PWD E-Bulletin |
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Issue 74 January 2012 - ISSN 2202-0705 Welcome to PWD’s
E-Bulletin. This e-bulletin goes out to members and interested others
regularly by email. For members who do not have access to email, a printed
version of the e-bulletin will be sent by post. To be added to or
removed from our mailing list, or to change your email address, please email pwd@pwd.org.au
or contact PWD on one of the numbers listed at the end of this bulletin. If you would like to become a member of PWD or
learn more about our membership options, contact PWD on pwd@pwd.org.au Are you a Member of PWD? Do you believe that everyone is born equal and
has the right to fully participate in community life, gain employment, get an
education, receive health services, be free from violence and abuse and
participate in political, cultural, social and recreational activities? Would
you like to join a global movement of people fighting for the rights of the
world’s most marginalised community? If you’re not yet a member of PWD then check
out the Membership
section of our website. Membership doesn’t cost much, can be done via mail or
email, and will ensure that your voice is heard in the processes that affect
your life. Join
Today! Disability Rights Defenders
There is now a NEW way
to support PWD – Disability Rights Defenders can now sign up online! Click
here to set up a regular donation to PWD and automatically become a DRD.
Disability Rights
Defenders help change lives by making a significant financial contribution to
support the work of PWD through regular, monthly, tax-deductible donations.
Regular donations help us pursue essential projects, such as systemic and
legal advocacy projects, assist with conducting members’ and stakeholders
consultations, enable us to work with Disabled People’s Organisations in the
Pacific and in providing information and training to people with disability
and their associates. If you’d like to know more about the Disability Rights
Defender Program, click here. Contents
Other State and Territory News
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New South Wales NewsHave Your Say – City of Sydney Draft Footpath Gardening PolicyThe City of Sydney
is currently exhibiting a draft policy which will allow residents and
businesses to put planter boxes on the public footpath and undertake
gardening on nature strips located outside their properties within the City
of Sydney local government area. The City of Sydney is seeking feedback from
the community on the policy until 13 February 2012. This is an
opportunity for PWD members to comment on the policy while it’s open for
public consultation, and draw attention to potential issues around footpath
accessibility.
Copies of the draft
policy are available in Braille and Large Print formats at City of Sydney
Neighbourhood Service Centres (locations
listed on the City's website) and at the One Stop Shop at Town Hall House. Organisations or
individuals that would like their own Braille or Large Print copy of the
draft policy can contact Mark Driver by phone on (02) 9265 9385, email mdriver@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au or by post to Mark
Driver, Park and Recreation Planner, Level 12 Town Hall House, 456 Kent
Street, Sydney 2000.
We encourage people
with disability to review the draft policy and provide feedback to City of
Sydney Council. Further information
and copies of the draft policy can also be downloaded from the 'On
Exhibition' section of the City of Sydney Council website. For more
information contact Sam French, Advocacy Projects Manager on one of the
numbers listed at the end of this E-Bulletin or email samanthaf@pwd.org.au Participate in Research on the Built Environment PWD has been
approached by a PhD research student at the University of Sydney, Lesley
Lewis, who wishes to recruit people to take part in action research about the
built environment here in Sydney.
Lesley is looking
for 10 to 20 people with disability who would like to be involved in a focus
group associated with a PhD research project. The focus group meetings will
be facilitated by Lesley, who would like to hear what you think
needs to change to make living in the city better, more comfortable, more
secure and more varied for people with disability. Lesley is doing this
research for her PhD at the University of Sydney. The project Supervisor is
Dr Kurt Iveson, Senior Lecturer at the School of Geosciences and the
Associate Supervisor is Professor Patricia O’Brien, Centre for Disability
Studies, University of Sydney.
Involvement in the
focus group is voluntary and they are interested to hear from people who
would like to join them as they meet once a month for 10 to 12 months, to
share ideas, make new friends and learn to develop confidence and skills in
expressing your opinion about matters that are important to you.
The meetings will be
held at the office of PWD, 52 Pitt Street, Redfern.
The meeting room is on the ground floor and is wheelchair accessible.
Participants are welcome to bring along a support person, family member or
advocate to the meetings, to make sure they are comfortable and relaxed, and
to help with communication if that is necessary.
People from PWD and
IDEAS will be in attendance at every meeting, to mentor the members of the
focus group and be there if participants need to talk about matters raised by
the group. For more information
contact Michael
Bleasdale,
Executive Director on one of the numbers listed at the end of this E-Bulletin
or email michaelb@pwd.org.au or Diana Palmer, Manager-Advocacy
at IDEAS on (02) 9211 1300 or email ideas@ideas.org.au Research project: Ageing and People with Intellectual Disability
A team of
researchers from the University of New South Wales are conducting a research
project, designed to examine the needs of older adults with intellectual
disability. The team hope to determine
how many older people with intellectual disability develop dementia and what
things help them stay healthy as they age, as well as to identify their
health service needs and the needs of family carers.
The research team
anticipates that the results of the project will be vital in aiding local
service providers and government to plan for the future needs of older adults
with intellectual disability.
The project team,
led by Associate Professor Julian Trollor, is currently inviting people with
intellectual disability to register their interest. People can be in the
study if they:
For more information
contact Kate Chitty, Research Assistant on (02) 9385 3994 or email SAge-ID@unsw.edu.au The Women's
Health in Women's Hands (WILMA) Health Centre will be running Auslan “Sign
Language for Beginners” courses from Wednesday 15 February 2012 at the WILMA
offices at 22 Bugden Road, Campbelltown, NSW. The course will run on
Wednesday from 1:30pm – 3pm and will cost $5 per lesson. For more
information contact Lorraine Mulley on 0458 777 748 (Text message ONLY) to
book a place. Return to Contents
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Other State and Territory NewsVictoria: Opportunity for South Australians with disability to be In ControlIn a media release
published on 21 December 2011, the Julia Farr Association welcomed the South
Australian Government's announcement that Individualised Funding will become
the cornerstone of South Australia’s disability services system. Click
here to read more about the SA Government’s commitments
PWD has worked
closely with the Julia Farr Association as part of In
Control Australia, which is a group of individuals and
organisations who aim to bring about systemic policy change in Australia to
enable individuals with disability and their families to self-manage their
support. PWD joins the Julia Farr Association in welcoming the SA
Government’s commitment to implementing a National Disability Insurance
Scheme (NDIS) and incorporating a model of individualised funding for people
with disability.
The Julia Farr
Association looks forward to providing whatever assistance it can to the SA
government on these matters, in recognition of the fact that the new
arrangements will have the greatest chance of success if there is a
collaborative approach to implementation. Click
here to read the full media release from the Julia Farr Association
(PDF document) Victoria: Experiences of students with disability in schoolsThe Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission is
conducting research into the experiences of students with disability in
Victorian schools.
This research follows an increase in complaints to the
Commission relating to disability discrimination in education, and concerns
raised by parents of children with disability, disability advocacy groups and
members of the Commission's Disability Reference Group about the provision of
education services to students with disability.
The purpose of the research is to gather information about the
issues and challenges experienced by students with disability in the
Victorian school system and to identify potential solutions, consistent with
Victoria's equal opportunity and human rights framework, to improve access to
education for students with disability.
The project includes:
If you are a student with disability – or a parent, teacher or
carer of a student with disability – they would like to hear from you.
To find out more visit the Victorian
Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commssion or contact the Commission on
(03) 9032 3422 or email atresearch@veohrc.vic.gov.au Queensland: The Best ProjectThe Best is a workshop program, a party and a social action to
make Brisbane a more accessible city. It is being coordinated by Melbourne
artist and PWD member Thomas Banks, in collaboration with Brisbane based
Contact Inc and Toronto based Mammalian Diving Reflex. PWD has been working
with Tom to promote this project and ensure a diverse group is able to take
part.
The Best Project involves a seven week workshop program for
under 30’s with disability. The workshops will explore topics of dating,
love, romance, sexuality and intimacy. Participants will work together as a
group to create a series of actions and activities which would happen at a
party. This Party will then take place in the last week of March and members
of the public will be invited to attend and explore the themes presented by
workshops participants.
For more information about Contact Inc visit www.contact.org.au or for
more information about Mammalian Diving Reflex visit www.mammalian.ca |
National newsJetstar continues its second class treatment of people with disabilityPWD has joined the growing call for changes to
Australia’s anti-discrimination laws following the Federal Court’s decision
on Friday 13 January which left Jetstar’s discriminatory two wheelchair
policy intact and a passenger with disability, Ms Sheila King, with $20,000
to pay in court costs.
In our E-bulletin
Issue 58, PWD outlined the discrimination faced by Ms Sheila
King, a current PWD Board member and the action that the Disability
Discrimination Legal Centre NSW (DDLC) took on her behalf. Ms King
booked her flight over the Internet in August 2008. She was contacted the
next day and told she would not be able to fly on her chosen day because
there were already two passengers requiring wheelchair assistance booked on
the flight.
She was told Jetstar had a
policy of allowing only a maximum of two wheelchair-reliant passengers on any
flight. The Federal Court decision on 13 January 2012
accepted that Jetstar had discriminated against Ms King, but ruled that
Jetstar would have experienced ‘unjustifiable hardship’ if it had not
discriminated against her.
Click here to read
PWD's Media
Release on 17 January 2012, calling
for a strengthening of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and for
current Australian Government process for reform of anti-discrimination laws
to include finding mechanisms to achieve systemic change without the need for
individuals with disability to bear the responsibility for this change. PWD congratulates Ms King on the advocacy
efforts she has made on behalf of others.
For more background information on the case click
here to read an article in the Sydney Morning Herald on 18 January 2012
titled 'Advocate to appeal decision on wheelchair'.
For an excellent analysis on the flaws of the
court decision click
here to read 'Fact and Fiction in King v Jetstar Airways' by disability
rights advocate Naomi Anderson. Consolidation of Commonwealth Anti-Discrimination LawsAs part of the Australian Government’s National Human Rights
Framework, action is being taken to harmonise and consolidate Commonwealth
Anti-Discrimination laws, including the Disability Discrimination Act, Sex
Discrimination Act and the Race Discrimination Act.
PWD, along with other disability and human rights organisations
has been participating in forums and meetings to discuss options for
harmonisation that will lead to better protections against discrimination.
PWD provided our submission to the Attorney General’s Discussion
Paper at the end of January. We raised
many key issues regarding a consolidated Commonwealth anti-discrimination
law, including:
PWD proposed
recommendations to enhance the compliance and complaints framework. We argued that the current onus for
addressing discrimination is unreasonably placed on individuals. We argued for more systemic responses to be
implemented and resourced, and pointed to the key recommendations made by the
AHRC, including:
In addition to these measures, PWD
strongly supported measures for increasing the systemic response by AHRC and
representative organisations, such as:
PWD also endorsed the submission made by Women with Disabilities
Australian and Women with Disabilities ACT as this submission comprehensively
dealt with the issue of intersectional discrimination.
Click
here to read the Attorney General’s Discussion Paper and the submissions Click here to read PWD’s
submission to the Attorney General For more information
contact Therese Sands, Executive Director on one of the numbers listed at the
end of this E-Bulletin or email thereses@pwd.org.au PWD disappointed at Minister’s announcement to rule out Newstart IncreasePWD and the Australian Federation of Disability
Organisations (ADFO) have expressed disappointment about comments made on 11
January 2011 by Federal Employment Minister Bill Shorten ruling out increases
to the Newstart Allowance. Click
here to read an article which appeared in The Australian on January 11 2012 –
'Bill Shorten rules out increase in the dole' which provides more detail
on Mr Shorten’s comments.
In a joint Media Release issued by PWD and AFDO
on 11 January 2012 both organisations expressed disappointment that Mr
Shorten’s statements appear to ignore widespread calls from the business
sector, welfare groups, unions and the community to bring the allowance up to
more liveable levels.
In their 2010 Economic Survey of
Australia, the OECD argued that the large gap between Newstart and DSP
benefits has reduced the incentive to work, because people experiencing
unemployment have an incentive to apply for the DSP instead of Newstart.
PWD
supports incentives which enable people with disability to get into the
workforce, but these must ensure that the needs of people who are totally
reliant on the DSP or Newstart Allowance are fully met.
AFDO and PWD are now calling on Mr Shorten and
the Federal Government to rethink this statement and to consider implementing
the modest increases to the Newstart Allowance which were recommended in the
Henry Report of 2010. Click here to read
the full PWD and AFDO Media Release PWD joins community groups in call for Australia to ratify OPCATPWD has joined the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) and other
community organisations in calling for the Australian Government to ratify
the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel,
Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT).
In a letter sent to Federal Attorney-General on 21 December 2011,
the Hon Nicola Roxon, our organisations outlined our position on this issue,
arguing that ratifying OPCAT will assist Australian governments to protect
the basic rights of people who are detained, including people detained in prisons,
mental health facilities and immigration detention.
Click
here to read a the letter (PDF document)
The Optional Protocol requires ‘National Preventative
Mechanisms’ (NPM) to be established to prevent torture and other forms of
cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. These NPM’s must cover all ‘places of
detention’ within all parts of Australia, including offshore military and
immigration detention facilities. The
range of detention situations includes those that are relatively well
recognised, such as prisons, juvenile detention centres, police stations,
involuntary mental health facilities and immigration detention centres. However, OPCAT has far wider reach and
includes all situations where there is non-consensual detention, including
disability services and aged care facilities.
PWD has long supported calls for the Australian Government to
ratify OPCAT, in the understanding that the International inspection regime
and NPMs which would come into place with ratification would positively
impact upon the broader community and people with disability in detention in
particular.
On 5 December 2008, the then Australian Human Rights
Commissioner Graeme Innes, released a report outlining options for the
implementation of the OPCAT which was recently acceded to by the Australian
Government.
This Report argues for a federal system of inspections, with a
national coordinating inspection body as well as an inspection body in each
State and Territory. Click here to read
this report on the Human Rights Commission website.
Minister for Disability Reform: a welcome new
position from the Prime Minister
PWD issued a Media Release on 13 December 2011
welcoming the Prime Minister’s appointment of the Hon. Jenny Macklin to the
new position of Minister for Disability Reform.
PWD congratulates the Australian Government for
committing to disability reform by investing in the establishment of a
National Disability Insurance Scheme and by appointing a Minister for
Disability Reform, which means the Government can now focus on the reform
agenda at the elevated level it deserves.
PWD looks forward to working with Minister
Macklin in taking concerted and comprehensive action to implement reforms
that create positive and measureable differences to our lives. Click
here to read the full PWD Media Release Fairfax journalist Adele Horin wins Human Rights AwardPWD was pleased to be in attendance at the Human Rights Awards
on 9 December 2011 when Fairfax journalist Adele Horin won the Human Rights
Print Media Award for her series of stories on abuse and neglect of people
with disability living in licensed boarding houses.
Her stories focused on the human rights abuses experienced by
people with disability living in licensed boarding houses in NSW, with a
particular focus on Grand Western Lodge, a licensed boarding house in
Millthorpe in which PWD has been providing individual advocacy services to
the residents for many years.
PWD worked closely with Adele on these stories and it was the
media attention, combined with PWD’s strong advocacy, which led to the
majority of residents being moved out of the boarding house and resettled in
the community.
Adele thanked PWD in her acceptance speech, saying how
organisations such as PWD allow journalists such as herself to report
successfully on social justice issues.
A highlights video and photos from the Awards are now available
on the Human Rights Commission’s web channels, which you can access by
clicking on the following links:
National Disability StrategyThe National Disability Strategy 2010-2020 (NDS) was
endorsed by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) in February
2011. A key aim of the NDS is to
implement actions that will enhance the lives of people with disability and
protect, promote and fulfil
their human rights, in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons
with Disabilities (CRPD).
Since endorsement, Australian Governments have been
working on State and Territory Implementation Plans to achieve the outcomes
and directions in the NDS. The
Australian Government released the NDS Implementation Plan Exposure Draft in
December 2011 for comment by national peak disability organisations. PWD has provided comments on the Exposure
Draft in a number of ways:
The key issues highlighted in PWD’s response include:
Overall, PWD was extremely disappointed with the NDS
Implementation Plan Exposure Draft and strongly urges the Government to
address key gaps in the redrafting of the Plan. We believe this is critical before the Plan
is provided to COAG for endorsement.
For more information contact Therese Sands,
Executive Director on one of the numbers listed at the end of this E-Bulletin
or email thereses@pwd.org.au
National Research and Development Agenda finalisedPWD was just one of a large number of national
stakeholders who took part in a roundtable discussion at the end of 2010, to
discuss the research priorities in disability across Australia. A limited budget of $10m over five years
has been allocated by the Commonwealth and the various States and
Territories, to devote to research in this area. The final version of the document was made
available in November 2011 and can be read by
clicking here.
The priorities articulated in the document are: ·
Australian disability demographic profile and trend information, including
access to social and economic inclusion data. ·
Disability related social and economic inclusion research, including research which
focuses on human rights, participation in community life, access to mainstream
activities and services and broader systems change. ·
Evaluations, reviews and research to contribute
to the evidence base to improve service
delivery and support options. ·
Analysis of the factors that support sector sustainability, sector
development and improved organisational capability. ·
Research on the profile, experiences and issues
affecting diverse and/or
disadvantaged groups of people with disability, such as: a) Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander communities b) People
from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds c) Women
with disability d) People
in regional, rural and remote areas. There will be a funding round called for shortly
and an information sheet provides some details. People interested should check the website www.dprwg.gov.au
for details as they emerge. Travel Limited: A Report into Inaccessible
transport in Australia
Australia for All have recently published a research paper on
inaccessible transport in Australia. The paper, Travel
Limited: A Report into Inaccessible Transport in Australia (it comes up
under “Transport Survey”), details the results of a survey conducted in 2009
by Australia for all, which looks at non-compliance amongst the Transport
Industry Companies.
The paper is researched and authored by PWD Director, Sheila
King, whose other actions in advocating for the rights of people with
disability to accessible transport can be read in another section of this
Ebulletin (see "Jetstar continues its second class
treatment of people with disability")
The report provides evidence of lack of compliance with the
Disability Standards for Accessible Transport, as well as documenting
numerous obstacles encountered by people with disability in trying to
travel. Click
here to visit Australia for All website to access the report. Ten Year Roadmap for National Mental Health ReformIn January, the Australian Government released its
draft Ten Year Roadmap for National
Mental Health Reform (the Roadmap).
The Roadmap details a commitment by all governments to a long-term
national reform plan for mental health to guide future action and investment
across Australia over the next ten years.
The
Roadmap sets out five key directions for action: 1
Promoting good mental health and well-being and
preventing mental illness and suicide 2
Early detection and intervention 3
Putting consumers and carers at the heart of
services and supports 4
Supporting people to participate in society 5
Making services work for people – access,
quality, integration and coordination
While
the Roadmap contains some important initiatives, such as the development of a
national consumer representative organisation, PWD also outlined our key
concerns in our response:
PWD also endorsed the submission made by the Australian
Federation of Disability Organisations (AFDO).
For more information contact
Therese Sands, Executive Director on one of the numbers listed at the end of
this E-Bulletin or email thereses@pwd.org.au
Australia’s first National Mental Health
Commission
On 23 January 2012, Australia’s first National Mental Health
Commission was launched by the Federal Minister for Mental Health and Ageing,
Mark Butler. The Commission is a key
aspect of the Federal Government’s mental health reforms, which aims to give
mental health the high level and national prominence.
The CEO of the Commission is Ms Robyn Kruk AM.
While PWD welcomes the introduction of the Commission as a
mechanism to address much needed mental health service reform, we also urge
the Commission to take an active role in progressing the rights of people
with psychosocial disability in the context of the Convention on the Rights
of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
For more information and to read the full Media Release, please
click here to visit
the Department’s website.
Mental Health Consumers Reference GroupThe Federal Government is calling for Expressions of Interest
from the public to become members of the Consumer Reference Group (CRG) which
will help shape the development of a national mental health consumer
organisation.
The CRG will provide advice to an auspicing body to assist with the establishment of the new national mental health consumer organisation. This will include advice on strategic directions for the consumer organisation; building an inclusive and diverse membership base; and setting up appropriate mechanisms to ensure consumers are involved throughout the process.
Mental health consumers interested in applying can read the CRG
EOI kit on www.health.gov.au/mentalhealth.
This kit includes the overview of the selection process, the selection
criteria, information about roles and CRG position responsibilities and tips
on how to apply. EOIs must be submitted using the online form and close 4pm
AEDT Monday 20 February 2012. Not-For-Profit Sector Reform
The
Commonwealth Government is in the process of redrafting its Australian
Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission Bill 2012, in light of criticism
made about the initial draft from a number of corners of the community
sector, including the peak ACOSS. Submissions on the original exposure draft
of the Bill were due on Friday 25 January 2012.
There
is a strong appetite for reform and for harmonisation of regulations and
contractual/funding agreements across the country, whilst some understandable
reluctance to rush toward standardised definitions of organisations and
uniform regulations, without adequate consultation and testing.
If
you are interested in learning more about the issues under consideration in
this proposed reform, you can read the following submissions by clicking below:
ACOSS continues to press for constructive reforms
in this area and their submission can be accessed
here on their website
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International NewsESCAP meeting on the New Asian and Pacific Decade, 2013-2002PWD
participated in the Regional Stakeholder Consultation for the High-Level
Intergovernmental Meeting on the Final Review of the Implementation of the
Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, 2003–2012, organised by United
Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), from
14–16 December in Bangkok, Thailand.
The
meeting focused on reviewing the ten goals of the “Incheon Strategy to Make
Rights Real” for people with disability in the Asia Pacific. The
Incheon Strategy is an action framework for the new Asian and Pacific Decade
of Disabled Persons, 2013 to 2022.
The
meeting provided PWD, the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations
(AFDO) and other organisations with an excellent opportunity to connect with
our Asia and Pacific colleagues to learn more about regional initiatives and
issues. Participants included representatives of Asia Pacific Disability
Forum (APDF), Pacific Disability Forum, Inclusion International, Asian and
Pacific Development Center on Disability (APCD) and others.
Click
here to read the media release issued by Inclusion International on this
meeting For more information
contact Samantha French,
Advocacy Projects Manager on one of the numbers listed at the end of this
E-Bulletin or email samanthaf@pwd.org.au UN Partnership to Promote the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Trust Fund (UNPRPD) LaunchedPWD
has welcomed the launch of a new UN Partnership to Promote the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities Trust Fund (UNPRPD), which aims to promote
disability rights by assisting countries to improve their policies, data
gathering and service delivery to people with disability. Six UN
organisations - ILO, OHCHR, UN-DESA, UNDP, UNICEF and WHO – came together to
form this Partnership, which was officially launched in New York on 8
December 2011.
The
UNPRPD aims to facilitate dialogue between governments and disabled peoples
organisations (DPOs) in order to boost national action to address
discrimination and marginalisation. This is in line with the internationally
agreed UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities (CRPD), which also seeks to advance international
cooperation on these issues.
In a
Media Release issued on 12 December 2011, UNDP Associate Administrator
explained how “Disability affects vulnerable populations including women,
children and the elderly in a disproportionate way. We cannot achieve
development goals – from health to education, employment to citizen’s
participation – unless we tackle disability as a driver of social exclusion.”
More
than one billion people, representing about 15 percent of the world’s
population, live with some form of disability, according to the World Report on Disability published
earlier this year by the WHO and the World Bank. |
The Inside StoryFrom the President“Here we are, with another busy year before us, with
the upcoming relocation of our Redfern office, our continuing advocacy for an
NDIS and a variety of other initiatives.
I would like to welcome Faye Druett, Heidi Forrest and
Craig Wallace back onto the PWD Board and I look forward to working with this
new Board in 2012. I also welcome back all PWD staff and I trust you all had
a good break and are ready to do justice to another year.
I was appalled to hear about Jetstar’s victory
regarding their “Two Wheelchair Policy”, which you can read
more about in this Ebulletin. I congratulate our Board Member Sheila King
for her tenacity and courage in taking on a corporation as big as Jetstar. We
have supported Sheila throughout her action and believe she is doing the
right thing in challenging this discriminatory policy. I was absolutely
horrified to hear that the judge made Sheila responsible to pay for court
costs.
Finally, we joined together on 6 February to celebrate
the life of Kim Walker (also known by many as Carol Pein). Kim was a
passionate advocate who fiercely fought for the rights of people with
disability and she was an asset to our organisation. We will all miss her
greatly. That’s all from me at this stage, except - Happy
New Year to Everyone!” PWD Executive Committee 2012At the first Board Meeting of the year, 4 February
2012, the following Board members were elected to the Executive Committee;
These Board members will join the President, Jan
Daisley in forming the PWD Executive Committee for 2012. Vale Kim Walker
PWD was greatly saddened by the passing of Kim Walker
(also known as Carol Pein), a PWD Life Member and leader within the
disability rights movement in Australia. Kim was a passionate advocate who
devoted much of her life to defending the rights of people with disability.
Kim lived in an institution for much of her earlier
life before moving into the community. She quickly became involved in the
self-advocacy movement, joining the Intellectual Disability Rights Service
(IDRS) soon after its inception in 1986 and becoming one of the first members
of its Rights Forum. A natural advocate and communicator, Kim was soon
employed by IDRS as an educator and continued in that job for nearly 20
years.
Kim was known for speaking up for people with
disability on numerous advisory committees, boards and councils, including
the Disability Council of NSW, the Disability Advisory Council of Australia
and the NSW Council for Intellectual Disability (CID).
From 1992 to 1994, Kim represented Australia on a
self-advocacy committee of Integration International, a committee which
reported to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Disability. In this role, Kim travelled to five
countries, and in 1994 presented a paper on achieving equal rights at the
Integration International world conference in Delhi.
In 1998, Kim received the Rosemary Dybwad Award, an
international self-advocacy honour
presented every four years for excellence in support and development of human
rights and social justice.
Her most recent work centred around the Shut In Campaign, a national campaign
to raise awareness about people with disability in institutions, take action
to close institutions and to advocate for housing and supports that enable
people with disability to live in the community in the same way as everyone
else. As part of her support for this campaign, she was filmed in a powerful
Vodcast (available here) in which she
talks about why people with disability should live in the community and not
in institutions.
Kim passed away on 26 December 2011 aged 55, after a
short illness. NSW CID, PWD and IDRS organised a Celebration
Event for the many friends and admirers to remember Kim’s life and celebrate
her achievements. It took place at Redfern Town Hall on 6 February 2011 and
was attended by over 100 friends and colleagues of Kim, including the
Disability Discrimination Commissioner Graeme Innes. PWD in 2012 Mardi Gras
“PWD is happy to announce that we're once again taking
part in the Sydney Mardi Gras. We'll be marching our way through the city to
promote the sexual right of people with disability in the most fabulous way
possible.
Our theme this year is: "Sexuality and Sex/Gender
Diversity do not end with disability” and we’re looking for PWD members and
friends who are keen to participate.
Some info for the event:
For more info or to register your interest,
please contact Daphnée Cook,
Communications and Membership Development Manager on one of the numbers listed at
the end of this E-Bulletin or email daphneec@pwd.org.au Daphnée
Cook, Communications and Membership Development Manager |
PWD Media Releases6 February 2012:
Fearless advocate fought for the rights of people with disability to have a
voice
17 January 2012:
Jetstar to continue second class treatment of people with disability
11 January 2012:
Keeping the dole low will increase hardship, not employment
13
December 2011: Minister for Disability Reform: a welcome new position from
the Prime Minister 9
December 2011: People with disability: ‘our human rights, our lives’ |
PWD Training OpportunitiesPWD is currently reviewing its trainings on offer and
making changes to its existing training packages.
In the 2011/2012 financial year, PWD will no longer be
issuing a training calendar with fixed trainings but instead will be
providing a training brochure detailing the training options on offer. In
addition, we will also be marketing customised training packages that can be
adapted to meet the needs and interests of individual organisations and/or
services.
We will continue to offer our 2-day Responding to Sexual Assault training
which aims to challenge myths surrounding sexual assault and people with
intellectual disability, build capacity of staff to support victims of sexual
assault, as well as decrease the vulnerability of people with intellectual
disability to this crime. Also available is our 1-day Convention on the
Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) training which provides a
discussion of the development of the CRPD, the rights enshrined in it and the
practicalities of implementing these rights, as well as information about its
available complaints process.
PWD will continue to provide Disability Awareness
training, however in a new, flexible format with core and optional
supplementary modules. Core modules will provide a general introduction to
disability awareness, exploring the concept of disability, the myths and
facts surrounding it, as well as respectful language and communication.
Supplementary modules will include customised components that incorporate
information, case scenarios and examples applicable to the context in which
the training is delivered.
PWD will continue to focus on developing and delivering
training in its expertise areas of abuse and neglect as well as disability
and human rights. In addition, we remain open to discussing the development
of specific trainings based on interest.
Click
here for further information is available from our website. Alternatively,
contact PWD Training phone (02) 9370 3100 or email
training@pwd.org.au
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Upcoming Events8-10 February 2011: Geelong, VIC Victorian Advocacy League for Individuals with Disability Inc (VALID) Having a Say Conference 2011 - “My Life - My Way”, Deakin University,
Geelong, Victoria. For more information visit www.valid.org.au
16 February 2011: Harvey Bay QLD
PWD’s Fraser Coast Office Re-launch. Join PWD’s Fraser Coast Manager Alan
Grimsley and PWD Executive Director Matthew Bowden, along with friends,
supporters and clients, in warming up our new office and celebrating the
already two years of service to people with disability on the Fraser Coast.
RSVP to Alan by Thursday 9 February to alang@pwd.org.au or phone 1800 422 015 or mobile 0417 451
714
17 February 2012: Sydney, NSW From Outlaws towards Inclusion at
UNSW. A conference on 10 years of challenges and progress in rights and human
services for people with intellectual disability in contact with the criminal
justice system. For more information contact IDRS by phone (02) 9318 0144 or
email rego@idrs.org.au
20-21 February 2012: Melbourne, VIC International Conference on Human Rights in Closed
Environments at Monash University Law Chambers, 555 Lonsdale
Street, Melbourne. For more information contact phone (03) 9349
2220 or email info@conorg.com.au or
visit www.law.monash.edu.au
14-16 March 2012: Bangkok, Thailand Conference on Disability-Inclusive MDGs
and Aid Effectiveness. UN Conference Centre. For more information visit www.lcint.org/?lid=5732
17 March 2012: Sydney Olympic Park,
NSW Spinal Cord Injuries Australia (SCIA) Independence Expo.
For more information or to hold a stall, please contact Rebecca Konstatzky on
phone (02) 9356 1106 or email rkonstatzky@scia.org.au
24-25 March 2012: Honolulu, Hawaii
Pacific Rim International Forum hosted by the Centre on Disability Studies
(CDS) at the University of Hawaii. For more information contact Charmaine
Crockett email prinfo@hawaii.edu
or visit www.pacrim.hawaii.edu/internationalforum/2012/
26-27 March 2012: Honolulu, Hawaii 28th
Annual Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability & Diversity "Living to Our Complete
Potential" For more
information contact prinfo@hawaii.edu
or visit www.pacrim.hawaii.edu
29-30 March 2012: Sydney NSW ACOSS
National Conference, Sharing the wealth
of the lucky country For more information contact ACOSS, phone (02) 9310 6200, email info@acoss.org.au or visit www.acoss.org.au/whats_on/conference/acoss_national_conference_2012/
17-21 September 2012: New Delhi, India 13th
International Conference on Mobility and Transport for Elderly and Disabled
Persons (TRANSED 2012). For more information email secretariat@transed2012.in
or visit www.transed2012.in
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About PWDPeople with Disability Australia Incorporated (PWD) is a
national disability rights and advocacy organisation. Our membership is
people with disability and organisations made up of people with disability.
Individuals and organisations committed to the disability rights movement can
join PWD as associate members. PWD was founded in 1981, the International Year of Disabled
People, to provide people with disability with a voice of our own. We have a
cross-disability focus and represent the interests of people with all kinds
of disability. As a non-profit, non-government organisation we increasingly
depends on membership fees, public donations, bequests and fundraising
activities to maintain our commitment to improving the lives of people with
disability. PWD is a deductible gift recipient so donations of $2 or more are
fully tax deductible.
For information about membership, contact PWD on email pwd@pwd.org.au or one of the
numbers listed at the end of this E-Bulletin. |
Privacy statementWe are committed to
protecting your privacy. In doing so, we commit ourselves to conforming to
the Privacy Amendment
(Private Sector) Bill 2000, which came into effect in December
2001 and the National Privacy Principles issued by the Australian Privacy
Commissioner. This newsletter is distributed by email. You have provided us
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lists unless you specifically request that this be done. Your email address
will not be disclosed without your consent. You can have your email
address removed from the mailing list for this newsletter by sending an email
to pwd@pwd.org.auThis newsletter contains links to websites. We cannot be held responsible for
the privacy practices (or lack thereof) or the content of other websites.
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Contact usPlease note that PWD
publishes items contributed by other organisations at our discretion. While
we will assist where possible in the dissemination of information, we do not
take responsibility for the promotion or advertisement of events organised by
other organisations. If you would like to
receive PWD E-Bulletin
in an alternative format or have an enquiry, contact PWD by email pwd@pwd.org.au
or on one of the numbers listed below. People with Disability Australia Incorporated |
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