By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
REPAIRING the Federal Budget may have broken Shaunagh Stevens’ family budget.
The secretary of the Dandenong-based Disability Resources Centre is married with two children and already finds it difficult to live week to week.
Now she faces a swarm of imposts if impending Federal Budget changes pass the Senate.
“I’ve just been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder – this budget isn’t helping me,” she said.
“Today I just said to my husband: please don’t tell me anything more about the budget.”
For starters, she could be slugged $7 for her frequent doctor visits, at least for the first 10 each year, from 2015 – as well as an extra 80 cents for medications.
To Ms Stevens, these doctor visits aren’t about sacrificing – a very expensive – cup of coffee.
“The way (Treasurer Joe Hockey) says it is just a cup of coffee. I’m sorry I can’t even afford a cup of coffee.
“It has far greater implications: I have to weigh up whether I pay my bills or go without medication.”
Other budget changes will hurt, such as raising the federal fuel levy and pegging back carers’ payments indexation – a benefit her husband claims to look after her full-time.
The couple don’t live the high life. They spend a large amount of their time shackled at home, unable to afford so much as a cinema outing.
The family has never gone for a holiday, she says.
Their income is dedicated to a variety of medication, ranging from anti-anxiety medication as well as to manage her cerebral palsy and arthritis.
She has had cerebral palsy since birth, enduring muscular spasms and much surgery – which didn’t always have the desired outcome.
With this cruel illness, Ms Stevens was never meant to walk.
Her mobility is now vanishing “at a great rate of knots”. It has claimed her bladder, and consigned her to regular injections to fight infection.
Under further financial strain, she wonders if she will still afford private insurance to cover the specialised treatment from the team of doctors who know her complex illness best.
She feels unfairly labelled as a burden as the Federal Government seeks to rein in an escalating welfare bill.
She volunteers as a “valuable member of society” on Cardinia’s disability advisory committee, is a committee member of Beaconsfield Community Centre and of Disability Action South East as well as secretary of the Disability Resources Centre.
“In an ideal world, it isn’t fair (I’m not paid) but the organisations I’m volunteering for are battling as well.
“My motivation to do these jobs isn’t for the pay packet.”
She says she’s spoken out to let the government know what the budget is “doing to us”.
“I don’t think they understand.”
For more budget coverage, see page 14.
