CONTENTS
Welcome to Issue No: 38 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
NSW.
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.
Craig Andrew publishes this
electronic update bulletin each month on the Council's
current work. Internet links are included throughout the
bulletin for further reading.
Please forward this bulletin to
anyone you know would welcome it.
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1.
Strategic Planning and PDCN Annual General
Meeting
On Saturday 15 September
2007, PDCN started to review its long-term planning with
Colin Slattery as the facilitator. Management Committee
members, and staff including Robyn Chapman and Jordana
Goodman attended. As part of discussions, Committee
Members reviewed the following and will continue further
discussions at the next Management Committee meeting on
27 October 2007:
- Vision Statement;
- Core Statements;
- Key Goals; and
- Key Performance
Indicators.
The PDCN Annual General Meeting
Date: Saturday 27
October
Time: 1pm
Place: St Helens Community
Centre, Dining Room, 184 Glebe Point Rd,
Glebe
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2. Review of
Accessible Public Transport Standards
PDCN recently submitted a
response to the review of the Commonwealth Accessible
Public Transport Standards. Preparation for this report
included conducting a Transport Forum, attending a Public
Hearing and stakeholder meeting organised by the Ministry
of Transport and extensive research.
The report submitted by PDCN
included twenty-six recommendations on the following
modes of public transport:
- Buses;
- Trains;
- Ferries;
- Wheelchair Accessible Taxis
(WATS); and
- Air Transport
Services.
Information collated from the
Ministry website, indicated all modes of public transport
complied with at least 25% accessibility, with exception
to private bus operators and the quantity of wheelchair
accessible taxis, even after the inclusion of
approximately sixty new Lime Taxis.
Consultants received approximately
ninety submissions from all states of Australia.
Responses to this review are located on the following
website: http://www.ddatransportreview.com.au/?x=submissions
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3.
Community Living
Recently it has become
apparent that PDCN needs to adopt a position regarding
Community Living, including the following:
a) Community based
accommodation facilities with a maximum of 5
residents;
b) Sufficient and appropriate
Personal Assistance within the home, with sufficient
funding to facilitate community access and
participation; and
c) Adaptable visitable
housing.
In August 2007, PDCN responded to
adverse publicity about the closure of Weemala with a
media release highlighting the need for people with
disabilities to be supported appropriately in the
community and that research strongly supports this move
towards community living.
http://www.pdcnsw.org.au/media/07/0815.html
Over the next couple on months,
PDCN will be responding to a discussion paper on this
important issue, recently released by the Commonwealth
Government. It is hard to see how DADHC will be able to
continue to support community living, unless the
Commonwealth Government shares this same commitment and
provides necessary funding through the Commonwealth State
Agreements.
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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/
4.
Aids and Equipment
Robyn Chapman has continued
attending the PADP Advisory Committee and advocating for
increased funding and improved management practices
across all PADP lodgement centres.
PDCN believes that the State
Government needs to increase the PADP budget by 14.8%,
from 26.8 million to 35.7 million per annum.
Further recommendations included in
the latest PDCN 'Aids and Equipment' Position Statement
include the following, and can be read from the PDCN
webpage http://www.pdcnsw.org.au/publications/statements/aids.html
- Develop an information system
that is able to adequately collect waiting
data;
- Continue the development of
consistent and timely service; and
- Release the
PriceWaterhouseCoopers report into the review of
PADP.
More recently PDCN has supported a
media campaign on PADP with publicity on the radio and in
print, including;
- Monday 17 September- ABC
radio
- Monday 17 September- Telegraph
newspaper
- Sunday 23 September- 2UE
radio
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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.
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Statement
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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.
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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
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