CONTENTS
State
Election - March 24 2007
New
Constitution for PDCN
SEO
Forum re access to voting
Eurobodalla
Shire Council
New
Admin Volunteer
Access
to Primary and Secondary Education
Project
Worker's Update
Media
Update
Online
Service and Resources Guide
Advocacy
Network
Women's
Network
About
PDCN
Privacy
Statement
Welcome to Issue No: 35 of
THE PDCN BULLETIN, our topical issues newsletter and
information source for opinion formers, decision-makers
and others interested in disability sector topics. The
bulletin is produced by the Physical Disability Council
of New South Wales (PDCN). We are the peak body
representing people with physical disability across the
State.
Our aim is to provide readers with
accurate, up-to-date and timely information, comment and
analysis of disability sector issues from the perspective
of people with physical disability in NSW, including
children with disability and their representatives. This
Bulletin goes out to PDCN members and others who wish to
receive it regularly by email.
As part of his resource development
role, Craig has taken on the job of putting out this
electronic bulletin every two weeks. Ideally this will be
a short, easy to read update on the Council's current
work - and should only take less than five minutes to
read through. Internet links will be included through the
bulletin for further reading if you're so inclined to
read more on the various issues.
You are welcome to forward this
bulletin to anyone you know would welcome it.
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1. State
Election - March 24 2007
Now is the time to talk to
your local member.
Tell your local member about things that affect you and
what you would like to see happen.
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2. New
Constitution for PDCN
At the 2005-2006 AGM,
President, Ann-Mason Furmage spoke of the need for a new
constitution. This constitution would reflect changes in
Tax law, and most importantly, enable PDCN to gain Donor
Gift Recipient status with the Tax Office. This in turn
will give PDCN the capacity to apply to charitable trusts
for additional funding to support our work and undertake
new projects and of course to accept donations that are
tax deductible.
In December, the Public Interest
Law Clearing House was approached, and legal firm, Baker
& McKenzie volunteered to take on the task. The draft
constitution is almost ready. Once the management
Committee has approved the draft, there will be a Special
General Meeting for all members to vote for or against
its adoption as PDCN's constitution.
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3. SEO Forum re
access to voting
Earlier this year, PDCN was
invited to respond to the State Electoral Office's
"Access to Democracy" paper http://www.pdcnsw.org.au/priorities/welfare/05/nswseo.html
specifically looking at issues of access to the electoral
process. We are advocating strongly for the need for
totally accessible polling places for the whole
community.
Ann-Mason and Robyn then attended a
consultation when it became apparent that the SEO wanted
to develop segregated "polling places for the disabled".
Again we advocated strongly on the need for accessible
whole of community polling places and are happy to report
that the SEO now has no plans to go ahead with their
segregation idea.
http://www.pdcnsw.org.au/press/06/0405.html
More to come this as the year goes
on.
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4.
Eurobodalla Shire Council
Eurobodalla Shire Council
informs us they've received over 70 submissions from the
public regarding their draft Disability Action Plan.
Eurobodalla Council is calling for input from the
community until the end of May. The draft Disability
Action Plan will then be presented to Council seeking
endorsement during a period of public exhibition. The
community will then be given a minimum of 28 days to
comment on the draft plan.
The work of Council's Action Plan
Access Committee (APAC) never stops and members of the
public are encouraged to report access black spots at any
time and not just during the development of the
plan.
The Eurobodalla Shire Council can
be contacted on telephone (02) 4474 1000 or via their
website http://www.esc.nsw.gov.au/
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5. New Admin
Volunteer
On the 15th May we welcomed
YunPing Lu to the office. YunPing is a volunteer
accountant and she is assisting Robyn with the
bookkeeping and some other financial projects. With the
assets register almost up to date already, YunPing is
proving to be a great asset herself.
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PDCN
Forum Are you in NSW with a physical
disability?
The PDCN
Forum is our online email group where people with a
physical disability in NSW, Australia and ideas come
together. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pdcndiscussion/
6. Access
to Primary and Secondary Education
As many of you are aware, the
experiences of children with physical disabilities and
their families vary considerably from one school to
another. Some Principals at Primary and Secondary
colleges provide excellent services that facilitate full
access and participation for all students regardless of
ability.
It is understood by PDCN, that
physical, financial and attitudinal barriers often
prevent full access and inclusion. As a priority issue
PDCN is interested in obtaining your feedback. Please
assess the quality of service for each issue (1 to 15)
and type a number between 1 (poor) and 5 (excellent)
after each statement. If you wish, please add any other
comment/s you may have.
You can return your responses to
Jordana Goodman on email admin@pdcnsw.org.au
School Type
_______________ eg., (Primary,
Secondary, Public, Private, Catholic System)
1. Ability to satisfactorily
determine the needs of your child ____
2. Quality of feedback from
Intake Interview ____
3. Quality of information
provided to select the preferred school ____
4. Information provided in
appropriate language ____
5. Quality of communication
with the Principal ____
6. Effective communication
with Departmental staff ____
7. Physical needs
satisfactorily met within a mainstream class
____
8. Ability to meet
educational within a mainstream class ____
9. Needs met within an
integrated class ____
10. Needs met within a
timely manner ____
11 Social needs
satisfactorily met ____
12. Transport needs
satisfactorily met ____
13. Ability to meet any
additional personal care needs ____
14. Effective inclusion in
class activities ____
15. Understanding and
awareness of school staff ____
Comments
Personal details
(optional)
Name:
Address:
Contact with which school/s:
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Disability
Sector Website Management and Outreach?
Organisations
who want their website regularly maintained and updated
on a weekly or daily basis
Please contact
Robyn Chapman, Executive Officer of PDCN
Telephone (02) 9552 1606 or Email admin@pdcnsw.org.au
7. Project
Worker's Update
Since starting at the
Physical Disability Council of NSW, I have been involved
in investigating and updating the following key
portfolios. Please contact me by phone on 9552 1606 or
email me on admin@pdcnsw.org.au
with your issues, feedback or comments.
1. Access to public transport,
including
- State and private bus
services
- Cityrail and Country
Link
- Ferries and public
wharves
- Wheelchair Accessible Taxis and
Lime Taxis
Projects within this portfolio have
included preparation of a report that was distributed to
all State Government Members of Parliament at our
'Decency Day' event, a comprehensive analysis of the
distribution of wheelchair accessible taxis in country
NSW, participation in planning with the Ministry of
Transport and responding to the Independent Pricing and
Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) into taxi fares. Currently
preparing surveys on the following to obtain your first
hand knowledge and experiences when using buses, trains,
taxis, ferries, trams and airplanes.
2. Arts and
Culture
- Preparation of a response to be
forwarded to 'Accessible Arts' for the further
development of a Cultural Action Plan.
3. Access to Primary and
Secondary Education
- Research and preparation of a
survey seeking your experiences when organising
education for your child with a
disability.
4. Additional campaigning and
advocacy has been conducted with Robyn on the following
portfolios
- Personal Care programs from the
Motor Accident Authority and Home Care
- PADP
- Access to the built
environment
- Public Housing and Seniors
Living (SEPP5)
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8. Media
Releases
PDCN has a flexible media
strategy headed up by our Media Officer, Lachlan
Hazelton, to take our message to the entire community on
a regular basis. Members along with the general public
can keep up to date with our media message through our
website at http://www.pdcnsw.org.au/press/
PDCN has released four press
releases since our last electronic bulletin.
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9.
Net-Working
On PDCN's website, we have
revamped the previous A to Z index and now offer an
Online Service and Resources Guide. http://www.pdcnsw.org.au/guide/
We get a steady amount of calls
from people asking for information from accessible
building resources to respite options. This online
service guide is open to you to add useful linkages,
contacts or support services you have found useful in
your experience to share with the rest of NSW.
Have a look at the categories
available and let Craig know of any additions or
corrections to the pages.
If you think there should be other
categories added, please inform Craig on email
craig.andrews@pdcnsw.org.au
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10.
Advocacy Network
John Moxon is continuing to
develop our training program for people who want to
support people self-advocating.
The program will be trialled in
September in two regional centres - one will be Dubbo but
the other location is yet to be decided.
The training will be combined with
a forum on local issues facing people with physical
disability.
If you have thoughts about what
should be included in the training or if you wish to be
part of the training please contact John on email at
admin@pdcnsw.org.au
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11. Women's
Network
The NSW Network of Women with
a Disability continues to flourish with the support of
Physical Disability Council of NSW and
Multicultural
Disability Advocacy Association.
- The May edition of NewsFlash
went out as scheduled under Joanne Hutchin's capable
hands.
- The ANZ funded capacity
building project is up and running which means there
is a network person on four days of the working
week.
- And a successful joint planning
day was held for the Beehive and new workers to plan
the next three years of work.
- Our Newsletter NewsFlash will
be mailed out by the end of May.
If you're not a member of the
Network and you're a woman with disability, just call us
on Telephone - (02) 9552 1606 or Freecall - 1800 688 831
and join up.
For more information see our
website http://www.pdcnsw.org.au/women/
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About
PDCN
The Physical
Disability Council of NSW Inc (PDCN) is the peak body
in NSW representing people with physical disability
across the state. Our overall purpose is to provide a
state-wide voice for people with a physical disability
living in NSW.
For information
about membership of PDCN
please see our website http://www.pdcnsw.org.au/about/membership.html
or contact us on (02) 9552-1606.
Privacy
Statement
We are committed
to protecting your privacy and commit ourselves to
conforming to the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector)
Bill 2000, which came into effect in December 2001 and
the National Privacy Principles issued by the
Australian Privacy Commissioner.
This newsletter
is distributed by email. You have provided us with an
email address. This email address will be used only
for the purpose for which you have provided
it.
You can have
your email address removed from the list for this
bulletin at any time by sending an email to Craig
Andrews at PDCN.
This Bulletin
contains links to websites. We cannot be held
responsible for the privacy practices (or lack
thereof) or the content of such websites.
Put
yourself on the free PDCN Bulletin
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Physical Disability
Council of NSW
St. Helen's Community Centre
3/184 Glebe Point Road
Glebe NSW 2037
Telephone (voice) 02 9552 1606
Telephone (TTY) 02 9552 1370
Fax 02 9552 4644
Web Site http://www.pdcnsw.org.au/
Email admin@pdcnsw.org.au
To be added to or
removed from to this Bulletin email list, or to change your
email address
please contact Craig by email at craig.andrews@pdcnsw.org.au
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