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DARU Update
7 May 2012
- ON THE MOVE
- IN THE NEWS
- NDIS NEWS
- EVENTS & TRAINING
- PUBLICATIONSAND RESOURCES
- SUBMISSIONS, CONSULTATIONS AND FORUMS
- FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
- PAID AND VOLUNTARY POSITIONS
ON THE MOVE
New Chair at DAV
The Disability Advocacy Victoria (DAV formerly VDAN) Chairperson Chris Morris has recently resigned to take up a position as an Advocacy Auditor with FaHCSIA Jan Ashford from Communication Rights Australia has been appointed interim Chair of DAV until a permanent replacement is made.
VCOSS Shuffle
Kate Colvin, VCOSS’s long-standing Policy and Public Affairs Manager will be taking a year's leave to be CEO at the Youth Affairs Council of Victoria (YACVic) while Georgie Ferrari is on maternity leave. Llewellyn Reynders, Transport and Disadvantage Policy Analyst at VCOSS will be Acting Policy and Public Affairs Managerin Kate’s absence.
New EO at WDV
Sue Finucane has started as Acting EO at Women with Disabilities Victoria whilst Keran Howe is on leave. Sue brings 25 years experience in government and not-for-profits in management, human rights and addressing and preventing violence against women. Sue will be on board until the end of June and is available Monday, Tuesday and Thursdays on 9286 7802 or
Vale Monika Baker
A tribute was paid at last week’s DANA conference to long standing South Australian advocate Monika Baker who passed away after a long fight with cancer in March. Monika was a passionate, committed and tireless advocate for the rights and well-being of people with disabilities. She was admired for her selfless devotion to her work and her determination to pursue just and positive advocacy outcomes for people with disabilities
Monika worked for Disability Advocacy and Complaints Service of South Australia Inc. (DACSSA) and was a foundation Board member of DANA. She will be sadly missed by all that knew her.
Vale David Banfield 1951 – 2012
On Monday April 23rd a memorial was held at Ross House to celebrate the life of David.
David was a founding member of Reinforce and worked there for over 30 years.He was an active and passionate self-advocate especially about closing down institutions, having spent his early years in Sandhurst.
Amongst many other things David will be remembered for his passion for the public transport system, his ability to recall dates and his wicked sense of humour,
IN THE NEWS
Victorian State Budget 2012
The 2012-13 Budget was released on Tuesday 1 May 2012. The complete set of budget papers is available from the Victorian government website at:
Areas impacting on the Disability sector in the budget include -
National Disability Insurance Scheme
The Victorian Government is working with the Commonwealth and other states and territories to implement the National Disability Insurance Scheme in a way that does not expose Victoria to unreasonable budget risks. The Commonwealth’s revenue raising capacity means that it is best placed to fund the additional costs of the scheme as recommended by the Productivity Commission
Health Services
The Government will:
- continue and expand the Vision 2020 initiative which raises awareness of eye health and vision care, and aims to prevent avoidable blindness and reduce the impact of vision loss for all Victorians.
- provide more funding for the home and community care program to enable older people and younger people with a disability to remain living in their home. Residential aged care facilities at Swan Hill District Health will also be redeveloped to provide 45 residential aged care beds in a purpose built and upgraded facility.
Mental Health Services
Mental health service capacity will be boosted through:
- the opening of short-stay beds in a new Psychiatric Assessment and Planning Unit at Sunshine Hospital, which will provide accelerated access to specialist psychiatric assessments and short-term treatment;
- funding for new acute adult mental health beds to ease demand pressures on emergency departments and the shortage of inpatient beds; and
- funding to modify, refurbish and redevelop community-based mental health infrastructure, with priority given to works that support service delivery reform and innovation.
Improving Access to Justice
Funding will strengthen access to the Victorian justice system by:
- funding to Victoria Legal Aid to provide casework and duty lawyer services;
- maintaining access to language services for Victorians from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
Schools
Under the Protecting Victoria’s Vulnerable Children package, $30 million over three years will increase funding to support students with disabilities, including for the students with a disability transport program.
Skills and Education
The Government will
- invest a further $1 billion in the skills sector (but) funding rates for a number of other courses will fall.
- Increase the hourly funding rate provided to courses offering the largest benefits both for TAFE and private providers.
- Subsidy rates will rise for Certificate III and IV courses in areas like carpentry, bricklaying, engineering, plumbing, aged care, children’s services and disability services.
- work with TAFEs to develop new business models and leverage their established strengths in a more competitive training market.
- expand pathways into trainingwith an expanded entitlement to allow Victorians of any age whose highest qualification is a Victorian Certificate of Education or Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning, to access a training place at CertificateII and above, and the continuation offunding for pre-accredited training through the Learn Local provider network;
- continue to provide additional assistance for Indigenous students, regional students, vulnerable young people and people on low incomes to access training.
Budget: A Mixed Bag for Victorian Families
VCOSS Media Release, 1 May 2012
‘In a tough revenue environment, today’s budget includes some smart decisions to invest in proven programs for vulnerable and abused children and young people, as the first stage of response to the Cummins’ Inquiry into Protecting Vulnerable Children’ says Cath Smith, Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS) CEO.
‘But there is too little investment in critical services, such as public transport for families moving into new fringe suburbs or growing regional cities.’
‘The budget includes some wasteful spending - with $690 million for new prison capacity that would be better spent on crime prevention - sitting alongside cuts to education and skills, community health and social housing - all critical for developing strong communities and a strong future economy.’
Other positives:
- ‘Investments were also made in alcohol and drug programs, including supports for young people, in mental health programs for women with children, and in homelessness support for families.
- ‘Funding for an Independent Children and Young Person’s Commissioner, including a specific Commissioner for Aboriginal children and young people.’
- ‘Confirmation of full funding of the state government component of the Fair Work Australia equal pay case for 2012 and 2013, and indexation on the wages component of community service funding. However, zero indexation on non-wage costs will impact on community services struggling to pay escalating petrol, rent and utility bills.’
Disappointments:
- The absence of new investment in public transport services, with a single bus service to Monash University the only bus initiative, and the innovations fund in Transport Connections cut.
- Halving of the Education Maintenance Allowance and abolishing the School Start Bonus - both payments which assist families with the high costs of education.
- No capital investment for Aboriginal Health or to resource partnerships between Aboriginal community controlled health services and mainstream services.
To read the funding shifts analysis table and the article online, visit;
Insurance 'Not taken Seriously'
Rachel Wells, The Age, 2 May 2012
Disabled Victorians celebrating this week's announcement that the Gillard government would roll out the National Disability Insurance Scheme next year should feel let down by the state's commitment to the scheme and the disability sector, in general, says the peak body for disability services.
National Disability Services state manager, Rhonda Lawson Street, said the Victorian government's commitment of $900,000 to help launch the NDIS ''does not take seriously the scale of change involved'' in the new scheme.
While she welcomed an additional $38 million in funding to deliver up to 400 new individual support packages to help disabled Victorians pay for their care, she said the government had failed to address a 10 to 15 per cent shortfall in funding for some disability services, including education, recreation, therapy and respite.
''The Victorian government is neglecting Victorians with a disability and is shirking its immediate responsibilities in the hope that an NDIS will bail them out in the future,'' she said.
Meanwhile, community groups have welcomed the $103.7 million commitment to early childhood and maternal health services, including an additional $41 million to ensure Victoria's most vulnerable families have access to these services.
The funding ,which will enable the continuation of several important programs, including free kindergarten for three-year-olds known to child protection, were part of the government's $336 million commitment to better protect Victoria's most vulnerable children, prompted by the recommendations of the Cummins inquiry on the child welfare system.
To read this article online, visit:
2012 Victorian Disability Sector Awards Recognises Disability Advocates
Two Disability Advocates have been recognised for their contributions to the Disability sector at the Awardceremony held on Thursday April 26th.
Bill Lawler was presented with the 2012 Lifetime Achievement award. Bill has worked as a tireless Disability Advocated for many years and is highly respected for his commitment and ability to lead by example to ensure access and inclusion for people with a disability.
The Emerging Leader Award was presented to Peter Rickards. Peter is a passionate advocate for improving employment opportunities for people from disadvantaged communities, establishing Australians for Disability & Diversity Employment (ADDE) because of the many barriers people with a disability experience in trying to access open employment.
The event was hosted by Christine Mathieson the Director of the Office for Disability in entertaining style and the awards presented to the winners by Mary Wooldridge Community Services Minister.
Eleven award recipients were selected from over 90 nominees.
Other award categories and winners were:
- Business Supporting Disability Award - 3CR Community Radio, for their programs written and produced by people with a disability for people with a disability
- Client Services Worker Award - Sara Bland for her work helping people with a disability design their own support systems which are now managed by the participants
- Emerging Leader Award - Peter Rickards, for founding
- Leadership Award - Marita Brady, for her leadership at SkillsConnection
- Support Worker Award (Individual) - Deborah Draicchio, for her work with children with disabilities, Annie Mason, for encouraging her clients to reach their goals, Rozan Perera, for his work with a client with complex needs.
- Support Worker Award (Team) - Boxes n Bunches Team for providing meaningful work opportunities for people with a disability
- Volunteer Award - Stan Proctor for producing support aids and equipment at TADVIC
The Victorian Disability Sector Awards acknowledge the commitment of individuals and organisations that provide services and support to people with a disability. The Awards are a joint initiative between National Disability Services (Victoria), Disability Professionals Victoria, and the Department of Human Services.
For more information about the awards, visit:
Talking School Funding at Croydon Special School
Joint Media Release, Senator the Hon Jacinta Collins and Parliamentary Secretary for School Education and Workplace Relations Mike Symon MP Member for Deakin, 3 May 2012
Parliamentary Secretary for School Education, Senator Jacinta Collins and Member for Deakin Mike Symon, will meet with students, teachers and parents of Croydon Special Developmental School to talk about school funding for students with disability and the recommendations of the Gonski Review.
"This visit to Croydon Special School is part of a series of events the Government is holding around Australia, as part of a nation-wide discussion on school funding reforms," Senator Collins said.
Mr Symon said the visits are a good opportunity to meet with teachers and parents and to hear their views on the education review which is focused on giving schools the funding they need to provide quality education.
"No reform of this size and potential can be implemented without parents, teachers and principals having their say"Mr Symon said.
Senator Collins said the Gillard Government is working with the education community to test and refine the proposed new model, known as a Schooling Resource Standard (SRS). The proposed new model would include a base amount per student plus additional funding for students such as those with disability, and schools that need extra support.
"By working through the recommendations of the Gonski report in collaboration with the states, territories and non-government schools sectors, we aim to build a better school funding system that will help make every school a great school and give every Australian kid the very best start in life."
"We are committed to giving Australians with disability the same opportunities as every other citizen, including access to a great education, and participation in the workforce wherever possible.
"We’re making a real difference for families through our initiatives such as the $200 million More Support for Students with Disabilities program, the $220 million Helping Children with Autism program and the $147 million Better Start for Children with Disability program. We’re also developing the nation’s first National Disability Insurance Scheme."
To read the full story go to ;
NDIS News
Designing the National Disability Insurance Scheme
Joint Media Release Senator Jan McLucas, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers, Gai Brodtmann MP, Member for Canberra, Andrew Leigh MP, Member for Fraser, 1 May 2012
The Australian Government today announced three expert groups to help inform the design of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
The expert groups will work under the NDIS Advisory Group to help the Australian Government design a scheme that meets the lifetime care and support needs of people with significant and permanent disability The Gillard Government will have an NDIS start in up to four locations from July 2013.
The Gillard Government is committed to delivering this fundamental reform to ensure people with significant and permanent disability receive lifetime care and support, regardless of how they acquired their disability.
We have been clear that we need the expert advice of people with disability, their families and carers to help design this scheme. The expert groups include people with disability, their carers, advocates, service providers and other sector experts.
The expert group members bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to help people with disability, their families and carers, and the disability service sector, get ready for this change and to make sure the scheme works for them.
They will advise on the design of key elements of the scheme including eligibility and assessment, quality safeguards and standards and a national approach to choice and control for people with disability.
I congratulate the new expert group members on their appointment, and look forward to working with them over the next few months to lay strong foundations for a scheme we can all be proud of.
The expert groups are:
National Approach to Control and Choice
- Jeff Harmer, NDIS Advisory Group (co-chair),
- Fran Vicary, NDIS Advisory Group (co-chair)
- Robbi Williams, Julia Farr Association
- Kirsten Deane, National Disability and Carers Alliance
- Lesley Hall, Australian Federation of Disability Organisations
- Samantha Jenkinson, National Disability and Carer Council
- Ara Cresswell, Carers Australia
- Vicki O’Halloran, Somerville Community Services Darwin
- Daniel Leighton, Inclusion Melbourne
Eligibility and Assessment
- Rhonda Galbally, NDIS Advisory Group (co-chair)
- Joan McKenna-Kerr, NDIS Advisory Group (co-chair)
- Ros Madden, University of Sydney
- Janet Dore, Transport Accident Commission
- Robbi Williams, Julia Farr Association
- Tim Moore, Carers Australia
- Graeme Innes, Australia’s Disability Discrimination Commissioner
- Frank Quinlan, Mental Health Council of Australia
- Suzanne Lulham, New South Wales Lifetime Care and Support Authority
- Lesley Hall, Australian Federation of Disability Organisations
Quality Safeguards and Standards