People with Disability Australia (PWDA)

This week Acting CEO, Megan Spindler-Smith and Policy Projects Lead, Michelle Keogh met with Minister for Disability Inclusion, Kate Washington MP and members of the NSW Disability Advocacy Network yesterday to discuss NSW action on the Disability Royal Commission. PWDA appreciated the opportunity to discuss government commitment and action on a range of issues including education, health, employment, regional and remote communities, housing and accessible information. PWDA will continuing advocating for the 19 positions in our response to the Disability Royal Commission to be adopted in full by the NSW Government. ID: Representatives of the NSW Disability Advocacy Network stand together in a room with Kate Washington MP and other members joining online showing on screens behind.

NSW Local Government elections are being held tomorrow. Reminder that applications for telephone assisted voting will close at 6pm, Friday 13 September. Telephone assisted voting closes at 1pm on Saturday 14 September. Find out more: https://buff.ly/4e10VcV ID: NSW Electoral Commission staff on polling day facing away from camera helping a voter. Text reads Telephone assisted voting. Applications close 6pm Friday 13 Sept.

PWDA Training & Facilitator, Janel Manns was proud to contribute to the codesign of 'Our Watch' resources. The videos, audio and infographics were codesigned with women with disability to centre their lived experience and support the prevention of violence against women and girls with disability. Find resources for practitioners, government and disability professionals https://buff.ly/4c2FTJv ID: A green tile featuring a quote from Christine, an equality advocate, in navy blue text: Challenging ableism is hard. It takes bravery and courage. The bottom left side of the tile features a picture of Christina. Underneath, a cream rectangle at the bottom of the tile with the Our Watch and Women with Disabilities Victoria logos.

PWDA has been in ongoing consultations around the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART), which will replace the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in October. We provided feedback on the draft ART Rules through a web-survey and online consultation. Read the full submission here: https://buff.ly/3SWo9J9 ID: Text reads New submission Administrative Review Tribunal Act 2024 with image of stack of paper files

Participants and advocates are concerned with the lack of communication around proposed changes to the NDIS. To date, the changes have been poorly communicated allowing misinformation to spread. President Marayke Jonkers told the ABC that consultation on the draft lists had been rushed and the feedback from DRO's had not been implemented. "The rules have not been written and we suddenly have to start running with this thing within a few weeks," she said. The NDIA has acknowledged the uncertainty in the community and says it has launched an "extensive campaign" designed to ensure participants and their supporters are informed about the changes. Listen here: https://buff.ly/3ZdNBho or read more: https://buff.ly/4ea8xdk

PWDA provided feedback to the Public Accounts Committee on their draft framework for driving wellbeing outcomes in NSW. The main theme of the submission is that measures of wellbeing must be inclusive. Current measures do not always reflect the needs, choices or wellbeing outcomes of people with disability. Read our full submission here: https://buff.ly/4fUENmb ID: Image of a man with a walking stick and person assisting them walk. Text reads New submission - Wellbeing outcomes in NSW.

PWDA acknowledges the decision announced today by the Minister for the NDIS Bill Shorten to retire from politics in February 2025. The Minister’s contributions to the inception of the NDIS and the establishment of the Disability Royal Commission are key parts of his political legacy and will long be remembered by our community. President Marayke Jonkers said “We have always welcomed the Minister’s willingness to engage and collaborate with the disability sector and our community. We have not always agreed but appreciate that there have been many times that the Minister has shown that he values the lived expertise of people with disability. It is our sincere hope that this commitment to collaboration continues and deepens with any Ministerial appointment to this portfolio in future.” Read more: https://buff.ly/3XeiSy3 ID: Graphic with blue background and light blue and green circles. Text reads Media Release

NSW Local Government elections are being held Saturday 14 September. Telephone assisted voting will be available for electors who are blind or have low vision. Open: Saturday 7 September until Saturday 14 September. Applications will close at 6pm on Friday 13 September. Telephone assisted voting closes at 1pm on Saturday 14 September. Find out more: https://buff.ly/4e10VcV ID: NSW Electoral Commission staff on polling day.

The lack of available wheelchair accessible taxis creates a barrier for people with disability who need to access work, education, appointments and the community. NSW Greens MP, Cate Faehrmann recently told parliament: 📌 only 11% of taxi licenses in NSW are wheelchair accessible and less than half of those in non-metro areas. 📌 a 2023 survey by Physical Disability Council of NSW reported 25% of respondents waited over 2 hours for their prebooked taxi. 📌 the incentive payment to wheelchair taxi drivers has not been increased since 1 July 2016. The NSW government has agreed to open consultation on the subsidy rate for Wheelchair Accessible Taxis. PWDA will continue working with industry and government to secure improvements to access and subsidies for Wheelchair Accessible Taxis. ID: Image of a wheelchair accessible vehicle with the back open and wheelchair lift down.

You may have heard the term Foundational Supports. Foundational Supports means supports that would be available to people with disability outside of the NDIS. This could include supports through mainstream or community services, like early childhood education, schools and community mental health. Governments still need to design and deliver these Foundational Supports. Government has opened consultation so you can have your say on how these supports should work to meet your needs. Consultation is open until 30 November 2024. Government is also hosting a webinar on 20 September where you can find out more about the different types of Foundational Supports and how you can have your say. For more information https://buff.ly/3XdEoCO ID: Text reads Have your say on Foundational Supports