The Disability Information and Resource Centre

Earlier this week Disability Speaks released the following:

We bring you comments from the key players regarding their key disability announcements, plus a summary from the National Disability and Carer Alliance that has been formed to advocate for National Disability Insurance.

Timely comments are as follows;

The Hon. BILL SHORTEN ALP

After 12 long years of neglect, the Gillard Labor Government put support for people with disability back on the national agenda.

We delivered historic increases to the DSP and Carer Payment now worth around $100 per fortnight for singles. We invested $1.7million in Disability Employment Services to end waiting lists for people with disability who want help finding a job.

We are doubling funding to the states and territories under the National Disability Agreement, providing more than $6 billion over five years. We ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and signed the Optional Protocol.

We are making public buildings more accessible through new Access to premises standards, and brokered a landmark agreement with the housing industry for all new homes to meet universal design standards by 2020.

We provided early intervention services for children with autism, and if re-elected will provide $12,000 for early intervention services for up to 7800 more young children with disability. We will also provide $60 million in capital funding to build innovative, community-based supported accommodation places.

Prime Minister Gillard has said that the status quo in disability can not continue and a re-elected Gillard Labor Government is committed to major reform in disability services.

That’s why our government has asked the Productivity Commission to undertake its landmark inquiry into the feasibility of a national care and support scheme for people with disability.

Only Labor understands the challenges faced by people with disability, so make sure your vote counts on August 21.

http://www.alp.org.au/agenda/

The Liberal Party / Coalition The Hon. Mitch Fifield

Australia’s system of support for people with disabilities is a broken, frayed patchwork. Many people with a disability are left without the assistance they need. There is a community consensus on the need to do better.

The Coalition supports the referral of the concept of a National Disability Insurance Scheme to the Productivity Commission for inquiry. Australians with a disability should be supported properly regardless of how they acquired their disability.

The Leader of the Opposition, Tony Abbott, has said:

“There are millions of Australians who are involved with this, not because they necessarily have a disability themselves, but because their loved ones do and they are rightly, rightly very interested in the outcome of this Productivity Commission inquiry and we won’t let them down.”

(Tony Abbott, doorstop interview, Adelaide, 7 May 2010)

During the 2010 Election the Coalition has announced an increased and expanded Education Tax Rebate. For the first time, a range of expenses can be claimed including education costs for children with special needs. The Coalition has also announced $314 million to provide portable funding for students with a disability through an Education Card worth up to $20,000 per year. Further elements of the Coalition’s disability policy will be released during the election.

The more government is able to live within its means, the more can be done to support Australians with disability. That’s why the Coalition wants to end Labor’s waste and repay their debt.

More details are available at www.liberal.org.au

The Greens, Lead Senate Candidate Penny Wright SA

Overall Greens policy

The Greens are committed to a fairer, more inclusive society for all Australians including people with a disability. Our policy: http://greens.org.au/policies/care-for-people/disability

National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

The Greens broadly support the NDIS initiative but are concerned that it does not address the immediate and urgent needs of carers. Greens’ Senator Rachel Siewert has worked hard to secure increased income support for carers. http://greensmps.org.au/content/media-release/disability-carers-need-urgent-financial-support-increase

The Greens negotiated improvements to the Fair Work Act which secured the right to request flexible working hours for parents and carers of children with a disability under the age of 18.

The Greens consider it is important that the NDIS deals adequately with the following:

• a range of support options, including individualised approaches
• a co-ordinated package of care services which includes accommodation, aids and equipment, respite, transport and a range of community participation and day programs for a person’s lifetime
• assisting a person to make decisions about their own support
• support for participation in employment where possible.

The Greens’ ability to secure improvements in disability policy depends on the strength of our voice in parliament. The more Greens Senators, the more likely it is that whoever is in government will consider Greens ideas and amendments which are directed to achieving a kinder, fairer society.

David Holst

Chair – Disability Speaks Steering Committee

0418 555 683

www.disabilityspeaks.com.au

disabilityspeaks@internode.on.net

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has a range of information and services available to support voters with a disability to ensure their vote in the 2010 federal election on Saturday, 21 August 2010.

A new initiative at the 2010 election, telephone voting, is now available in 125 locations across Australia to allow voters who are blind or have low vision to cast a secret vote.
http://www.aec.gov.au/election/bvi-do-locns.htm.

This service is available both before and on election day in all AEC divisional offices and other selected locations. Voters using this service will have their name marked off the electoral roll and then cast their vote in private over the phone. To find out how this voting will work including opening hours, visit How to vote if you are blind or have low vision or call 13 23 26.

Essential election information, including the ‘Your Official Guide to the 2010 Federal Election’ delivered to households across Australia, is also available online in a range of accessible formats, including large print, e-text and audio, and in braille and other formats by calling 13 23 26.
http://www.aec.gov.au/election/electors-with-disability.htm.

Polling places with disabled access are shown at www.aec.gov.au, including identifying those that are fully accessible or accessible with assistance. Each polling place also has at least one wheelchair access table top voting screen. At the polling place, if anyone needs help to vote, polling place staff are trained to assist or the voter can have a family member of friend assist. Anyone that makes a mistake filling in their ballot paper should ask a polling official for a replacement ballot paper and start again.

People who are deaf, or have a hearing impairment or speech impairment can use the National Relay Service (NRS) to call the AEC. TTY users phone 133 677 and ask for 13 23 26; Speak and Listen (speech-to-speech relay) voice only users can phone 1300 555 727 and ask for 13 23 26.

On Thursday July 29th 2010, Disability Speaks released the following:

FIREWORKS NOT JAZZ?

Australians living with disability will focus on Sydney on Sunday!

This is an event not to be missed.

The exquisitely timed Disability Rocks; Mad as Hell public meeting in Sydney on Sunday August 1st at 3.00pm at The Everest Theatre, Seymour Centre, Chippendale Sydney could deliver real fireworks. With ALP Parliamentary Secretary for Disability Bill Shorten no doubt looking to go head to head with Liberal Senator and Disability Shadow Mitch Fiefield the sparks seem certain to fly particularly given Labors disability announcements today in Melb. While less than the initial financial boost many would have hoped for, some details of today’s ALP announcement including the exciting new concept of community and NGO groups being encouraged to develop innovative and flexible new supported accommodation models will be widely applauded as will the early intervention boost. Full details can be found at www.alp.org.au.

An unbiased summary of the ALP announcements is attached from National Disability Services who like many see the ALP plan as well targeted.

Our very own Kelly Vincent MLC S.A. (d4d) will add reality to Sundays debate where the other participants including Ian Cohen (NSW Greens) will be looking to convince that they are fully committed not just participants or timely vote seekers. Kelly has life experience the others will never truly understand.

Many across the country who cannot make the meeting will look for the distribution of notes or bullet points to highlight the major promises of the meeting. The big questions will no doubt be:

Will major parties give unqualified support for National Disability Insurance? How serious are the leaders? Julia says “if feasible” Tony says “more seriously than the Henry review”

Will there be more major disability funding announcements to attack the crisis that exists now in disability services? With some 25,000 on national lists surely just 150 new supported accommodation positions is not the only financial commitment to reduce chronic unmet need waiting lists nationally (did someone leave a zero of the ALP media release? e.g. 1500)

Will anything really change or are we just looking at more talk?

What are the States forced to do?

Do Prime Minister Gillard or Opposition Leader Abbott personally care or is disability just another of those boxes that get ticked in any election period?

Who should we vote for and why?

Disability Speaks looks forward to distributing a précis of the meeting next week

At a local level (S.A) the next meeting of the Disability Speaks steering committee will be held on Thursday 5th August where the Federal election will no doubt be the main topic of interest at 1.00pm at DIRC, 195 Gilles St Adelaide. As always anyone is welcome to our open meetings.

David Holst

Chair – Disability Speaks Steering Committee

0418 555 683

www.disabilityspeaks.com.au

disabilityspeaks@internode.on.net

Dignity for Disability have released the following regarding the election of their candidate Kelly Vincent to the Upper House:

Kelly Vincent Leads the Way for People with Disabilities and their Carers

21 year old Dignity for Disability candidate for the Upper House looks set to make history

While media are reporting that Kelly Vincent has earned the 11th and final Upper House seat in the South Australian 2010 State election, Dignity for Disability are cautiously optimistic for this win for all people with disabilities in South Australia, which may not be announced by the Electoral Commission for some days.

When (we are optimistic) the announcement is made, however, Dignity for Disability will have scooped the pool in making Australian Parliamentary History:

• Youngest female elected to any Parliament in Australia’s history.
• Youngest elected Upper House Parliamentarian in Australia’s history.
• First person who uses a wheelchair elected into South Australian Parliament.
• First Australian Parliamentarian elected on a disability platform.

“Kelly Vincent will be making some big changes on North Terrace” said Dignity for Disability spokesperson Mr Rick Neagle. “She will be South Australia’s own elected social inclusion board”.

Parliament itself will need some work – work that is long overdue in the eyes of people with disabilities across the State – the Legislative Council is currently entirely inaccessible to a wheelchair user.

“It was always a source of humiliation for Paul (Collier) to have to use a side “trade” entrance with huge metal gates to get into Parliament house, and many areas of the building are totally inaccessible” said Kelly Vincent of Dignity for Disability’s late leader who was also a wheelchair user since a car crash left him with quadriplegia on his 21st birthday.

“One of my first jobs will be an audit of Parliament House’s disability access issues – an audit that I hope will be the first of many of government buildings and services. It’s shameful that the seat of our government has been unavailable to people with disabilities for so long.”

“Although it is still too early to make an acceptance speech, I would like to thank the many volunteers who have supported Dignity for Disability in so many ways throughout our campaign – it would be such an honour to represent you all” she said.

Ms Vincent may face many challenges, but she will be meeting them head-on, and her election will ensure a voice for all South Australians living with disability, and their carers.

For further information, please contact:

Sam Paior
0410-513-013
d4dparty@gmail.com

Rick Neagle
0431-704-074
rickneagle@internode.on.net

Disability Speaks have released these final comments on the upcoming SA state election:

For the final comments on the election Disability Speaks asked the major political parties to summarize in their own words how they see things and what they have to offer if elected on Saturday.

On behalf of the Disability community we would like to thank them for their time and effort in doing so and for their ready availability and accessibility during the election period.

Copies of each parties responses are attached and please note a number contain links to further information and party websites regarding disability services.

We would also like to thank all those people who using the online technology available have helped circulate the disability message via their databases and mailing lists to thousands of interested recipients. Information is power and by keeping people informed of the crisis in disability services and the direction of developments we believe we take small steps to maybe one day reaching far better and long overdue outcomes. We strongly encourage you do distribute this material widely.

The next meeting of the Disability Speaks steering committee will be held at the Disability Information Resource Centre (DIRC) at 1.00pm on Thursday 15th April at 1.00pm. These are open meetings and any interested persons are welcome. No doubt there will be much discussion on the election out come and very importantly the federally proposed National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) which will certainly occupy much thought and interest in the disability community in 2010.

We wish Dignity 4 Disability well in the election as they chase the elusive 11th upper house seat and thank all those people who responded with kind words regarding the sad loss of Paul Collier. Their thoughts will be passed to the family.

The response below seemed ironical and we share it with you!

Dear David,

Thank you for that fitting and sincere tribute to Paul.

On March 11th 18 years ago Paul received a Sir Charles Bright Scholarship to assist him with his studies.

The strangely ironic thing is that it was presented by “The Hon Mike Rann M.A. M.P., Minister of Employment and Further Education”!

We remember a fine young man.

Sincerely,

Rosemary Penn

Administrator

Sir Charles Bright Scholarship Trust.

Disability Speaks is committed to building our database and maintaining disability advocacy and communication for the long term. Thanks again for your support and good luck to all parties on Saturday. We live in a great country and a democracy and for that we should always be grateful. We also live with the great joy and pleasure that being part of the disability community brings all of us at times.

David Holst

Chair

Disability Speaks Steering Committee

0418555683

www.disabilityspeaks.com.au

Please also read these policy documents from the Liberal, Family First, Greens and Labor parties.

Over at the Purple Orange Blog is a post entitled How to Vote.

This post outlines things to consider when evaluating the disability policies of the contenders in the upcoming SA state election (and doesn’t endorse any particular party or candidate).

The Family First party have released their disability policy, which calls for an additional $110 million in funding for the disability sector.

You can view this news story from the Advertiser State Edition on the policy.

As part of its State Election Carer Awareness Campaign Carers SA have sought responses from candidates to a range of questions relating to Carer issues. These issues have been discussed in the campaign document Carer Opportunity and Choice: Challenges for Candidates.

This document provides responses from the following parties and candidates:

• Greens
• Labor
• Liberal
• Democrats
• D4D (Dignity for Disability)
• Family First
• United Party
• Gamers4Croydon
• Kris Hanna (Mitchell)
• David Winderlich (Legislative Council)
• Mark Aldridge (Legislative Council)

Disability Speaks have released the following statement regarding the upcoming SA state election:

At the Disability Speaks Public Meeting on February 17th, the Minister for Disability, Jennifer Rankine, did not reveal policy or funding initiatives and suggested we ” watch this space “.Well we watched and we watched and the Labor Party have released their Disability Policy for the 2010 election. The question is, was it worth waiting for? and most importantly how does the ALP stack up against the Liberal 2010 Disability policies.

The ALP Policy document confirms the allocation of additional education funding, $17.25 million to establish six new special education units and a range of early intervention services to children with Autism Spectrum Disorders including $4.0 million in support for private schools . This funding is not disability funding as it comes from the Education Dept budget and we have noted in a previous Disability Speaks communique and agreed that they are well targeted and will be very much appreciated by many with children in the disability community.

The 2010 Official ALP Disability Policy does however announce new funding of $17.5 million for equipment and home modifications for adults and children with a disability. Disability Speaks has been running media advertisements in the metropolitan press demanding that this area of the disability unmet needs waiting lists be addressed and this program will support that call! This funding is new money over 4 years.

But Disability Speaks has also previously argued that at least $120 million needs to be spent over the next four years by Government to address the current critical crisis in accommodation, respite and support services across South Australia. Sadly there is no new funding in the ALP policy for any other critical needs.

Subsequant to the ALP Official policy launch the government has also announced an additional transition program with $14.5 million dollars over four years to assist in the transfer of clients with disabilities from hospital to appropriate accommodation. This again is a new funding iniative!

The original 17 page ALP Policy Document is an impressive presentation but only offers the additional equiptment support plus plenty of sometimes questionable rhetoric . We are unable to deliver the ALP document direct online because of the file size but will supply on request the complete file to any Disability Speaks supporters who would like a full copy. Please ask by return email and we will fire it off to you! We do believe it is available online from the ALP wedsite.

The ALP policy makes much of the impending Cappo/ Social inclusion inquiry and how this will be the basis for a future plan. This is however noguarantee the plan will be supported by the ALP and many cynics in the disability community are seeing it as another Rann fairy tale like his promised 2001 Disability pre election policy guaranteeing a ten year plan that has never eventuated.

There is however no doubt at this stage the ALP has committed more funding for disability services in the next four years than the Liberal party. The ALP policies also appear to be appropriately funded.

We have attached for your interest a direct comparison based on our interpretation around the questions from our Public meeting of howDisability Speaks interpret the relative position of the two major parties in their election policies. Please circulate this file to all your supporters and print a copy for your noticboards and hand out!

We have asked and will deliver online on Thursday “The Final Word” in their own words a final one page summary from both the ALP and Liberal Party where they state their own 2010 Disability Committments and support position

Me ……………….I have not decided who to vote for yet? Both parties positions and history remain open to much conjecture and I have yet to see either Rann or Redmond talk about disability issues like they really matter. The choices on offer appear totally inadequate and a bit like being asked would you like to be tortured by testicualr electrocution or waterboarding?…………… there are no great outcomes which is very distressing.

We will keep you informed as the week progresses

Good luck in picking a winner!

David Holst

Chair

Disability Speaks Steering Committee

0418555683

www.disabilityspeaks.com.au

Disability Speaks have also released this comparison between the Labor and Liberal positions on disability.

The SA Liberal party have released their Disability Policy Statement for 2010.

You can read it here.