The Disability Information and Resource Centre

This years Loop conferences take an in depth look at the Productivity Commissions draft report on disability support.

Upcoming conferences take place on 25 march in Mount Gambier and 5 April in Berri.

For more information and a registration form click here.

Carers SA have released their Northern Country Carers Newsletter for August 2010.

Some extra help to make the switch to digital TV

Australia is switching over to digital TV. Digital TV offers better picture and sound, and more channels to choose from. Many other countries have already switched to digital TV. Switching to digital TV also makes more efficient use of the broadcast spectrum and will enable the delivery of new communications services, such as high speed broadband.

Regional South Australia will switchover to digital only TV from 15 December 2010. This includes households in the Spencer Gulf, Riverland, Mt Gambier and South East television licence areas. The Adelaide metropolitan area will switchover in the second half of 2013.

For most people, switching to digital TV will be a relatively straightforward and inexpensive task. It can be achieved by adding a digital set top box or digital recorder to an analog television set, or purchasing a TV with a built-in digital tuner. 61 per cent of Australian households had converted to digital TV by the end of 2009.

The Australian Government understands that some in our community will need practical help to get ready for digital TV. The Household Assistance Scheme has been introduced to provide this help to eligible households. It includes the supply and installation of a high definition set top box, instructions on how to use it, and any necessary upgrades to cabling and antenna systems.

The Household Assistance Scheme is provided to households that do not have access to TV, and where one person in the household is in receipt of the maximum rate of the Age Pension, Disability Support Pension, Carer Payment, Department of Veterans’ Affairs Service Pension, or Department of Veterans’ Affairs Income Support Supplement.

The Household Assistance Scheme is only made available when a region is switching to digital TV. Approximately six months before the switchover date, eligible households will be contacted directly by Centrelink inviting them to participate in the scheme. An appointment will be made with the installer contracted by the Australian Government to visit the household for the installation of the set top box. Householders can request a password for their appointment so they are satisfied the installer visiting their home has made the appointment as part of the Household Assistance Scheme.

During the month of July eligible households in the Spencer Gulf, Mount Gambier and the Riverland can expect to receive letters from Centrelink.

More than 1500 households have already been helped to switch to digital TV through the scheme in Mildura Sunraysia which is the first region in Australia to switchover to digital TV.

More information on the switch to digital TV is available from the Digital ready Information Line which is run by the Australian Government on 1800 20 10 13, or from the website at www.digitalready.gov.au. Dates for the switchover to digital tv in South Australia can be found here.

Carers SA have released their SA Northern Country Newsletter for March 2010 which you can view here.

Carers SA are also running a service provider workshop on the 15th of March in Whyalla for which seats are still available. This workshop is at no cost and is to help carers develop a greater understanding of their caring role.

More information can be found in the flyer.

Please RSVP by Wednesday 3rd March.