'Disability' or 'disadvantage': spatial variation in the Disability Support Pension recipient rate 1996-2001

Abstract

The number of persons receiving the Disability Support Pension (DSP) has increased rapidly over the past decade. Recent Government budget proposals to arrest this growth were widely criticised as an attack upon the disabled. However, an analysis of DSP recipients shows that labour market factors, as well as medical factors have influenced the increase in recipient numbers, and that there are very high recipient rates amongst populations living in locations where employment opportunities are poor. Copyright. Monash University and the author/s