The Disability Information and Resource Centre

Leading disability organisations have partnered to form a project group which is compiling a Shadow Report on Australia’s implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

The overall aim of the report is to make recommendations to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and to determine the extent to which Australia has implemented its obligations under the CRPD.

The project group would like people with experience with disability to complete a survey outlining their experiences. The survey, as well as further information  can be found here.

You can also view the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities.

The release of the Shadow Report outlining the information collated, including recommendations, is expected prior to the Federal Government submitting its Progress Report to the United Nations in August 2010.

National Conference 22-23 March 2010

This national conference over two days will explore the emerging agenda of consumer-centred health care.

It is an event not to be missed for anyone with a passion for reforming our health system so that consumers and their families are at the centre of the system – in practice as well as in rhetoric.

Speakers include

• Christine Bennett, Chair, National Health and Hospital Reform Commission
• Ian Hickie, Executive Director, Brain and Mind Institute, Sydney University
• Just Stoelwinder, Chair, Health Services Management, Monash University
• Maxine Drake, Health Consumers’ Council of WA
• Siegried Drews, Web2Care, Consumer-Directed Care Management
• Philip Davies, Health Systems and Policy, University of Qld
• Barry Welsh, Ministry of Health, New Zealand
• Enrico Coiera, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, UNSW
• Coralie Wales, President Chronic Pain Australia
• Russell McGowan, Health Care Consumers Association ACT
• Di Batterham, Westgate Health Co-operative Ltd
• Angela Mackenzie, Paediatrician, Royal Children’s Hospital Vic
• Bruce Rumbold, Palliative Care Unit, LaTrobe University

Key themes include

• Commonwealth reform initiatives: making change happen
• Organising and empowering health consumers
• Medicare Select: policy design and opt-in health plans
• Self-care and self-management in health
• Consumer-directed aged care
• Consumer-centred innovation in mental health
• Consumer-centred innovation in drug and alcohol rehabilitation
• Consumer-centred systems
• Consumer-centred funding arrangements
• Chronic illness consolidated budgets
• Capitation-based payment systems
• Health brokers, care co-ordinators, health info-mediaries
• Community engagement in health reform
• Partnerships between practitioners and consumers

Who Should Attend?

• Health consumers and self-help groups
• Carers and family support organisations
• Health providers and practitioners
• Health services and community sector organisations
• Health researchers and analysts
• Health funds
• Corporates with an interest in better health care
• Governments and policy makers

The venue is Angliss Conference Centre in Melbourne’s CBD, corner of LaTrobe and Kin Streets, close to public transport and a range of accommodation options.

Click here for the program.

Click here to register.

Some further information in regard to our previous post on the upcoming Pre Election Disability Policy Meeting.

You are reminded to send any questions you wish asked of our political leaders at the meeting to disabilityspeaks@internode.on.net.

You are also invited to view the Liberal Party policy file on Education for children with ASD.

IMPORTANT

You are also invited to the next Disability Speaks steering committee meeting here at the Disability Information Resource Centre (Dirc) in Gilles Street on Thusday Feb 11th at 12.00pm where we will be finalizing plans for the Forum the following week and planning Disability Speaks activities past that event. Volunteers willing to help organise the Public Meeting night will be greatly appreciated.

The development of the National Cultural Policy by the Australian Government focuses on three themes: keeping culture strong; engaging the community; and empowering the young. Online formal submissions are open until 15 February 2010 and participating in this national dialogue is an opportunity to strengthen and give credibility to the National Arts and Disability Strategy, by using findings within the strategy when contributing your views. Accessible Arts encourages all arts and disability stakeholders to contribute a formal submission to continue to improve access to the arts for people with disability.

To a public Pre Election Disability Policy meeting.

All major parties speaking!

When

Wednesday February 17th at 7.00pm.

Where

St Peters College Memorial Hall
St Peters College
Kent Town
(enter off Dequetiville Tce opposite the Botanic Gardens)

Speakers Include

• The Hon Minster for Disability, Jennifer Rankine (ALP)
• The Shadow Minister for Disability, Stephen Wade (Liberal)
• Robert Brokenshire MLC (Family First)
• David Wunderlich MLC (Independent)
• Tammy Jennings MLC Candidate (Greens SA)
• Rick Neagle President (Dignity for Disability)

“S.A.DISABILITY SERVICES 2010 onwards” WHERE IS SA HEADING?

Chair: David Holst, Disability Speaks

If you are a person with a disability, a family carer, NGO, or disability sector worker or supporter you are encouraged to attend.

If you would like to ask a question of our parliamentary leaders please submit suggested questions online no later than Wednesday 10th February 2010 to disabilityspeaks@internode.on.net. It is unlikely time will permit questions from the floor on the evening. All questions should be submitted online prior to the event and may be presented on the evening by disability sector leaders. A crowd of 400 is expected.