $2.90 an hour?

I understand that people with disabilities may require facilitated employment, on-the-job support, and reasonable adjustments to their roles. Like anyone entering the workforce—disabled or not—they need opportunities to gain experience and develop industry knowledge.  

But here’s another sobering fact: The lowest reported wage for a Shein sweatshop worker averages $5.60 an hour —nearly double the SWS minimum.

Let’s consider this with full context:  

- Businesses employing people with disabilities receive government subsidies to offset costs.  

- Employment agencies working with disabled individuals are funded through grants, government subsidies, or NDIS packages.  

- Support workers are paid through individual NDIS plans, not the employer’s payroll.  

Read more about funding mechanics and how the government offsets and supports business employing disabled Australians.

So, I ask: How is a disabled individual ever meant to recognise their own value?

I’m talking about value in the most literal sense—financial worth. Cold, hard cash.  

This is not true supported employment. It’s a system that fosters dependency, ensuring the funding pipeline never dries up.  I work with clients—and have friends—living in “supported” homes, working “supported” jobs, and relying on “support” workers, yet they still live below the poverty line and feel unsupported.

They are isolated. Stripped of autonomy.

And where does that leave us?

_{Disabled Australians face among the worst legally sanctioned wage gaps in wealthy nations, with many earning just $2.90/hour under the Supported Wage System—a policy abolished in most comparable countries}

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