Budget 2017: What it means for carers

Carers Australia

11 May 2017

Carers Australia has produced a document outlining a number of the key measures in the recent Federal Budget which may affect unpaid carers. 

Please note that Budget measures must be passed by Parliament before they can come into effect.

Summary The Budget did not include any new measures that will directly affect carer support services or social welfare payments devoted to carers. 

Several measures were announced that relate to the interests of carers, including additional supports for the people to whom they provide care.

• Click here to read more.

Federal Budget 2017: media commentary

Today's media is, of course, full of news and opinion on the Federal Budget delivered last night. These links, compiled by People with Disability Australia, include mainstream media comment on budget measures likely to directly impact people with disabilities:

Budget 2017 sees Medicare rebate freeze slowly lifted and more funding for the NDIS: experts respond, The Conversation, 9 May 2017

Federal budget: Medicare levy and taxes to fully fund National Disability Insurance Scheme, The Guardian, 9 May 2017

Medicare levy slug for NDIS worthwhile, PM, AAP/Yahoo 7, 10 May 2017

2017 budget a 'responsible plan' that will lead to better days: Turnbull, Breakfast, Radio National, 10 May 2017 (audio file)

Welcome change of tack in health education and housing, but vilification of people who are unemployed continues,  Australian Council of Social Services, 9 May 2017

Added 11 May 2017:

'I'm not saying no to Gary': Treasurer reveals personal struggle behind NDIS budget decision, The Age, 10 May 2017

________________________________

The Australian Government provides information on budget measures by each portfolio - this page gives links to those relevant to the Department of Social Services, likely to be relevant to many people with disabilities and their carers:

Budget 2017-18
Australian Department of Social Services, 10 May 2017

• Portfolio Budget Contents
• Media releases
• Fact sheets

The Australian Government Budget website also has more information about the Budget 2017-18.

Federal Budget 2017: disability sector commentary

Great NDIS and job support wins, but harsh welfare measures for people with disability
Disabled People’s Organisations Australia, 9 May 2017

Disabled People’s Organisations Australia (DPO Australia) welcomes some big wins for people with disability in tonight’s Federal Government Budget, but is very concerned by the punitive approach to welfare support that will make life harder for those doing it tough, including people with disability.  “We are extremely pleased to hear that an increase in the Medicare levy will fully fund the National Disability Insurance Scheme and finally guarantee the support needs of people with disability”, said Ms Therese Sands, Director, DPO Australia. “The NDIS is a critical investment in our social infrastructure, an investment for all Australians, now and into the future” ... read the full media release here.

A fully funded NDIS: certainty for every Australian

Every Australian Counts, 9 May 2017

Treasurer Scott Morrison tonight confirmed the government will fully fund the NDIS beyond 2019. 

In his Budget speech tonight, Mr Morrison announced the Commonwealth will increase the Medicare Levy from 2% to 2. from 2019 to help fund the NDIS. 

One fifth of the money raised by the Medicare levy, along with NDIS underspends and other savings will be channeled into the NDIS Savings Fund ... read the full media release here.

Federal Budget 2017: Down Syndrome Australia commentary

Budget Night 2017-2018

9 May 2017

Down Syndrome Australia's CEO, Dr Ellen Skladzien provides this useful summary of tonight's Federal Budget, on items most relevant to Australians with Down syndrome and their families:

The most positive news for the disability sector in the budget was the decision to provide full funding to National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) through an increase in the Medicare Levy of 0.5 % from July 2019.  This will provide important funding for the Scheme going forward. It is likely to be controversial as it is basically a tax increase- but provides ongoing funding for NDIS and security for the scheme going forward.

One area of concern in the budget is a funding cut of $12 million to the Information, Linkages and Capacity building component of NDIS.  This is funding that supports organisations, like Down Syndrome organisations, that deliver information, referrals and peer support to people with disability. It is also the part of the scheme designed to assist people with disability who are not eligible for an individualised NDIS package of support. The Government has rationalised this by indicating it is due to WA not joining the national scheme.  However, given that the current level of ILC funding is extremely low compared to the required level of support required in the sector, it is disappointing to see this cut.

Other key budget measures for disability include:

• $33 million dollar package to support aged care and disability workforce growth
• $209 million to establish the Independent NDIS Quality and Safeguards commission
• Investment in Disability Employment Services program over the next 4 years including funding to index payments, funding attached to individuals rather than service providers, and a trial to provide DES to children with a disability in their final years of schooling.
• Changes to the residency requirements for the DSP and age pension.

There are also a range of health measures which will potentially have a positive impact on people with Down syndrome including:

• Lifting the freeze on the indexation of the MBS and reversing the removal of bulk-billing for diagnostic imaging and the increase in PBS copayment and related charges
• $165 million mental health package including $80 million for community psychosocial services
• Investment in health research
• Decision not to privatise Australian Hearing

There was also significant investment in education taking on the Gonski funding model.  This was announced in the lead up to the budget and has been somewhat controversial due to concerns about decreased funding to some private schools.

Overall there are some really positive outcomes; however, Down Syndrome Australia will continue to monitor the ILC situation- particularly if WA changes their approach to NDIS.

BSWAT Payment Scheme: reminder to register and/or apply by 30 April 2017

Thousands of people with intellectual impairment are entitled to a one-off payment through the Australian Government’s BSWAT Payment Scheme. 

Between 2004 and 2014, the Business Services Wage Assessment Tool (BSWAT) was used to assess the wages of many supported employees of Australian Disability Enterprises (ADEs). 

In 2012, the Federal Court determined that the BSWAT indirectly discriminated against two ADE employees with an intellectual disability. 

The Australian Government has set up the BSWAT Payment Scheme ... read the full page of information and links here

• An Easy Read version of this web page is available here.

People must register for the scheme by 30 April 2017. If they don’t register they cannot apply for a payment, even if they may have been eligible. 

It's quick and easy to register online. Alternatively, people can call 1800 799 515 or send an email.

Read the second issue of BSWAT News here - lots of information about the payment Payment Scheme. If you haven’t already subscribed, you can subscribe here.

Apply for, or register for, BSWAT payment by 30 April 2017

BSWAT Payment Scheme
Dept Social Services, 27 February 2017

Thousands of people with intellectual impairment are entitled to a one-off payment through the Australian Government’s BSWAT Payment Scheme. 

Between 2004 and 2014, the Business Services Wage Assessment Tool (BSWAT) was used to assess the wages of many supported employees of Australian Disability Enterprises (ADEs). 

In 2012, the Federal Court determined that the BSWAT indirectly discriminated against two ADE employees with an intellectual disability. 

The Australian Government has set up the BSWAT Payment Scheme ... read the full page of information and links here

• An Easy Read version of this web page is available here.

Note:

* If a person is not ready to apply, they can register for the scheme by 30 April 2017. They then have until 30 November 2017 to apply for a payment. It's quick and easy to register for the scheme using this online form. Or, people can call 1800 799 515 or send an email.

BSWAT Scheme Newsletter, Issue #1, 9 March 2017

Not everyone will receive payments the size of this one, but it is worth applying for a payment if you meet the criteria:

Grampians man with disability paid $2.52 an hour

Jessica Black, The Courier, 11 March 2017

An intellectually disabled Grampians man has been compensated by the Commonwealth after being paid as little as $2.52 an hour in government funded workshops.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, received $26,000 in back pay after he was paid between $2.52 and $3.23 an hour at Australian Disability Enterprises (ADE), lawyer Kairsty Wilson said ...

• Earlier posts on the BSWAT payment scheme and its history

NSW disability sector news

You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone…

NSW Council on Intellectual Disability, 6 March 2017

Did you know the NSW Government has no plans to fund state based advocacy services beyond the middle of 2018?

This includes services like IDRS, Disability Advocacy NSW and NSW CID.

An article published in the Sydney Morning Herald yesterday, has highlighted the risks people with intellectual disability will be faced with once advocacy services are no longer available ...

• NSW support services facing funding cut in NDIS transition, Kelsey Munro, Sydney Morning Herald, 5 March 2017

Benevolent Society to Take Over NSW Govt Disability Support Services
Lina Caneva, Probono Australia News, 2 March 2017
Australia’s oldest charity, The Benevolent Society, has been chosen to operate the NSW government’s specialist disability support services – described as Australia’s largest provider of clinical services for people with disability.

The major win for the charity will see the organisation double its workforce and operations.

The NSW Minister for Disability Services Ray Williams made the announcement of the new provider for disability clinical services (which are currently part of the NSW Department of Family and Community Services) on Thursday ...

... Clinical services comprises staff who are case managers, psychologists, behaviour support practitioners, speech pathologists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists working in multidisciplinary teams ...

Clickability

Clickability is an Australian disability service directory that features ratings and reviews from the people who actually use the services.It's expansion into NSW was announced on 1 March 2017.

The website includes a blog that aims to 'to encourage discussion and debate about important disability-related issues within the community.'

Don’t fund the NDIS with cuts to social services and childcare

13 February 2017

Disabled People’s Organisations Australia (DPO Australia), is alarmed and concerned that the Federal Government is linking budget cuts in the Omnibus Bill, now before the Senate, with funding for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

“We are shocked and troubled about this announcement from Treasurer Scott Morrison that once again links cuts to social security with funding for the NDIS,” said Ms Therese Sands, Director, DPO Australia.

“We have stated clearly, including in our pre-budget submission, that we reject any ties to funding the NDIS by cutting social security. We strongly reject measures that would seek to fill any perceived or potential shortfall in NDIS funding through a shift in revenue from other human services. ”

Down Syndrome Australia submission on adding NIPS to the Medicare Benefit Scheme

From Down Syndrome Australia, 4 February 2017

Over the last few years the capacity to test for genetic conditions such as Down syndrome before birth has increased. It is now possible to detect various chromosomal conditions prenatally through a blood test also known as a non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPS). The Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) received two applications in July 2016 to add NIPS to the Medicare Benefit Scheme.

For your information,  the applications that have been made to MSAC are here and here 

Down Syndrome Australia has provided a comprehensive submission which outlines our concerns about these applications.

Down Syndrome Australia believes that prenatal screening must be accompanied by appropriate information to support families in making informed decisions about screening and how to respond to the results. Providing a screening test without ensuring informed consent, adequate support and up-to-date information regarding the results is unethical.

It is important to note that Down Syndrome Australia recognises the right of all women to choose to continue or to terminate a pregnancy. Marking such decisions can be extremely difficult and our concern is regarding the accuracy of the information being provided to inform that choice ...

• You can read more and download the DSA submission, including recommendations, on the DSA website, here

If you want to provide your own feedback to MSAC regarding the listing of NIPS on the PBS you can write to: hta@health.gov.au

Centrelink debt recovery fiasco must be suspended: Disabled People's Orgnisations Australia

5 January 2017

Disabled People’s Organisations Australia (DPO Australia) calls for the Centrelink debt recovery process to be immediately halted, amid concern about the impact on people with disability.

“We are concerned that the current debt recovery process, that uses automated data matching, is particularly unfair for people with disability,” says Matthew Bowden, Co-CEO, People with Disability Australia, and spokesperson for DPO Australia.

Centrelink has recently begun to use data from the Australian Tax Office to check records about people’s income, without staff involvement or oversight. People have received debt notifications, sometimes going back six years and have had a limited time to respond.

“Many people with disability rely on social security payments to make ends meet. For those that work in casual or contract work, this new system appears to be particularly problematic,” said Mr Bowden.

“The majority of people with disability being reviewed will have been entitled to social security payments and have done nothing wrong. Cutting social security payments to recover debts in this way could leave people with disability substantially worse off, and we already know that almost half of all people with disability live in poverty. People with disability are being made more vulnerable by how these policies are implemented.

“Springing this kind of change on people just before Christmas, with no additional resources to assist them, is unacceptable.

“People with disability may need more time and support to understand the information and respond, may need the information in different, accessible formats and should have increased advocacy available to engage with the Centrelink system and manage such a stressful situation," said Mr Bowden.

“DPO Australia is calling for the Federal Government to immediately suspend this automated debt recovery system and start to sort out the mess that has been created.

“Advocacy support needs to be significantly ramped up to make sure people with disability are not disadvantaged by poorly planned and implemented changes like this in government policy,” said Mr Bowden.

Disabled People’s Organisations Australia (DPO Australia) is an alliance of four national Disabled People’s Organisations (organisations made up of and led by people with disability).
DPO Australia was founded by, and is made up of the First Peoples Disability Network Australia (FPDNA) representing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disability, the National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA) representing culturally and linguistically diverse people with disability, People with Disability Australia (PWDA) a national cross disability organisation and Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA), the national organisation representing women and girls with disability.

Funding cuts to Community Legal Centres will impact people with disability

People with Disability Australia, posted on Facebook on 22 October 2016

Community Legal Centres help people with disability who need free legal services. The  Australian Centre for Disability Law is also the only Community Legal Centre that specialises in issues relating to people with disability and next year will have 30% of their funding removed. 

Please help us let the Prime Minister know that we value Community Legal Centres, and that people with disability more access to legal help, not less.  

Sign this petition and share it with your networks.

Australia Council for the Arts - Disability Action Plan

Thanks to RUCKUS  for the link - and we agree, if you are interested in the arts, let The Australia Council know what you think of the Disability Action Plan!

Disability Action Plan Survey

The Australia Council for the Arts is evaluating our 2014-2016 Disability Action Plan and our Arts and Disability Funding program. We would welcome your feedback on the impacts and challenges to date, and your thoughts on future priorities.

The survey is open to individuals and organisations. We encourage artists with and without disability, arts organisations of all sizes (including but not limited to disability-led organisations), disability service and advocacy organisations, and other interested individuals (such as carers and audience members) to let us know what you think.

The survey should take about 10 minutes to complete. Your responses are confidential and anonymous. The survey is open until 25th September 2016.

Once you start the survey, you can pause and come back using the 'Save and Continue later' button at the top of each page.

Young Carer Bursaries, 2017

The Young Carer Bursary Programme is an initiative of Carers Australia, funded by the Department of Social Services.

Applications for 2017 bursaries open on 2 August 2016, and close on 14 September 2016:

The aim of the Young Carer Bursary Programme is to help relieve the financial pressure on young carers to undertake part-time employment, in addition to managing their educational and caring responsibilities. 

The provision of a bursary increases the opportunity for young carers to remain in, or return to, education or training leading to improved employment opportunities and long-term finances. 

A bursary is similar to a grant. It is not a loan, and so does not need to be repaid.
If you are eligible you could receive an Australian Government Bursary of $3,000.

• Details of eligibility and how to apply 

People With Disability Australia: response to Budget 2016

PWDA media release, 3 May 2016:

Don’t fund our NDIS at the cost of our safety net

People with Disability Australia (PWDA) welcomes the Government’s overarching commitment to fund the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) into the future. However, we strongly reject the budget measures that link a fully funded NDIS with the need to cut welfare spending.

“We have always welcomed a discussion about funding the NDIS so it is sustainable into the future and to ensure it is taken out of the budget cycle,” Mr Wallace said. “However, the NDIS Savings Fund announcements risk moving the NDIS further into the budget cycle by creating an expectation that the NDIS will be funded from ongoing trade-offs against other equally important human services expenditures. If there is to be a savings fund, it should not be a device to make savings, and poor trade-offs between programs and services supporting and sustaining vulnerable members of our community.”

NDIS governance and cost blow-out commentary

Down Syndrome Australia is part of Disability Australia, which released this statement yesterday (7 March 2016) in response to media articles about changes to the NDIS proposed by the Federal government:

People with disability organisations reject NDIS governance and cost blow-out commentary as neither truthful nor helpful.

Responding to suggestions of cost blow outs and reported governance problems at the NDIS, Disability Australia spokesperson Matthew Wright said ‘People with disability reject NDIS cost blow out claims as untruthful and unhelpful for the large number of people with disability across the country languishing on waiting lists for service’.

‘The facts of the matter are that the NDIS is on time and on budget. The NDIA are required to report factually and accurately on a regular basis. I call on Tony Shepherd who has said the scheme will have a $3 billion blow out to cease scaremongering for the sake of hundreds of thousands of people with disability and families across the country’.

‘It is also critical that we continue to have an independent Board leading the scheme who will protect the interest of people with disability and their families. Disability Australia supports the current system of state nominated representatives in consultation with the Commonwealth. For the sake of the scheme it should sit in a neutral bi-partisan space with cooperation from both the state and federal governments’.

We also think it’s critical that the Board continues, as it currently does, to include people with disability who also have the extensive governance experience required.

‘People with disability were dismayed with the finding of the Commission of Audit led by Tony Shepherd that the independent Board should be replaced by a Minister, which was the structure of the broken, underfunded institution-based system in Australia that we came from’ said Mr Wright

Disability Australia, which represents 200,000 people with disability across the country, urges all parties to continue to work together with the NDIS to roll-out the best possible scheme to our constituents.

• Statement from NDIA Chairman, Bruce Bonyhady, NDIS, 7 March 2016
• NDIS: here to stay,  Every Australian Counts, 7 March 2016
• Certainty needed on NDIS funding, SkyNews, 7 March 2016 (Interview with Craig Wallace, President People with Disabilities Australia)
• Turnbull government move to seize control of NDIS, Laura Tingle, Australian Financial Review, 6 March 2016
• NDIS: Government defends plans to gain more control of disability scheme, Dan Conifer, ABC News, 7 March 2016

Australia Council: Arts and Disability Funding

An opportunity for artists with disability to apply for grants to pursue projects and practice in 2016.

Australia Council for the Arts: Artists with disability funding

Artists with disability funding provides support for artists and groups who identify with disability. For 2016, applications close on 2 February 2016. There is only one closing date for this funding round in 2016. Applications will be available again in 2017.

• Further information on applying

Sprung!! needs support to survive

If you have an established local community initiative that actively supports inclusion in your local community, you will understand the passion that Sprung!! members are feeling right now. Threats like this go way beyond the possible loss of a dance or theatre class - they cut right to the heart of the community that so many are working so effectively to build. 

Sprung!! Integrated Dance Theatre is a wonderful and much loved arts initiative on the far north coast of NSW, providing opportunities for people with and without disabilities. It has been exciting to watch their development over several years, and the emergence of some great talent, growth and connections.

Sprung!! is currently running a series of Facebook posts in which members talk about what Sprung!! means to them, and showcasing their development as dancers (just scroll back through the last few weeks) - several of them are young people with Down syndrome.

Despite its valuable work for its members and its very significant contribution to the wider local community through its performances, Sprung!! now finds itself under threat after a major cut in regional arts funding. You can read about the potential impact, and how you can support Sprung's plans to help itself through a crowd funding campaign here.

Delineate 2016 - 2017: funding applications now open

Artists with Down syndrome resident in NSW might be interested in this opportunity. Visit Accessible Arts NSW website for further information:

Delineate ... is designed to boost and foster arts and disability practice within NSW.

Delineate is offering a small arts grant program, which aims to support disability-led projects that build capacity, leadership skills, and artistic networks for artists with disability as well as create cultural change. Delineate applicants can apply from anywhere in NSW, a total of 6 grants will be offered. 

Recipients will receive $8000 ... towards an arts project and/or program to be developed throughout the Don’t DIS my ABILITY campaign. 

Art forms can include Dance, Music, Theatre, Visual Arts, Writing, Hybrid/Interdisciplinary Arts, Screen Arts, Multi Media and Community Arts

Applications close: Wednesday 16 December 2015

Economic contribution of Australia’s family and friend carers dwarfs the amount spent on income support : Carers Australia

Porter Flags Cuts to Disability Payments
Xavier Smerdon, Pro Bono News, 15th October 2015
New Social Services Minister Christian Porter believes Australia is spending too much money and has flagged cuts to carer and disability payments ...

The Economic Value of Informal Care in Australia 2015

Carers Australia, 15th October 2015



Carers Australia Media release, 14th October 2015:

“A SkyNews interview with the new Minister for Social Services, Christian Porter, in which he suggests that growth in income support for unpaid family and friend carers is unsustainable, is disturbing,” said Ara Cresswell, CEO of Carers Australia. 

The Minister referred to a 14% growth in carer income support over a decade. “Such growth is totally understandable as the ageing population grows and as people with chronic health conditions and disability live longer due to improved medical outcomes.
“Importantly, there has also been a large growth in carer-identification in recent years due to the efforts of organisations such as Carers Australia and the efforts of governments - including the current government - to publicly recognise the value of unpaid family and friend carers.  

“Indeed, the Government is investing $33.7 million dollars over the next four years to build a Carer Gateway which will further promote such carer-identification and make more carers aware of the supports that are available to them,” said Ms Creswell.  

“For many carers, the intensity of the caring role means that they are unable to engage in work. In fact, 39% of primary carers (those who provide the majority of care to another individual) spend on average 40 hours or more caring every week – the equivalent of a full-time job,” said Ms Cresswell.  

“Even more to the point, a recent report by Deloitte Access Economics identified that the value of such unpaid care to the economy was $60.3 billion, or 3.8% of GDP, in 2015 – over $1 billion dollars per week. Not to mention the fact that aged care investment and the NDIS would be unaffordable without their contribution.  

“It is a pity that in National Carers Week many family and friend carers may feel that their access to the social security safety net is under threat.”

Two funding opportunities open until late September

Australian Disability and Indigenous Peoples' Education Fund

The fund assists indigenous and non-indigenous people with disability to participate in both formal and informal education programs through small grants.
For many people with disability from both indigenous and non-indigenous backgrounds, education can go a long way to not only developing their skills but also their self-esteem and the pride of their family, friends and community. For many, a small financial grant will enable them to undertake a course. The ADIPEF is about helping people complete or undertake courses and programs through providing small grants.
The ADIPEF is looking to distribute small six monthly grants of up to $2,500 to assist people with disability to continue their learning.

Applications for the next round of funding close on 30 September.

Click this link to visit the ADIPEF website, where you can find further information or details on how to apply for a grant ... People with Disability Australia

Young Carers Bursary Programme

The Young Carer Bursary Programme is a national program administered by Carers Australia in Canberra. The aim of the Programme is to help relieve the financial pressure on young carers to undertake part-time employment, in addition to managing their educational and caring responsibilities. The provision of a bursary increases the opportunity for young carers to remain in, or return to, education or training leading to improved employment opportunities and long-term finances.

The Australian Government has committed $1 million for bursaries in 2016 and 2017. Bursaries are set at $3,000 each so 333 bursaries will be awarded in those two years.

Applications can be completed via an on-line application form on the Young Carer Bursary website from 18 August 2015, closing at 5pm AEST Monday 28 September 2015.

If you require further information call 1800 756 238 or email Carers Australia at ycbursaries@carersaustralia.com.au