I'm echoing all of Sacha's comments. People with disabilities face constant and mostly unnoticed unnecessary battles every day and it's wrong.
Attitudes must change.

Certainly the existing rules are not fair and need to be changed. I like the idea of a requirement demonstrating community support rather than a financial one, it's far more appropriate.
I don't think the public is well served by the television media in that I think people want to see debate, preferably live debate, open to all parties. A situation in which the elite major parties are excused and only expected to talk to each other is not good enough.