BARKING AT NDIS REPEAT OFFENDER 1
In This Issue What are the politicians of Australia thinking? So we have the Gillard Government introducing a 3 stage increase in the Medicare levy from 1.5% to 3%, this is successfully completed twice, then the same Labor people propose that only those earning over $87k should have the Medicare increase, the Senate cannot come to an agreement and therefore the current Liberal National Government say OK no increase, but we will give out tax cuts. What the? $8 billion short fall but NDIA can engage an outside consultant for several $million to review the pricing. On another matter thanks to the management team for participating in the Strategic Planning Day. Your input is greatly valued and your commitment to our future is greatly appreciated.
Steven
} NDIS Budget Blow } In the world of DisAbility } NDIS Updates } Community NEWS } Community Partners } Photograph Gallery } Management Updates } Day Service } Rockhampton } Safety Matters } Admin Updates } May Events
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Media Release 26th April 2018 People with Disability Australia People with disability around Australia are reeling after the Treasurer’s backflip on funding “We are stunned at the news that the Federal Government is walking away from the commitment to fully fund the NDIS, now and into the future. Last year, the Prime Minister said that the increase to the Medicare Levy was essential so that “it is fully funded so... you will know the money is there,” said Ms Therese Sands, Co-CEO, People with Disability Australia. “People with disability feel betrayed and ambushed by this decision and are left wondering The revenue measures announced today by the Treasurer are only for this year, and will not guarantee funding for the NDIS in the future.
“The NDIS is about providing essential daily supports for people with disability, so we can fully participate in society. We are not second class citizens that should be reliant on socalled big hearts. Our supports must be an integral part of Australia’s social infrastructure,” said Ms. Sands. “We are now left to go cap in hand, like charity cases, at each and every budget. This is unacceptable.” People with disability are deeply concerned about this decision from the Federal Treasurer and will come together to campaign to restore funding for the NDIS. “We are sick of what is happening to the NDIS and call on the Government to put people with disability back at the heart of every decision that is being made,” said Ms. Sands. Civil Society Statement on NDIS
“The Medicare Levy increase was intended to guarantee funding for the NDIS in the longterm. Now, we are back to the uncertainty around the NDIS, and fighting for funding at every budget,” said Ms. Sands.
http://dpoa.org.au/call-for-strongerengagement-with-people-with-disability-in-thenational-disability-insurance-scheme-ndis/
“Last year, we joined with ACOSS and AFDO to call for secure, sufficient and sustainable funding for the NDIS. A strong, well-funded NDIS benefits our whole community, as people with disability are better supported to fully participate economically and socially.”
http://dpoa.org.au/joint-statement-to-securendis-funding/
Joint statement with ACOSS and AFDO on NDIS
El Gibbs Manager Media and Campaigns. People with Disability Australia
As reported, in his speech, the Treasurer will say that people with disability should have ‘faith in the big heartedness of Australians’ and that this was ‘about helping your mates’. 3
By Alyce Nelligan
Quality and Safeguards Commission
It has been over a week since our Disability Advocates NDIS Forum and I have not had a chance yet to reflect and thank everyone.
An independent Commonwealth body is being established to oversee the delivery of quality supports and services under the NDIS.
Firstly what a success it was! Our aim was to raises awareness to the fact that there is massive failings within the scheme and the stress and burden that the scheme has placed on people with disabilities and their families. People are going without essential supports and services. We did that!
The 2017-18 Budget included $209.0 million to fund the establishment and operations of the Commission over the next four years.
People came and told their stories and we are so grateful for your bravery! A heartfelt thank you to the politicians who were willing to join us and just listen. Senator Claire Moore, former Senator Malcolm Roberts, Rohan Matthews, from the Office of the Hon Jane Prentice, Assistant Minister for Social Services and Disability Services & local Councilor Megan O'Hara Sullivan. To the many organisations helping us with out with our cause we thank you. To my fellow organisers, Paul Wilson, Rhonda Miles, Toni Mitchell and Judy Trigger. Thank you!!! Your passion and relentless strength will propel our vision forward and save others from the heartache you have experienced. Thank you for fighting for justice. Moving forward from here we have a long way to go. The fight has just begun to ensure that the NDIS is fully funded by the Government, let alone fixed. We are going to compile our findings and give the scheme some time to address our concerns.
The NDIS Commission will implement the NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Framework which was released by the Council of Australian Governments Disability Reform Council in February 2017. The Framework will come into effect as each state and territory reaches full scheme NDIS. The Framework sets out a national system to support NDIS participants, carers and providers – upholding the standards that participants deserve, and ensuring clarity on the rights and responsibilities of participants, providers and their staff. The NDIS Commission will support NDIS participants to exercise choice and control, ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for NDIS supports, and establish expectations for providers and their staff to deliver quality support.
From 1st July 2018 registration processes and requirements will change for providers as the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission begins operating in New South Wales and South Australia. Providers operating in these states will apply for and manage their NDIS registrations with the NDIS Commission rather than the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA). 4
Serco Seriously? On Friday last week, the NDIA announced their intention to outsource their contact centre operations to global giant, Serco for the next two years. This decision is truly baffling.
“Sourcing our contact centre services from Serco will give ongoing flexibility, responsiveness and value for money,” the NDIA said in a statement.
Serco currently operates private prisons and 11 of Australia’s onshore immigration detention centres. To say that Serco is not "values aligned" with the NDIS is a massive understatement. The company has been accused of serious fraud by the UK government and covering up sexual abuse of immigrants in a UK removal centre. Closer to home, Serco Watch, a WA-based civil society group has formed "to monitor and disseminate information about the activities of Serco". Their Facebook page has close to 3,500 members and no shortage of problems to report.
But the decision has outraged disability rights campaigners, who say Serco’s poor history abroad and its lack of experience in disability should have precluded it from any role delivering the landmark scheme.
An accident waiting to happen Disability rights groups, Labor and the Greens have slammed a decision to hire the multinational outsourcing giant Serco in a key role administering the national disability insurance scheme. The NDIA announced on Friday afternoon that Serco, a company with a chequered corporate history, would help run its contact centres under a two-year contract. The decision would put the company at the frontline of the NDIS, interacting frequently with people with disability and service providers, many of whom are still grappling with a vast, complex and sometimes confusing scheme..
People with Disability Australia co-chief executive, Matthew Bowden, said he was “gravely concerned” that Serco would, like other thirdparty providers, fail to uphold the values, objectives and principles underpinning the NDIS. “We have no details on what expertise Serco have in providing communication services for people with disability, or why the NDIA has decided to outsource such a vital part of its services,” Bowden said. “The NDIA needs to hire more staff and make their communication avenues with people with disability more transparent. Instead, they are offloading their responsibilities, and requirements, to deliver services to people with disability.” Paralympian Kurt Fearnley was among those expressing concern at the decision, saying Serco would be “racking their brains on how they can bring lived experience of disabilities into their workplace”. “The NDIS will be worthless if people with disabilities aren’t at its core!” he tweeted.
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Port Adelaide AFL defender Jack Hombsch commented on what footy offers people with intellectual disabilities
Smiles say it all as the Special Olympics come to an end It was just four days of sport, but it showed us so much. The Special Olympics National Games in Adelaide has showcased the abilities of 1200 athletes and left the nation with a greater awareness of intellectual disability. And therein lies the message of the Special Olympics. It’s not about disability; it’s about understanding and acceptance. As the athletes and 900 volunteers head home, the success of the Games is being seen as a perfect springboard to the World Games in the United Arab Emirates next year, and Adelaide has again been lauded as the ideal city to stage a sporting carnival.
“It’s a shame Australian Rules Football is unlikely to ever be an official sport on the internationally structured program of the Special Olympics. As a community game, it’s naturally inclusive.” When a skills clinic was run under the banner of an exhibition sport at the Special Olympics National Games in Adelaide, the attendees were people with intellectual disabilities who face significant challenges in society, but who as footy fans can feel as much a part of the clubs they barrack for as any supporter.
And the same applies when they go out for a kick with their mates. “Australian Rules Football is a great equalizer, anyone can play, anyone can compete,” says Jack, who with other Power players brought their experience to the clinic, which was supported by the club and the Australian Defense Force. “It gives people a connection ... and a pride and satisfaction in achieving their goals.”
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Disability Services Information Day Bell Street Mall Friday 11th May 9am - 3pm We will have several NDIS registered organisations and Allied Health Service professionals in attendance.
To obtain a copy of WhatsUp in Disability magazine or to be an advertiser, please contact WhatsUp via: Office
4/33 Bell Street, Toowoomba
admin@whatsupindisability.org
Phone
4632 6678 7
Red25 - Giving blood feels good
Winter Uniforms
Red25 is a life-saving social responsibility program where workplaces, community groups, schools and universities around Australia unite to save lives through blood donation.
For those staff who have provided us with their sizes, their winter coats or vests have arrived and need to be collected through the office. For those who have not provided their size, please do so immediately for ordering.
Red25 works towards ensuring that 25% of Australia's blood donations are secured. We’re thrilled to have BigDog Support Services join Red25 and I look forward to building a strong working relationship with you, so that we can help save more lives – together! Sandee Thompson
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Commonwealth Games Australia has staged the Commonwealth Games a total of five times – making us the country that has hosted this prestigious event the highest number of times. The Commonwealth Games are held every 4 years and in this time we have witnessed many feats of strength and world records hard won by our sportsmen and women.
By Steven
While many were quick to criticise the Games, I for one was greatly impressed by most of what I saw. This being amazing athletes competing against each other for gold. Watching the finals of the track and field included a number of edge of your seat moments in the relays, javelin, triple jump and the women’s high jump. The Rugby 7’s was as an exciting day as any grand final football day could be, with the Kiwis celebrating their victories with the Haka dance. The closing ceremony, although panned by Channel 7 and others, was a feast of dance and song and if Channel 7 had started broadcasting an hour earlier rather than waiting for a My Kitchen Rules to finish, they would have seen the athletes march onto the ground and heard Kurt Fearnly give an interview on his experience of the games as well as seen him carry the Australian Flag! Congratulations to all the athletes who competed and a special note to Brendan Hall who won gold in the S9 100m backstroke and bronze in the S9 100m freestyle.
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ID Cards We are very excited that we have purchased a card maker to be used for a number of reason but principally to replace our old card ID’s. Mobile IDs are more convenient, while delivering additional functions and efficiencies when compared to physical documents. Features include a digital ID, QR code and activity log in and verification. What is a QR Code? A QR code consists of black squares arranged in a square grid on a white background, which can be read by a smart phone utilising a free to download QR Code Reader App. Updated Phone System Features This month we’ve implemented some additional features on our phone system at the BigDog office. Now, instead of sharing desk phones, we each have our own phone extension which gives us the ability to have individual voicemail inboxes. As you can appreciate with BigDog growing, the job of coordinating all of the moving parts becomes increasingly complex. Up until now, anyone ringing the office has usually had their query addressed by the person who answers the phone. In the office we all have different roles and areas of responsibility, and there is a risk that if someone answers a query or makes an arrangement without knowing all of the facts, confusion can occur which can impact many people. Going forward, you will notice that if your query relates to a specific area of operation (rosters, invoicing, service agreements, for example) your call will be put through to the person responsible for that area. If they are able to take your call, they will answer. If they are not available at that time, you will be able to leave a voicemail asking them to return your call. Please be prepared for this and leave a brief message with your name and best contact number. 11
Communication within the Community
CPR / First Aid Training
Verbal communication is the most powerful asset we have when working in the community. General conversations with participants gives them the opportunity to speak about what is on their mind.
Saturday 23rd June 8am - Noon
Communication between staff will alert each other to what is going on in the house, and issues that might be on the participants mind. You could also use Sling to suggest improvements to the team, greatly benefiting the participant and their care. For conversations between staff, Sling provides group chats. Simply start a conversation that includes all your team members and let the conversation flow.
Darling Downs First Aid will be conducting a training morning to complete HLTAID001 CPR. All staff are required to have current CPR and are required to attend please email ann@bigdogsupport.com to confirm attendance and remember to bring your Unique Student Identifier (USI) which can be obtained from www.usi.gov.au For those wishing to complete the full First Aid Certificate you will need be there for the full day.
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Just a friendly reminder that NOW is the time to get your flu jab. Only $9.95 if done through Chemist Warehouse or approximately $20 from any local pharmacy or GP.
Seasonal influenza is a major global health concern. Worldwide, annual influenza epidemics result in three to five million cases of severe illness, and about 250 thousand deaths each year. In industrialized countries, most deaths associated with influenza occur among our older community members, who are also up to 30 times more likely to be hospitalized due to influenza-related complications. You all play an important role in stopping the spread of flu. As an ex-health services worker who has seen people with severe cases of influenza, I’ll explain why. Getting an annual flu shot is not just good for you but also for the larger community. About 70 percent of the population needs to have the flu vaccine each year to ensure what we call “herd immunity.” That happens when a critical portion of a community is immunized against a contagious disease, thus protecting everyone else. When that occurs, most members of the community, including those who are not vaccinated, are protected against disease because there is little opportunity for an outbreak to spread rapidly. Even those who are did not get vaccinated get some protection because the spread of contagious disease is contained. The World Health Organisation works with labs across the world collecting specimens from hundreds of countries to determine which viruses might be most commonly spread each year. Since flu strains move fairly predictably
around the world, the decision about which strains of flu should be included in the annual vaccine is made months in advance. Once you get your vaccination Influenza antibodies develop in the body after about two weeks and will provide protection against infection with the strains that are included in the vaccine. They may also be of benefit in mitigating symptoms for closely related strains. While the vaccine has been shown to be one of the most important preventive measures against getting the flu, you can do other things, too. Wash your hands. If you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth or nose with your jumper sleeve, or better yet cough into your elbow and not into your hands as this contains almost all of the spray. Avoid those who are ill. If you do become unwell Antiviral medication can help you feel better (i.e Tamiflu medication) but it must be started early in your illness, so call your health provider as soon as symptoms begin. Good advice: Stay home if you have the flu. Better advice: Get a flu shot! Getting the vaccination will not give you the flu. 13
Star Wars Day
Biggest Morning Tea
Friday 4th May
Friday 25th 10am - noon
Since the phrase "May the Force be with you" is a famous quote often spoken in the Star Wars films, fans commonly say "May the fourth be with you" on this day.
Everyone is invited to our Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea event at the Paul Myatt Community Centre, 11-15 Alexander Street North Toowoomba.
Mother’s Day
Let’s get together, enjoy some tasty treats, and together, we will help beat cancer.
Sunday 13th May
Entry is a gold coin donation (or more). RSVP to Sharon by Wednesday 23rd May Toowoomba West Special School Community Expo Friday 25th May 9am - 11am Many Australians follow the Mother’s Day traditions that stem from observances in countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom. The Mother’s Day date in Australia is the same as the date observed in the United States, which is the second Sunday of May each year.
The intent is to provide families with the opportunity to develop an awareness of the supports available in Toowoomba. The BigDog team has been invited to come along and be a part of this celebration.
It is an Australian who is credited with having started the tradition of giving gifts on Mother's Day: Janet Heyden, a resident of Leichhardt Sydney, started a campaign in 1924 to collect gifts for lonely aged mothers. 14
We had people from Disability Services Queensland call in last year to see how our service was going with our clients.
We had one in particular say that the YWCA used to be the place you would go to for functions, sports (it used to be the place in Rocky to be at) and he also mentioned it was where his sister had her wedding reception about 12 years ago. He said the building back then was so modern and ahead of its time with how he had great memories of it being such a beautiful building.
Unfortunately he could not believe how run down it had become and said it was such a shame that it was now in the condition that it is in.
We are currently in discussion with the YWCA on a continuation of our lease and we believe the following should be addressed:
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Filling in the holes in the walls throughout the building
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Painting the internal walls throughout the building
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To repair the room (with the liveable area) next door to remove animal faeces that is all over the room
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Have a working kitchen
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To have some form of security on the building lights etc as there are people that party outside our door every weekend and leave broken glass everywhere which makes it unsafe for clients
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Have a fence to be enable safe overnight area to park the bus
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Have an understanding of what we need to provide as a shared facility. Buying toilet paper/handwash etc that other people using the centre will use as well as us unless we take it in and out of the toilet each day.
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Ventilation in the toilets (exhaust fan) to help eliminate the smell
Day Service Address YWCA Sports Complex 125 Robinson Street, North Rockhampton 4701
Post Office address PO Box 9777
We are working closely with YWCA to come to a suitable set of solutions to continue with our arrangement.
Frenchville 4701 Coordinator Suzanne Smith 0438 724 306 Suzanne@bigdogsupport.com 15
SBS NEWS Sunday 22nd April
Duty of Care obligations?
An 11-year-old severely autistic boy fatally struck by a train in Sydney's south after running away from his carer has been described as a "beautiful angel".
When it comes to people with disabilities protecting the most vulnerable in our community is paramount. In our industry any allegations of abuse, whether it's failure of duty of care by inadvertent omission, an incident of verbal abuse, sexual exploitation or assault will be acted on immediately. As they should be.
Police mounted a large search involving the dog unit and Polair after he ran off at Oatley shops about 7.15pm on Sunday. The boy had been staying at Civic Disability Services Limited, a short-term accommodation facility for children and young people. He was found dead at Oatley railway station about two hours after disappearing. Please be aware of where your participant is at all times.
If an investigation finds the claim to be true you're stood down immediately and interned by a police negligence investigation. The vulnerability of those whom engage the services of disability support workers is unimaginable, they are far more vulnerable than you or I or the general public.
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Single Touch Payroll Starting 1st July 2018, we must use STP-enabled software to report our tax and super information to the ATO. We have this in place and we are ready to go.
What is STP? STP is a streamlined way of reporting to the ATO by sending our employees’ tax and super information direct to the ATO from our payroll solution each time we pay our employees. It is designed to simplify tax and superannuation reporting obligations and, according to the Australian Government, “bring payroll reporting into the 21st century.” What does it all mean?
When we start reporting through STP, we will send our employees’ payroll and super information to the ATO from our payroll solution each payday.
May 9th 17th 21st
22nd 27th
Lachlan S Chris H Angelene S Craig W Hesty T Joel F Rebecca O
Have a great day!
Our payroll cycle will not change and we can still pay our employees on our fortnightly system. Our payment due date for PAYG withholding and super contributions will not change. We may not need to provide our employees with a payment summary at the end of financial year for certain payments that we report through STP. The ATO will make that information available to employees through myGov. While STP will initially only affect employers like BigDog with 20 or more employees, the Government plans to include employers with 19 or fewer employees from 1st July 2019, subject to legislation being passed in parliament. If you have any questions about STP and how it may affect you please talk to your Tax Agent or Accountant. 17
Mayoral Prayer Breakfast
Pub Choir
Rumours International Tuesday 15th May 2018 6:00am - 8:30am The 2018 Mayoral Prayer Breakfast is shaping up to be another great event with three-time Brisbane Lions AFL premiership player and current Gold Coast Suns Head of Development Shaun Hart, pictured, welcomed as the guest speaker. Shaun Hart etched his name as an AFL great by playing in the Brisbane Lions side that won premierships in 2001, 2002 and 2003 and he enjoyed an extraordinary career spanning 273 AFL games with the Brisbane Lions and previously the Brisbane Bears. The breakfast will raise funds for volunteer organisation Toowoomba Community Care Transport Inc. Residents are invited to join the community breakfast. Tickets are $24 for adults and $12 for school aged children. Tickets can be purchased online, by calling 131 872 or in person at Toowoomba's Customer Service Centre 4 Little Street from 8:30am - 5:00pm
Blank Space 291 Ruthven Street Friday 4th May 2018 7pm to late
Pub Choir is travellin' up the range and bringing some singing love to the good folks of Toowoomba. Join us for a night of joyful singing, laughing, and unforgettable fun, at the beautiful venue: Blank Space, 291 Ruthven St. Singing is for everyone, and Pub Choir is here to prove it. Tell a mate, and get the date in your diary! May the 4th be with you! Show runs 7-9pm. 18+ event. $10 cash entry.
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Fresh Futures Market Brisbane City Hall 9th May 2018 11:00am - 6:00pm The event for students with disability across the greater Brisane area who want to plan their post school life. Access services from further education, training, employment, lifestyle, leisure, lifeskills, volunteering, advocacy etc. Bring your parents and schools too! Fingers crossed there will be puppies again too! This free event is being organised by NDCO, Education Queensland, HELP Enterprises, Mylestones Employment, Skillstech, TAFE Qld South West, My Future My Life, Centacare, Inclusive Volunteering, Empowered Futures, Carers Link, Queensland Disability Network, Disability Community Awareness, Focal Community Services, Able Australia, BigDog Support Services and the Independent Schools.
What’s on in May 1st May Tuesday
P2P Team Meeting Nambour
4th May Friday
Pub Choir
9th May Wednesday
Brisbane Fresh Futures Market
11th May Wednesday WhatsUp Bell Street Mall 13th May Sunday
Mothers Day
15th May Tuesday
Mayoral Prayer Breakfast
25th May Friday
Community Services Breakfast Toowoomba West Special School World’s Biggest Morning Tea
Contact Us BigDog Support Services 232 Ruthven Street Toowoomba QLD 4350 PO Box 234 Harlaxton QLD 4350 YWCA Sports Complex 125 Robinson Street North Rockhampton
(07) 4632 9559
1800 22 44 32 0427 408 698 (On Call) admin@bigdogsupport.com Visit us on the web at www.bigdogsupport.com 19
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