Tania
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.
Tania’s two adult sons like soft drink.
The young men have mild intellectual disability. They both live in a supported living household and work with a disability care organisation. They need help with day-to-day life, including money management.
Tania told the Royal Commission their supported living household had been set up recently. She had been keeping an eye on her sons’ bank accounts to assess how the new living arrangements were working financially.
‘We noticed that the boys were spending a lot of money in the vending machines at [their workplace] and there were lots of complaints by them that the machines often over charge their account and often take the money but do not drop the products.’
Tania asked the workplace about the machines and learnt that the employers had complained to the company that supplied them. The sales rep had not acted on their complaints, so Tania approached the soft drink company herself. She was told the machines would be looked at but it was ‘not their policy’ to provide refunds.
‘It would seem to me that a supported employment site … where around 400 people [are] using the vending machines and these people have no idea how to fix a problem with lost money is a gold mine for a large corporation …
‘The problem is on‐going and goodness knows how much money they have taken off these vulnerable and, in most cases, very poor people. I have done everything I know of to get some action … but they are just not interested in fixing the problem.’
Tania would like to see an audit carried out on all vending machines placed in supported employment locations. It should include a check for over-pricing of the contents.
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.