The economic and social isolation brought on by the drought pushed many families to breaking point. When their plight was revealed to the wider Australian community, the response was as swift as it was sincere. The burden borne by the families of the disabled is no less real and no less destructive. It is a burden they have borne on behalf of us all. Physical impairment is only one of the disabilities which many Australians are forced by circumstances to endure.
Disadvantage can become a disability unless there is hope.
Unemployment, then, is a disability, as is homelessness and poverty and lack of education. It is the responsibility of governments to prevent disadvantage becoming disability. Disadvantage without hope is effectively disability. A just society is one where we not only provide opportunities for people but also give them the support they need to take advantage of those opportunities. Getting a decent job has always been the greatest concern for young Australians.