Disability Advocacy Resource Unit (DARU)



DARU Update

27 September 2010

• IN THE NEWS

• EVENTS

• PUBLICATIONS AND RESOURCES

• TRAINING

• SUBMISSIONS, CONSULTATIONS AND FORUMS

• PAID AND VOLUNTARY POSITIONS

IN THE NEWS

Disabilities 'forgotten': Opposition

AAP, 15 September 2010

Disabilities are a forgotten area of social policy, the new opposition spokesman says.

Liberal senator Mitch Fifield was appointed shadow disabilities, carers and voluntary sector minister on Tuesday.

Senator Fifield criticised Labor for ditching its parliamentary secretary for disabilities role - formerly occupied by Bill Shorten - following the party's portfolio reshuffle last week.

To read full article, visit

Bonuses Paid while Disabled Suffer

The Age Farrah Tomazin, 17 September 2010

Disabled and mentally ill Victorians have received sub-standard care - and in some cases had their lives placed at risk - while executives from the departments overseeing them have been paid lucrative bonuses in the past year.

In a damning report tabled in Parliament yesterday, the Office of the Public Advocate has warned that some of the most vulnerable Victorians are not getting the care or accommodation they require because of under-funding, under-qualified staff and a lack of long-term planning.

In one case, an elderly resident with dementia was restrained in a chair for 11 hours a day, but staff had not been trained on how to use the restraint or aware that there could be adverse effects. In another case, a gravely ill woman, who took more than five weeks and three trips to hospital before she was diagnosed, did not get 24-hour nursing care when she returned to her residential home. And in one residential home, a disabled person who suffered epileptic seizures at night was found soaked in urine ''most mornings'' because there were no night staff to attend to his needs.

To read the full article, visit

Mixed Reaction to "Apartheid" Comments

Melbourne Times, 21 September, 2010

Victorian Greens MP Greg Barber's description of Melbourne's public transport system as being akin to apartheid has been described as "ill-advised" by a colleague, but "accurate" by a disability campaigner.

Mr Barber's comments came at a forum canvassing the public transport policies of state candidates.

Castigating the government's progress on making public transport accessible to people with limited mobility, he said: "Every time I see three steps up to a tram, I think, 'that's worse than apartheid'."

To read the full article, visit

Better Uses for our Dollars than another MCG Upgrade

The Age, Brendan O'Reilly, 22 September, 2010

Fans will enjoy sport in a little more style and comfort after the MCG's Great Southern Stand undergoes a $55 million upgrade.

Our state government is spending $30 million of our money on an "upgrade" of the MCG's Great Southern Stand. This stand is all of 20 years old, you see, and apparently it needs work - not that football supporters are staying away from it in droves or complaining about how old and substandard it is.

How about spending the money on something we need, such as homes for disabled people? For $30 million, the government could provide houses for several hundred disabled adults who are now living with their ageing parents. There is a great shortage of such supported accommodation, so that older carers feel pressured to keep their grown-up children at home. In desperation, they sometimes get their adult children into respite care and leave them. Consequently, respite beds are in short supply, too.

Don't people like this deserve our money just a teeny bit more than a grandstand that was built only 20 years ago?

For the full story go to

EVENTS

Equipping Inclusion Studies Launch

When: Wednesday 13 October from 9:45am

Where: Melbourne Town Hall, Yarra Room, Swanston Street, Melbourne

To Register: RSVP to the AEAA Project Coordinator at aeaa@.au or phone 0458 361 497 by 30 September.

In 2008, the Aids and Equipment Action Alliance (AEAA) achieved funds from the William Buckland Foundation to conduct a two year research project to generate evidence as to needs, cost burden, and the impact of existing aids and equipment programs, for people living with a disability in Victoria.

This research developed new methods to identify the difference aids and equipment (assistive technology) make to life. The quantitative and qualitative findings provide evidence of unmet need, life outcomes and the performance of the service system for 100 Victorians. The economic analysis is the first of its kind to be conducted with users of assistive technology, and provides new data as to costs and consequences for people in our community who require assistive technology in order to support their independent lives.

Blind Citizens Australia (BCA) State Convention

When: Saturday 23 & Sunday 24 October 2010

Where: Supper Room, Level 3, Melbourne Town Hall

Cnr Collins & Swanston Streets, Melbourne

To Register: Complete the registration form available at and return to BCA by 7 October.

BCA recognises that some individuals may have special circumstances which might make it difficult to afford the costs associated with attending a convention. Through the support of the City of Melbourne, we are able to offer financial sponsorship to cover the cost of full convention registration for individuals who meet certain criteria:

An information sheet that includes the sponsorship eligibility and full program details is available from the BCA website at

For further information, contact Jessica Zammit on (03) 9654 1400.

Value Added Conference – Invest in Our Communities and Your Business

When: 8 & 9 November 2010

Where: Silver Water Resort, Philip Island, .au

To Register: Contact Laureen Hunt, Administrator, by phone on 03 5672 4343 or email l.hunt@.au

This conference will provide you with the opportunity to:

• Learn about our changing and diverse communities and markets

• Identify who are your potential employees, customers or members

• Improve the accessibility of your business or community organisation

• Gain practical knowledge to ensure the success and sustainability of your business or community organisation

There is a dazzling host of speakers including:

• Tom O’Toole, Beechworth Bakery

• Hon. Tim Fischer, former Deputy Prime Minister, Australia

• Mark Riches

• Mark Heaysman

• Fiona McKenzie

• Dr Kevin Murfitt

• Sharon Hutchinson

• Michael Uniacke

• Mike Letch

• Donna Faulkner

To download the conference package containing more information about speakers, accommodation and conference program, visit



Care, Social Inclusion & Citizenship Symposium,

When: Monday 25 October, 9am-5pm

Where: Fitzroy Town Hall (main hall), 201 Napier Street, Fitzroy

To Register: Visit for online registrations.

This important event will examine issues concerning care and social inclusion. A broad range of perspectives from care workers, family carers, community services colleagues, researchers and policy influencers, advocates, academics, students, government representatives, and members of the general public will be showcased,

For more information, contact Event Management Group, Jessica Riches by phone on (03) 9676 8200 or email jessica@.au.

Pathways 10 2010 Conference: Creating Space for People with Disabilities in Tertiary Education

When: 1–3 December 2010

Where: Southbank Institute of Technology, Brisbane

To Register: Visit for online registration.

A reminder that registrations are now open and the early bird discounts close on Monday 11 October 2010.

For more information about the conference, visit

Strength to Strength 2011 Conference

When: Tuesday 22 ─ Wed 23 March 2011

Where: The Sebel, Albert Park, Victoria

To Register: Visit for online registrations.

After rave reviews for the inaugural joint conference earlier this year, National Disability Services Victoria (NDSV) and Disability Professionals Victoria (DPV) are partnering to hold the largest annual Victorian conference for disability organisations and professionals for the second time.

The two-day conference From Strength to Strength will showcase how future-focussed organisations and leaders are adapting to the constantly changing environment. The conference theme for 2011 is Human Rights. The disability service sector operates in an environment where persons with a disability expect to have their human rights respected, protected and fulfilled. In 2008 Australia became a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This conference will explore what this means for Australians with a disability, for the organisations and disability professionals that support them, for governments and for the broader community.

The call for papers, early bird registration, and regular updates can be accessed on the conference website at

PUBLICATIONS AND RESOURCES

Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Commission Advice Line

The Commission’s Advice Line provides free, impartial and confidential information to the Victorian community, including employers, employees and the general community about equal opportunity, discrimination, racial and religious vilification and the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities.

The Advice Line can provide information about your rights and responsibilities under anti-discrimination law, and provides information about the resources available to assist you to understand those laws. Their staff can also advise about the complaint process and help people to make a complaint if they feel they have been discriminated against.

In 2009/10 the Commission's Advice Line received almost 6,000 calls resulting in more than 7,470 enquiries on different issues.

The Advice Line is open from 9am-5pm Monday-Friday on 1300 292 153. You can also contact the Advice Line by email at complaints@veohrc..au.

Housing Assistance, Social Inclusion and People with Disabilities – Discussion Paper

Andrew Beer & Selina Tually from Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI)

The election of the Labor Government to office in 2007 heralded a number of changes in the focus of public policy in Australia. Paramount among these changes has been a renewed focus on three key areas: housing, disability and social inclusion, and the interconnectedness of, and interrelationships between, these three, and other policy spheres. Accordingly significant policy innovation has occurred with respect to these areas of public policy, supported by a range of new national policies, as well as reforms to state and Commonwealth financial relations. The research is an important area of investigation at the current time, particularly given the dearth of literature on the role that housing and housing assistance plays in facilitating and supporting the economic and social participation of people with disabilities.

The report is available in a variety of formats at

Women with Disabilities Victoria Newsletter- Violence Edition

This issue includes:

• Women with Disabilities Victoria: News:

• Advancing justice for sexual assault victims with a cognitive impairment

• Staff training on recognising and responding to the family violence experienced by women with disabilities: Getting Safe Against the Odds

• Victoria’s response to the family violence experienced by women with disabilities

• Australian Human Rights Register: The Human Rights Law Resource Centre creates a tool for human rights advocacy and documentation... with your input

• Improve services to crime victims with a disability: The Victims Support Agency’s new survey for people with a disability

• Would you like more information on Family Violence?

• Contributions and subscriptions to this newsletter

To read this newsletter, visit

Scooter and Wheelchair Travel Pass.

The Scooter and Wheelchair Travel Pass has been introduced to support independent travel for people who are dependent on scooters and wheelchairs.

To be eligible for the Scooter and Wheelchair Travel Pass you must:

• have a permanent and severe disability

• depend on the use of a scooter or wheelchair for mobility outside your home

• be a permanent resident of Victoria.

The Scooter and Wheelchair Travel Pass entitles the pass holder to free travel on Melbourne metropolitan trains, trams and buses, V/Line services, Regional town buses and regional services that have a contract or service agreement with the Department of Transport.

For more information and an application form go to the Metlink Website

TRAINING

Change the Future with a Graduate Diploma in Applied Human Rights

The Graduate Diploma and Graduate Certificate in Applied Human Rights at RMIT University explore what it means to build a culture and practice of human rights, and how to apply a human rights framework in your professional life.

They will assist you to develop and test tools and approaches and understand the steps necessary to bring about changes in practice, behaviours and structures. You will integrate learning directly into the work you are doing, or gain the skills to enter into work in the human rights field.

The development of this postgraduate program has been informed by the strong partnerships the Australian Centre for Human Rights Education has developed with key government and non-government agencies. The programs are designed for professional development, academic interest and for entry into the rapidly expanding human rights field.

Program outline, entrance requirements and application procedures for the Graduate Diploma (one year full-time or two years part-time) and the Graduate Certificate (six months full-time or one year part-time) can be seen by visiting



Applications for semester 1, 2011, are due by 10 November 2010.

For more information, enquire through Info Corner at 330 Swanston Street, Melbourne, or phone Dr Liz Branigan on 9925 3153 or email liz.branigan@rmit.edu.au

SUBMISSIONS, CONSULTATIONS AND FORUMS

Help us Improve Services to Crime Victims with a Disability

The Department of Justice, through the Victims Support Agency is conducting a survey aimed at adults with a disability or multiple disabilities, carers and guardians.

The purpose of the survey is:

• To improve our knowledge of the extent and type of crimes committed against people with disabilities.

• To help us understand the best ways of informing you about your rights should you become a victim of crime.

• To improve the response of Justice and victim service agencies to victims of crime who have a disability.

Completing the survey is voluntary and anonymous and is available in a variety of formats including easy English and plain text. Surveys can be completed by:

• Going online – visit justice..au/victimsofcrime

• Phone - call 8684 6743

• Mail – request a survey to be sent to you by phoning 8684 6716 or email Margaret.camilleri@justice..au

The survey will be available until end of October.

For further enquires or questions regarding the survey, phone 8684 6716.

Have Your Say on Get Up Campaign

GetUp is an independent, grass-roots community advocacy organisation giving everyday Australians opportunities to get involved and hold politicians accountable on important issues.

GetUp is currently seeking feedback on what causes it should next campaign on. There are five disability related campaign suggestions:

• Advocating for an NDIS

• A fair go for people with disability

• National Disability Strategy

• Disability Access

• End Discrimination, uphold human rights - disability/migrants

You can add your support by voting for any of the above or adding your own idea. If your campaign idea is of national interest and will help create a progressive Australia, it might get up!

For more information and to have your say, visit

You’re Needed on the National Disability Insurance Scheme Campaign

There have been many exciting developments in the last couple of months in the campaign for a National Disability Insurance Scheme.

During the federal election campaign all three major parties – Greens, Labor and the Coalition - expressed their support for the concept of an NDIS and all committed to giving serious consideration to the findings of the current Productivity Commission inquiry into Disability Care and Support.

In the lead up to elections in Victoria and NSW, it is important for state governments to understand that while the NDIS represents a long term solution, there are many things they could and should do in the short term to relieve the pressure on people with a disability, their families and carers who need help and assistance right now.

In Victoria, the NDIS Team have declared October to be Visiting Month. They would like every Federal MP from Victoria as well as every state MP to receive a visit from a person with a disability, or a family member in their electorate. Let your local member know what your life is like now, and what it could be like if Australia introduced an NDIS.

The National Disability and Carer Alliance is coordinating the visits and can send you some material to leave behind with your local member, as well as a tip sheet for visiting MPs.

If you are able to participate please contact Kirsten Deane by email at kirsten.deane@.au and she can send you the material. Please include in your email the name of your local member or, if you are not sure, your postcode so Kirsten can send you contact details.

Community Sector Survey – Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities

VCOSS is undertaking this survey as a follow-up to its 2008 report, Using the Charter in Policy and Practice. This report examined the changes that had been made by community sector organisations to incorporate the Charter - and human rights principles more broadly - into organisational policies, procedures or service delivery. The 2008 report is available on the VCOSS website: .au

The survey is primarily intended to gauge the successes, challenges and otherwise that sector organisations have experienced around the implementation of the Charter with the aim of providing a broad community sector perspective to the Department of Justice review of the Charter due in October 2011.

In particular, short case studies which illustrate the ways in which both a human rights based approach has been used in your organisations and the challenges involved in implementing the Charter are being documented.

You can provide feedback by:

• Complete the online survey by visiting

•

• Respond verbally by contacting Christiane Gurner, Human Rights Officer, on 03 9654 5050.

For more information email Christiane Gurner at christiane.gurner@.au.

Forum: Housing and Support Options for People with Disabilities

When: Wednesday 13 October, 2-4pm

Where: Ross House (room to be advised) 247 Flinders Lane, Melbourne

To Register: RSVP by contacting Bec on 9267 3712 or email ydasprojects@.au by Friday 8 October.

Youth Disability Advocacy Service (YDAS) wants to hear from people with disabilities of all ages about current issues with housing and supports and hear your views about housing and support options and models.

All information gathered will be passed on to the Department of Human Services to inform their strategic planning to provide more flexible housing and support options for people with disabilities.

If you would like to have your say but are not able to attend the forum, contact Bec on 9267 3712 to arrange a phone interview.

The venue is wheelchair accessible. Please contact YDAS if you would like to request support for the consultations or discuss access requirements.

PAID AND VOLUNTARY POSITIONS

Volunteer Committee Members Needed

AMIDA (Action for More Independence & Dignity in Accommodation) is seeking volunteer committee members.

AMIDA is an advocacy organization which works on acquiring more and better housing and tenancy rights for people with disabilities with the support and opportunities individual people need to be included in the community. AMIDA can provide information, referral and individual and systemic advocacy. AMIDA has existed for over 20 years, and works hard to include people with disabilities in decisions that affect their lives.

If you feel you have expertise and knowledge to contribute to our group, we would like to hear from you. AMIDA’s committee meets on Tuesdays once every 2 months.

If you would like to discuss this further, please contact Gabrielle Dickinson on 9650 2722, or email amida.gabrielledickinson@.au

Welcome to the weekly Update from the Disability Advocacy Resource Unit (DARU).  If you would like to be removed from this list or kept up to date another way, please reply to this email and let us know.

DARU has been funded by the state government. It is run by a governance group, including members of the Victorian Disability Advocacy Network (VDAN), and the Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS). DARU’s staff currently includes a Co-ordinator, Sharon Granek, and an Administration Officer, Natasha Brake.

We are always happy to hear from people who are interested in what we do. If you have a question, an idea, some news you’d like to see in the next update, or even if you just want to tell us something we’re doing is good or bad, get in touch! Call us on 03 9639 5807 or email admin@.au.

Please note that material contained in the DARU Update copy does not necessarily reflect the policy of DARU or the views of any staff members. Statements in the DARU Update do not comprise advice and readers should avail themselves of professional advice where appropriate.

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