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Content warning: Discussion of the deaths of disabled people during the Holocaust, including descriptions of some of the methods used.
The dark spectre of fascism is rising in Trump’s America, but what does that mean for disabled Australians on the cusp of a federal election?
Parallels have been drawn between Donald Trump’s second go in the White House and the early days of the Nazi regime. Far-right rhetoric around immigration has already led to increasing cases of incarceration without due process in the US. Trans people and women’s reproductive freedoms are more openly under attack. Longstanding US systems and infrastructure are being systematically dismantled.
Salutes have been made.
When we look back at the Holocaust, we rightly remember the horrifying loss of millions of Jewish people that has characterised that period in history. It’s important to remember though, that some of the Nazi regime’s earliest experiments with organised mass murder involved “euthanising” disabled infants followed by adults living in institutionalised facilities. Sometimes it was done by stealth - a lethal overdose to a “patient” or systemic starvation - later it was gas chambers.
The logic for all of this, if we can call it that, was rooted in eugenics, with a heavy focus on the “cost” of disabled people, particularly those unable to earn a wage.
Are disabled people at increased risk in Trump’s America though? We all remember Trump mocking a reporter with cerebral palsy. We know he implicated disabled traffic controllers as the “common sense” reason for a plane crashing. Robert F Kennedy Jr has dedicated resources to solving the “epidemic” of Autism, with a focus on Autistic children’s supposed lack of potential to pay taxes. On lists of reportedly banned or restricted words for public facing communications the words “disability”, “accessibility”, “inclusion”, “advocacy” and “Autism” have all been noted. The erasure would appear to be intentional and targeted.
The warning signs in the US are essentially flashing sirens at this point, but do we need to be worried about something similar happening at home?
Peter Dutton entered the election race leaning into the same “anti-woke” ideology that got Trump over the line (an association that may now cost him dearly as Trump’s chaos smashes through international politics). Dutton’s friendship with Gina Rinehart is also now under greater scrutiny with Rinehart being dubbed “a female Trump” and advocating for DOGE-esque cutting of red tape in Australia. Clive Palmer has launched his “Trumpet of Patriots” party.
You might say there is a whiff of fascism in the air, and since it's still anyone’s election, now might be a good time to reflect on Australian recent rhetoric around disability, and how it fits with the far-right narrative.
The cost of the Disability Support Pension was a hot topic for politicians on both sides during the twenty-tens. Labor wanted to change the rules so fewer disabled people could access the payment. The Coalition wanted to introduce mutual obligations for disabled pensioners. Both succeeded.
Handwringing over NDIS “budget blowouts” started soon after, with the Coalition’s failed attempt to introduce independent assessments followed by Labor’s reforms. Bill Shorten frequently used the term “rorters” to describe people who ripped off the NDIS and it was never quite clear whether he was referring to providers or participants (given Australian’s long use of the word “rorters” to describe welfare cheats though, meaning was predicably inferred).
Disabled people in Australia have long been framed as a financial burden we don’t have the budget for. In an increasingly stressful cost-of-living crisis (about to be exacerbated by the global impact of US tariffs), a fascist leaning politician wouldn’t have to nudge too hard on that rhetoric to take us to some very dangerous places.
So, what do we do? Long-term, we continue working to change the narrative. Disabled people are not a financial burden.
Our needs are human needs, our rights are human rights. Anyone can become disabled at any time, and it’s up to all of us, as a society, to ensure that everyone’s basic needs are met.
Short-term, we vote. The US has given us a sneak preview at what happens when you let the fascists in, so let’s heed the signs and sirens. Look into your local candidates, including independents and smaller parties. Find out where they stand and vote to keep the fascists out.