Rinaldo
Content Warning: These stories are about violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation and may include references to suicide or self-harming behaviours. They may contain graphic descriptions and strong language and may be distressing. Some narratives may be about First Nations people who have passed away. If you need support, please see Contact & support.
Rinaldo is in his early 20s. He has cerebral palsy, an intellectual disability and uses a wheelchair.
Over the past couple of years he has tried several disability employment services in his efforts to get work.
‘But nobody's helped whatsoever,’ he told the Royal Commission. ‘I've been through, I think, five or six consultants.’
One of the latest providers he turned to was ‘the worst’. The company had ‘more clients than it did support workers’ and wasn’t doing its job. Rinaldo felt the director ‘put on a facade’ and made lots of empty promises.
‘She dressed up her company and dressed herself up like she was God's gift … She was rah-rah-rah, she was going to be doing that for me … leading people with disabilities into a false sense of security.’
Rinaldo said the director exploited him and other clients, ‘keeping’ them onsite during gaps between shifts ‘so she could benefit’. ‘She was sly and would make it so that a support worker is going to be paid for the gap.’
The agency was overcharging him but ‘providing a crappy service all around’.
‘I would be getting served about eight invoices in a week … I need to go over those invoices with a fine toothcomb, because nine times out of 10 they would overcharge you three or four hours just because they could.’
Other clients were also unhappy about being ‘ripped off’.
‘She reeled us in, you know, hook, line and sinker and then it certainly went downhill from there – I just think the way they do things is completely wrong.’
The ‘tipping point’ came when the director heard Rinaldo and others planned to leave the company. ‘Four hours later when I'm at home I got a termination of services.’
The agency continued to send Rinaldo bills after he left.
‘I had $6,000 I had to pay them. I said, “That's all been paid. As far as I'm concerned, I don't owe you anything.”’
He reported the provider to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission which, he says, ‘just swept it under the carpet’.
‘It says, oh, we're there to help you. I've reported so many things – and [provided] various documents I was requested, but they did nothing.’
He believes current laws stop people with disability speaking out about injustices, instead of protecting them when they ‘holler’.
‘I want people with disability to be taken seriously and to be heard – it was disgusting the way that we were treated. People should be allowed to say, hey, this company's done this, instead of being censored for fear of, you know, being taken to court for slander.’
For the past eight months, Rinaldo’s been with another disability employment service.
‘I actually got a job at [a large retail outlet]. I've been there for almost three months. It was no thanks to them I got that job. I did it all on my own.’
He hasn’t let his consultant know.
‘Why should she get commission when she actually didn't get me a job? That, to me, is in a way taking advantage of me. I feel like they should be doing a lot more.’
Disclaimer: This is the story of a person who shared their personal experience with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through a submission or private session. The names in this story are pseudonyms. The person who shared this experience was not a witness and their account is not evidence. They did not take an oath or affirmation before providing the story. Nothing in this story constitutes a finding of the Royal Commission. Any views expressed are those of the person who shared their experience, not of the Royal Commission.