Disabling Justice: Social Justice, Human Rights and Mental and Cognitive Disability in the Criminal Justice System

Professor Eileen Baldry, NCOSS (NSW Council of Social Services) President is presenting a lecture on "Disabling Justice: Social Justice, Human Rights and Mental and Cognitive Disability in the Criminal Justice System”. 

6 pm, 15^th September 2011

University of NSW, Kensington

More information: Flyer

NDIS endorsement and implementation

A very significant day for people with disabilities, their families, carers and the 'disability system' across Australia - the Australian Government has released the final report from the Productivity Commission's Inquiry into Disability Care and Support, and in a press event in Melbourne has announced how it will implement the recommendations to establish a National Disability Insurance Scheme.

The joint press release making the announcement from the Prime Minister, Minister for Community Services, Assistant Treasurer and parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers

The response from Every Australian Counts, the campaign that has largely been responsible for lobbying for an NDIS.





A new graphic from Every Australian Counts


The final Productivity Commission report is available to download here.   The Key Points are summarised here. An Executive Summary, Plain English and Easy English editions are available online, and print editions can be purchased.

State Government responses to the announcement

How it's being reported in the media:

The Australian
ABC News (TV)
ABC News (web)

Other responses:

People with Disability (Australia)
Federal Shadow Minister for Disabilities (Mitch Fifield)
National Disability Services
Australian Council of Trade Unions
Down Syndrome Victoria
Anglicare

Wordless Wednesday

Buddy Walk - Australia 2011: Newcastle

Just a few days to City2Surf 2011: you can still sponsor 'our' runners

Congratulations to those have registered for this year’s City 2 Surf, and have set up their ‘hero’ pages to raise valuable funds for Down Syndrome NSW. Click on their links below to sponsor them.

If you have difficulties or questions, just call Priscilla on 02 9841 4404 or email priscilla@dsansw.org.au

Richard Struthers: http://everydayhero.com.au/richard_struthers_4

Michaela Howells: http://everydayhero.com.au/michaela_howells

  

Michael Hearne: http://everydayhero.com.au/Michael_Hearne

Jane Grew: http://everydayhero.com.au/Jane_Grew_0493

Donna Hogan: http://everydayhero.com.au/Donna_Hogan

Johan Kusuma: http://everydayhero.com.au/Johan_Kusuma

Jan Drosselmeyer: http://everydayhero.com.au/Jan_Drosselmeyer_1148

Brendan Nolan: http://everydayhero.com.au/Brendan_Nolan_7288

Melinda Conroy: http://www.fundraise.city2surf.com.au/Melinda_Conroy_5506

Peter Ralston: http://www.fundraise.city2surf.com.au/Peter_Ralston

Elisse Zarimis: http://www.fundraise.city2surf.com.au/Elisse_Zarimis

Michael Comerford: http://www.fundraise.city2surf.com.au/Michael_Comerford_3805

Natascha Milsom: http://www.fundraise.city2surf.com.au/Natascha_Milsom_6348

All the best for your training and on the day!

Media: cabinet discussion of NDIS today; pension reform

The Sydney Morning Herald reports today that "... Federal cabinet is due to discuss the (proposed National Disability Insurance Scheme) today and it is expected to go beyond original expectations of a trial scheme in one state," and that NSW is now expected to be part of the trial. Read more: here.

The Weekend Australian published an in-depth background report on the NDIS by Sue O'Reilly, highlighting the roles of John Walsh in Sydney, and Bruce Bonyhady in Melbourne in putting together the current proposal leading to the Productivity Commission's inquiry, starting from a personal profile of John Walsh, and his personal experience of disability.

Today's Australian reports on reform to Disability Support Pension eligibility here.  It is not anticipated that the reforms will affect most people with Down syndrome, but the reforms will be monitored closely by the National Welfare Rights Network and disability organisations. Currently people with Down syndrome are among those who can apply for a Disability Support Pension from 16 years of age.

Family Getaway - Chinese families

Chinese Parents Association - Children with Disabilities Inc
Family Getaway

7th - 9th October 2011
Friday 4pm to Sunday 3pm

Milson Island, Hawkesbury River via Brooklyn, 2083

Booking is essential, closing date for registration：15/9/2011
Accommodation limited, first in first served

Enquiries：9784 8120 Tues & Thurs 10am-3pm or 0406 233 222 (Mandy)
Bilingual flier

Art exhibitions: August/September: Chatswood, Grafton, Sydney

Inspiration Explored art exhibition by people with intellectual disability

6 - 16 August, 2011

Hosted by Chinese Parents Association - Children With Disabilities Inc, assisted by Australian College Of Chinese Painting And Calligraphy and sponsored by Northside Community Forum Inc.
Chinese Cultural Centre NSW, Garden Level, Citadel Tower,
799 Pacific Highway corner of Thomas St, Chatswood.
Bilingual flier.

Fairytales in Fairyland showcases the work of twelve artists from the North Coast of New South Wales who provide contemporary visual twists in their use of the fairytale set in Australia.

The paintings, prints, ceramics and sculpture include interactive works to allow access for people with disability.
Grafton Regional Gallery until 28th August. 
Details here.

Studio ARTES exhibition at The Mint 10 Macquarie St, Sydney
Opening 1 Sep 2011, public exhibition  2nd September - 27th October 2011
Experience a variety of Historic Houses Trust sites through the work of artists from Studio ARTES Northside Inc. Following the success of their profile exhibition within the 2009 Garden Music Festival, members from Studio ARTES were invited to undertake another residency with the HHT. The opportunity to work onsite has enabled this collective of artists to produce a body of work which reflects both their fresh vision and a sense of the relationship each member developed with the historic venues in which they worked. All paintings available for purchase.  Details here.

Source: Accessible Arts NSW

Growing older with Down syndrome

There were a lot of stories and and lots of experience shared at our third Growing older with Down syndrome seminar, with 35 family members attending on Saturday (30th July).  We covered a lot of ground, including health matters. Our thanks to Danielle White from Alzheimer's Australia NSW for joining us for part of the day to discuss the difficult issues raised by the increased risk of developing dementia faced by older people with Down syndrome and their families.

A listing of specialist health care services for people with developmental disabilities in NSW is available from our website, here.

The Growing older with Down syndrome pages on our website are here, including online editions of our Growing older with Down syndrome newssheet (print copies are available upon request - contact Miriam Parker at Down Syndrome NSW, on 02 9841 4407 or miriam@dsansw.org.au )

Website of the week: (US) National Down Syndrome Congress

The National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC) is a US organisation, based in Atlanta, Georgia.  This weekend their annual 39th annual Convention is being held in San Antonio, Texas, and will attract up to delegates, most of them families with a member who has Down syndrome.  The extensive programs includes presentations by some of the best known names in the international Down syndrome community. So it is timely to highlight their website - and we'll be looking out for new additions from the Convention.

Like many websites about Down syndrome, there is a range of excellent information pages, many of them written by well known and respected US experts, as well as information about local events and campaigns.  At Down Syndrome NSW, we draw on NDSC information resources regularly, including the magazine, Down Syndrome News, which is now available online.

One of the outstanding features of the NDSC website is the Physicians Guide - a series of print and video resources for physicians in preparation for delivering the diagnosis of Down syndrome to families, based on the research and experience of Dr Brian Skotko, who presents some of the advice.

Online survey: Tellus and you could win an iPad!

Purple Orange is the shopfront of the Julia Farr Association. Through research and dialogue with people living with disability, Purple Orange develops policy and practice in support of people living with disability getting a fair go at everything that life has to offer.

We are seeking your assistance with our second Tellus survey – developed by Purple Orange to gather information from people living with disability about their lives. 

Tellus was born from our desire to build a collective understanding of the lived experience and views of people living with disability, and to use this information to influence positive change.

Findings from the first Tellus survey informed a number of policy submissions and produced three Tellus reports; Having Choice and Control, Accessibility, and Disability Funding – Where should it go?

Everyone who has completed the current survey by 15 August 2011 will have a chance to win an iPad. Any person living with disability or any member of the disability community is invited to participate, and all information will be treated in a confidential manner.

There are several ways to participate:

·  You can complete the survey online by clicking here or cutting and pasting the following link into your browser - http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JFA_Living_with_Disability_Survey

·  You can call Purple Orange and give your answers verbally over the phone.

·  You can obtain an electronic version from Purple Orange which can be completed on a computer, saved on a CD and returned to us.

·  You can obtain a hard copy version and a reply paid envelope from Purple Orange.

If you have any questions about participation or the way that information is collected, stored or used, or would like to make a comment about the survey’s content, please contact Alicia Fidock on (08) 8373 8333, freecall 1300 857 327, or email aliciaf@purpleorange.org.au

Source: Julia Farr e-Newsletter  Issue 5, 4th August 2011

Two Nations: The Case for a National Disability Insurance Scheme

This  long article by Anne Manne  published free online by The Monthly, is well worth the reading, very well written. There have been a lot of media stories about an NDIS, many of them excellent, especially with the delivery of the Productivity Commission's final report to government on 31st July - this is one of the best. Check in to www.everyaustralian counts.com.au for all the campaign news.

2 temporary full time Speech Pathology positions available NOW for 6 months (Parramatta)!

Are you interested in working with children and young people with intellectual disabilities?

Do you enjoy working within a team of professionals like occupational therapists, psychologists, physiotherapists and behaviour clinicians?

Do you have a driver's licence?

 Well this is the job for you!

Please contact Melissa Klobucar on 9841 9557

Ageing, Disability and Home Care
Department of Family and Community Services
www.adhc.nsw.gov.au/

Draft legislation: Making it Easier to Contribute to Special Disability Trusts

People with severe disability and their carers are being asked to comment on draft legislation that will remove income tax barriers to make it easier for people to contribute to a Special Disability Trust (SDT).  Comments close on 12th August.  Press release from Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten and Senator Jan McLucas:

In releasing the exposure draft legislation and draft explanatory material today, the Assistant Treasurer, Bill Shorten said "These measures deliver on the Government's commitment to help support people with severe disability, their families and carers."
The amendments make SDTs more beneficial for families by:

• Providing a capital gains tax (CGT) exemption for assets transferred into an SDT for no consideration
• Extending the CGT main residence exemption to SDTs
• Providing a CGT exemption for the recipient of the principal beneficiary's main residence, if their ownership interest ends within two years of the principal beneficiary's death
• Ensuring equivalent taxation treatment amongst SDTs established under different Acts.

These changes will apply from the 2006-07 income year, to align with when SDTs were first able to be established.

Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers, Senator Jan McLucas, said "Special Disability Trusts are another tool for carers and families of people with a disability to assist in future planning to support their loved one," Mr Shorten said "The Government remains committed to a strong process of consultation on tax measures and is conducting a two-week consultation period on this legislation to ensure it is introduced into Parliament as soon as possible."

Copies of the consultation materials are available from the Treasury website. Consultation closes on 12 August 2011.

NSW budget and health of people with intellectual disability

The NSW State Budget is due to be delivered on 6th September. NSW Council for Intellectual Disability is asking for our support:

Now is the time to influence the 2011 NSW budget. Could you send an email to Health Minister Skinner urging the Government to fund more intellectual disability health services?

You could make these points:

§   The $500,000 in the 2010 budget was a small first step towards the statewide network of intellectual disability health services that is needed to backup mainstream health services. It provides one new small service in the Illawarra.

§   The Government needs to steadily build on this initiative by providing additional funding each year.

§   Anything relevant to your situation and local area, eg there is no service near you, the benefit you have seen to people with intellectual disability when they can access specialised services for complex health problems.

Please copy NSW Council for Intellectual Disability into emails that you send – info@nswcid.org.au

Address:

Mrs Jillian Skinner, MP

Minister for Health
Level 31 Governor Macquarie Tower

1 Farrer Place

SYDNEY NSW 2000

Phone: (02) 9228 5229, Fax: (02) 9228 5877,

E-mail: office@skinner.minister.nsw.gov.au

Media on the National Disability Insurance Scheme

Carers welcome path to better quality of life
A lovely photo of Emma Breen, with her sister and her mother (taken by Jane Dempster), accompanies this well-told story of the concerns of carers of older people with disabilities  (written by Stephen Lunn) in today's Australian, and their hopes of an NDIS, following the Productivity Commission's inquiry and delivery of their report.

Opinion piece by Every Australian Counts Campaign EO, John Della Bosca, from the Sydney Morning Herald

Down Syndrome NSW Calendar 2012 - orders now open

... is being printed, and will be available early in August.
Download an order form here, or you can order online.

Productivity Commission's final report into Disability Care and Support was delivered to the Australian Government yesterday (31st July). The Inquiry's website says that it will be released to the public at the determination of the Government. It is thought that the implementation  of the report will provide a National Disability Insurance Scheme, that will be trialled in Victoria.
Media:

• Sydney Morning Herald
• The Age
• Every Australian Counts Campaign

Did you email us between Thursday 28th and Monday 1st (this morning)?

We had a problem receiving email via our @dsansw.org.au email addresses late last week.  If you emailed us between Thursday afternoon and the weekend, we might not have received it, and you will not have been notified by a "bounceback".  

Our email functions are now all back to normal, so if can send your message again, we will attend to your enquiry.

(image courtesy of 7creative.com)

We apologise for any inconvenience.

Fit Plus: Oatley

Recreation Sports and Aquatics Club (RSAC) is running a new 6 week series of fitness and health classes for people with disabilities and their carers:
Fit Plus
BodyHealth Fitness Centre, Oatley

...  starts August 12th

Bookings and further information:  Regina 9580 8855 or RSAC 9790 500
rsaclub@bigpond.com