Date: 15/01/2016
Author: Louise Milligan and Daryl Holland
Source: ABC News
Synopsis:
A Senate committee has released a scathing report on the state of school education for children with disabilities.
The cross-party Education and Employment References Committee chaired by Labor Senator Sue Lines recommended more funding to assist students with a disability and the schools that they attend, better teacher training and a more coordinated, national approach to identifying areas of need.
Date: 27/08/2015
Reporter: Nance Haxton
Source: ABC News
Synopsis:
Concerns are rising that the National Disability Scheme (NDIS) has overlooked the importance of housing in its service provision.
Advocates say the lack of affordable housing, particularly in big cities, is leading to increased homelessness among people with a disability.
Queensland’s Disability Services Minister Coralee O’Rourke is calling on the Federal Government to urgently resolve the issue.
Article: http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2015/s4301141.htm
Date: 25/07/2015
Author: Sandra Loy
Source: Wales Online
Synopsis:
A Welsh teenager is so fed up with people’s attitude toward disability that he has launched his own campaign.
Article: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/teenager-josh-reeves-fed-up-9713219
Date: 25/06/2015
Author: Andree Withey
Source: ABC News
Synopsis:
Queensland’s transport department is under pressure to review its rules after a woman in an electric wheelchair was thrown from a moving bus on the Darling Downs.
Article: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-25/woman-in-wheelchair-flung-from-moving-bus-toowoomba/6571814
Date: 12/06/2015
Author: Nicola Berkovic
Source: The Australian
Synopsis:
In the face of future budget cuts to the funding of Community Legal Centres, a recent report has shown that more than 150,000 people who needed legal assistance were turned away in the last year from Community Legal Centres. This is primarily for three reasons: conflict of interest; the legal problem was outside the centre’s priority area or client group; or because of insufficient resources.
Date: 21/05/2015
Source: The Australian
Synopsis:
A plan to strip welfare payments from certain mental health patients has sparked outrage among state governments, health groups and legal advocates, with fears the cost-cutting measure will have dire consequences.
Social Services Minister Scott Morrison wants to save $29.5 million across four years by cutting welfare payments to anyone charged with a serious criminal offence but confined to a psychiatric institution. His department expects the law, once enacted, to affect about 350 people.
Date: 16/04/2015
Author: Debbie Vilensky
Source: ABC News
Synopsis:
Parents with a disability are treated almost like criminals, a parliamentary committee conducting a hearing in the ACT has heard.
The Senate Standing Committee is looking into the adequacy of Australia’s out-of-home care arrangements, and whether the system is letting people down.
Date: 15/04/2015
Author: Dan Conifer and Stephanie Smail
Source: ABC News
Synopsis:
The head of a review into Australia’s mental health sector has warned the system will struggle without change and a major funding overhaul.
Date: 16/04/2015
Source: change.org
Petition:
We all have rights.
Rights that are worth protecting, enhancing and empowering through a bill of rights for Queensland.
Queenslanders have seen first hand what happens when a government uses its majority to attack the rights of individuals at the expense of our democracy.
This petition calls on Premier Palaszczuk and her government to lead that conversation and support a bill of rights for Queensland.
Date: 14/04/2015
Source: Sky News
Synopsis:
A national system of safeguards is needed to stop the ‘endemic’ violence against people with disabilities, the former disability discrimination commissioner says.Graeme Innes said the current level of pre-employment screening and training in state disability sectors was too low, particularly in Western Australia.Mr Innes said the Senate inquiry into violence against people with disabilities was starting to reveal the endemic abuse against society’s most vulnerable.
Article: http://www.skynews.com.au/news/national/2015/04/14/calls-for-national-disability-safeguards.html
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