Only the good die young,

Yesterday,  I remember it well, my stomach churned as I read the news to find that another young person lost their lives on South Australian roads though it was not until the afternoon my worst fears were realised.  Someone I love, someone I know, someone I had grown up with died in a car accident.  She was 22 and has a beautiful little girl, but I remember her as a beautiful little girl.

What I find so hard is to actually accept that this is real and has happened, Jasmine was always so happy, so smiley and so full of life; to even begin to think she is gone is like... opening a great big hole in my heart.  I hadn't seen her in years, but kept in contact via Facebook and her sisters whom I speak to on a regular basis... and all I ever heard was how happy she was and how she loved being a mummy.  I am glad she had the chance to experience that and I know for certain that the darling little girl will know all about her mother, and she will be as proud of her as I was.

I feel like I have lost some more of my childhood and innocence, so many happy childhood memories are entwined in Jasmine and her sisters; how many times did we beg our parents for BBQs and sleepovers?  You are gorgeous Jasmine, you will remain gorgeous.  I am blessed to have known you and I am sure I am not the only one who feels that way.

God took another angel home on this day.

My heart, my love, my thoughts and prayers are sent to you and your family, I know you will watch over them and I know they will help each other through, as crazy as both our families are, there is so much love in them and I know they will do all they can to continue to share your joy and love with the world.

Please, everyone else, be careful on the roads, please, be smart.

Jazzy... I love you.

We Have Sweatshops in Australia (Original published 20/7/10)

Sadly Bee has to face the pain of losing a job today as we received a call about an hour ago now telling her that she is no longer required at her place of employment.  The reasoning for it, as far as I am concerned, is rather lame.  Her ex-boss has decided that because Bee cannot possibly work two three and a half hour days in a row (which she knew upon employing her) that she won't keep her on despite the fact Bee is a brilliant little worker (her own words.)  I find this disgusting as Deb was more than happy to employ my sister when she was getting money out of the government to give her a job, but as soon as she is expected to pay $71 p/w for 10hrs work (so yes, $7.10 p/h... $3 less than the minimum wage requirements here in South Australia for a car polisher) she has decided that she will no longer keep Bianca on if she cannot work two or three days in a row.

What pisses me off most about all this, is the fact when Bee started at the job, I made it rather clear she did not have the stamina to work more than one three hour day on, then have one off and THEY WERE OKAY WITH THIS.  They were well aware that Bee had her disability and stamina issues and that they were going to make all the allowances needed for them, but no, as soon as she lost her free labour, Bee's boss decides 'screw the arrangement' and expects her to be able to do something she was told would never happen and never could happen, it wasn't like she was employing an able bodied person.

It makes me so mad, especially considering the fact she had told Bee how much she valued her as an employee and how proud of her she was, then turns around after giving her 3 weeks off of work and two days before my sister is meant to go back has the employment agency tell us she isn't keeping her on.  Bee was there for about 10 months... and she worked her arse off, did her best and did more cars each day than the young man they are keeping on, but because she cannot be the cheap labour (slave labour?) she wants, it is Sayoonara Sweetheart.

Unfortunately this is a constant problem in Australia when it comes to giving people with disabilities jobs, because they get a payment from the government, if they find a job it is at a wage WAY under the minimum, even if they can perform the job at 100% capacity (not that Bee could, but still).  They say to you they have the chance to increase their wage, but this happens very slowly over time.  Take for example supported workshops; Bee worked in one for a few months and she sat at a sewing machine all day (and came home exhausted every night) and she was being paid .50c an hour.  If shit like that happens in China or Africa, we kick up a stink, sure it isn't sweatshop conditions, but their hard work is being exploited so the businesses out there can save a dollar or two rather than pay people properly. And it isn't like the governments lousy $350 p/w payment to people with disabilities is enough to sustain a decent, independent life.  Why shouldn't someone with disabilities be allowed to achieve the same dreams as those able bodied?  Perhaps they don't want to rely on government payments all their life? Perhaps they would like to save money to go traveling or buy a property?  Since when did we decide that people with cognitive impairments may not have similar dreams and desires of financial freedom to every other Australian.

Yes, okay, they might need a little more support in the workplace, but we make allowances for people whom have physical impairments, be it a wheelchair or a bum leg.  Why? because it is AGAINST THE LAW to discriminate against these people, it is AGAINST THE LAW to prevent them from having the same opportunities as everyone else... then why is it different for someone whom may have a cognitive function problem?  What? because they cannot think the same as us it makes them a lesser human and we have to tell them what they can and can't achieve in this world? Because they don't fully understand they are being exploited it is right for us to use them, pay them less than minimum wage to not clash with their 'oh so lucrative' government pension?  Like I said, if this happened to kids in China or Africa we'd be pitching a fit and requiring that the businesses whom deal with these sweatshops are shut down.  It is unfair, unjust and all kinds of wrong.

Bee knows what she wants in life and deserves the SAME opportunities as everyone else to excel in her chosen field by making the same allowances you would for someone in a wheelchair.  Sacking her on grounds you had ALREADY accepted, because you don't want to pay her what she deserves for being a good worker is so not on in my honest, humble opinion.

What do you think?  Has anyone else out there had to deal with a similar situation?