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| Australian Human Rights Commission 2010/11 Annual Report |
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| The Australian Human Rights Commission Annual Report was tabled in Federal Parliament 1 November 2011. Read more |
| Disability Council Priorities |
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Council’s current priority issues are:
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Chair's Introduction by Cain Beckett |
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Welcom e to the November edition of i-Contact for the NSW Disability Council.
This month six of our current Council members come to the end of their four year appointments. Whilst it may be that some of the Council members rejoin us in 2012 for a further term, on behalf of the Council I would like to thank:
- Denise Beckwith;
- James Condren;
- Laurice Grovenor;
- Sylvana Mahmic;
- Tish Peiris; and
- Sally Robinson
for the significant contribution that they have made to the disability policy debate, representing the views of people with disability, their families, and carers during their term as Council members. | |
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Historic decision delivers pay rise for social and community workers |
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Prime Minister Julia Gillard recently announced the Government was prepared to provide over $2 billion to deliver an historic pay rise to 150,000 of Australia’s lowest paid workers in the social and community services sector - the vast majority of them women.
This is an important step on the road to closing the long-standing pay gap between men and women and delivering fairness to the workplace. | |
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2011 National Disability Awards recognise outstanding achievements |
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Nine outstanding individuals and organisations were honoured for their work to improve the lives of people with disability at the annual National Disability Awards on 22nd November, 2011.
Speaking at a special gala dinner in Canberra, the Prime Minister said the awards recognised outstanding Australians who have made a real difference to the lives of people with disabilities.
The calibre of both the finalists and winners highlights just how hard Australians are working to raise awareness and support for people with disability. | |
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Don't DIS my ABILITY campaign news |
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More than 100 suburban and regional events will be held across NSW as part of the NSW Government’s Don’t DIS my ABILITY campaign to celebrate the diversity and achievements of people with a disability.
NSW Minister for Disability Services Andrew Constance said the theme for this year’s campaign was technology and independence.
“Social networking is increasingly helping people with a disability to connect and overcome isolation and be independent,” Mr Constance said.
“It is also enabling them to access the right services to meet their specific needs, remain informed and have a say in the way disability services are delivered.”
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Disability Council Member's Corner |
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A rural  perspective, By Lauri Grovenor
Lauri, a Counsellor, is an active and dedicated advocate for people who are blind or vision impaired in rural and regional areas living in Southern NSW. She is a Guide Dog user and the founder of the Rural Disability Network, a rural advisor for the Women with Disability Australia Network, Board Director for Blind Citizens Australia and has been a Disability Council NSW member since 2007.
40 years ago, when I lost my useful sight, I became forcefully aware of what it is to have a disability in a rural area. What to do? No information seemed to be available, no referrals to service providers (whoever they were), just: "Sorry, we can't do any more for you". I had 7 children and 1 husband to care for, and "got" on with it the best way I could. For eight years, I had no information or training, and no option but to keep going, and working out different ways of managing and thinking outside the square. I had to take the "t" out of can't, and change my thinking to "I can do it".
Assistance eventually arrived eight years later in the form of the "Royal Blind Society" and "The Guide Dog Association", as they had just started moving into regional areas. The two organisations worked well together and I had an excellent training program in daily living skills and mobility. Ah, my first guide dog, "Oban". I progressed from never leaving the house to never being home, according to Brendan (my husband).
Armed with mobility and knowledge, I encountered the real problems of living in a rural area. No pathways, no transport, and no understanding of a need for any accessible facilities. Approaching Councils for access was an exercise in futility: "How could they spend that amount of money on only one person?" It was a five kilometer walk to the bus stop, which I looked on as good exercise....until the buses stopped running.
Then, I decided it was time to do something for the rural people with disability. We toured around regional, rural, and remote areas in NSW on an information-gathering trip. The Rural Disability Network was born. The Network was auspiced by a government agency (which I would rather not name), and the Executive Officer took off with the money and equipment of that organisation which included the Rural Disability Network. I found it very difficult to recoup much of the information or any of the funding. Since then, MDAA (Multicultural Disability Advocacy Organisation) have taken on the Network.
Many of the people I have met live without help, knowledge, or any idea of what is available, so are confined to a very limited existence through no fault of their own. Service providers are based in regional areas and information to the smaller rural towns and villages is in a lot of cases non-existent. Though mis-information in many of these areas is alive and spreading. Transport, when it is available can be very expensive. Communication is also expensive and education can be limited, e.g. when I decided to upgrade my computer skills about a year ago, the teacher was learning "on the go" what to teach, but my skills were more advanced than hers, hence there was no advantage in travelling the 100 kilometers to attend TAFE.
In 2007, I was very honoured to become appointed to the Disability Council, where I was going to be "Mrs. Fix It" for rural NSW. That was a dream, and sometimes I felt I was banging my head against a brick wall, and other times I felt mabye we were getting somewhere. I thank the Council for always being there, listening, and supporting the rural community and myself.
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Don't DIS my ABILITY ambassadors announced |
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 NSW Minister for Disability Services Andrew Constance has announced that the achievements and experiences of 15 ambassadors will help drive the State Government's Don't DIS My ABILITY campaign.
“The campaign has been designed to celebrate the diversity and achievements of people with a disability and will culminate in the United Nation's International Day of People with a Disability in December,” Mr Constance said.
“The ambassadors, who come from a range of backgrounds including the arts, business, sport, volunteering and teaching, will be sharing their stories to help generate awareness about people living with a disability and what is possible.” | |
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Wheelchair tennis tournament coming to Sydney CBD |
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 Elite tennis players from around Australia will descend on the brand new Prince Alfred Park courts in Surry Hills next month for the inaugural Metropolitan Open Wheelchair Tennis Tournament.
The International Tennis Federation-sanctioned tournament is the first of its kind to be held in the Sydney CBD and comes after the five international standard outdoor tennis courts were recently upgraded to include wheelchair accessibility.
The Wheelchair Sports NSW Metropolitan Open will be held from December 2 to 4 and will coincide with International Day of People with a Disability on December 3. | |
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Upcoming Events |
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Premier's Gala concerts 6 and 7 December 2011 | |
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Inclusive technologies & learning disability 7 - 9 December 2011
in education & employment conference
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About the Disability Council NSW |
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The Disability Council of NSW is the official advisory body to the State Government on disability matters. We also provide advice to the Commonwealth on the effect of national policy at a State level. | |
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