May 2020 Newsletter
Coronavirus Self-Isolation for 5 weeks has not effected us at all!!! 1
Newsletter Editor Notes Hi everyone, I would like to provide an update on a number of items specific to the current situation in which we all find ourselves. We have completed our financial reporting as part of our application for Jobkeeper support and we, like other organisations receiving funding from Government Departments, have been advised that we are not eligible for Jobkeeper payments to employees. This is a disappointing result for those employees who have been stood down or are self-isolating but we have managed to maintain a significant number of employees in work and we will make every effort to continue to do so. We have also been able to reinstate some people. We have been notifying everyone that we are open for business and keen to offer flexible forms of support and as participants return, we will be contacting those who have been stood down and seeking their return to work, abet in perhaps a different environment to which they had been used to before. Day Service centres are still closed but we are hopeful that this will soon change. We are subject to Council rulings around Community Centres and I am hopeful that they will be allowed to reopen in the near future. The Centres are available for 1 on 1 supports and are a safe environment in which to spend support time. Stay safe and we will all come out of this crisis stronger and more determined than ever before.
In This Issue 3 Removing Restrictions 4 NDIS Updates 5 NDIS Data and Insights 6 Community NEWS 7 Community Partnerships 8 COVID-19 Safe Workplaces 9 COVIDSafe App 10 Toowoomba Community Centre 11 Rockhampton Group Centre 12 Safety Matters 15 Admin Updates 16 May Events 16 BigDog Services
BigDog Newsletter Privacy Notice: Please note that as a subscriber to our BigDog Newsletter which supplies news and events relevant to this organisation, your email address or any other personal information collected will only be used for the purpose for which you gave it to us and will not be disclosed to any other person, body or agency except where you have provided your consent or it is required or authorised by law. 2
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What we can do Removing Restrictions Following a meeting of National Cabinet, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced three step framework to gradually remove baseline restrictions to enable Australians to live in a COVID-19 safe economy.
• Open homes and auctions for a maximum of 10 people at any one time, and; • Reopening of public pools and lagoons for up to 10 people at any one time, or greater numbers with pre-approved management plan.
National Cabinet is aiming to have a sustainable COVID-19 safe economy in July 2020. This will be subject to strong epidemiology results, testing, tracing and local surge health response capacity.
From Saturday 13th June, under stage 2 easing of restrictions, the following activities will also be permitted:
National Cabinet noted that some health measures will need to be in place for a considerable period of time including social distancing, strong hygiene and international travel restrictions.
• Dining in at restaurants, pubs, clubs, cafés and RSLs for up to 20 patrons at a time with an option for additional patrons if a preapproved management plan is in place, and;
What does that mean for Queensland?
• Holiday travel within your region.
Following another meeting of National Cabinet yesterday, the Queensland Government announced that from Saturday 16th May the following activities will be permitted as part of a state wide plan to ease social distancing restrictions:
Stage 3 easing of restrictions, which is still under review, may include changes to border closures and up to 100 patrons being able to attend a venue at any one time.
• Gatherings of up to 10 people in a public place • Dining in at restaurants, pubs, clubs, RSLs and cafes for a maximum of 10 patrons at as time • Recreational day trips to locations up to 150km from your home
• Gathering at homes with a maximum of 20 visitors;
The impact of these changes will be assessed every four weeks to ensure they don’t cause an increased in COVID-19 infections. Recreational Activities As well as leaving your home for essential reasons, Queenslanders are now able to undertake the following recreational activities within 50 kilometres of home and whilst practising social distancing:
• Reopening of libraries and playground equipment, skate parks and outdoor gyms for a maximum of 10 people at any one time
Go for a drive;
• Weddings guests increased to 10 people and funerals to 20 for indoor services and 30 for outdoor services
Visit a National Park (see below);
Ride a motorbike; Have a picnic; Shop for non-essential items, and; Go fishing, boating or jetskiing. 3
Updates The latest NDIS data is now available on the new-look NDIS Data and Insights website.
Quarterly Report Press release May 2020
The Minister for the NDIS, the Hon Stuart Robert MP, released the COAG Disability Reform Council Quarterly Report for the quarter ending 31st March 2020. Highlights from the latest Quarterly Report include: • 364,879 people with disability are being supported by the Scheme, with 27,426 people joining this past quarter • 30% of new participants are aged 0-6 (8,283 children) and of all the participants with approved plans at 31st March 2020, 15% were children aged 0-6 years • Participants are increasingly diverse, with almost 8% of participants who received a plan this quarter identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, and more than 11% identify as culturally and linguistically diverse • The number of active providers increased by 4% this quarter, despite the COVID-19 challenges providers have faced. This report also highlights the many initiatives the NDIA has introduced to support participants and providers throughout the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. NDIS priority will always be participant health and safety, and ensuring participants can continue to access their essential supports. For more: https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/ publications/quarterly-reports
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Since July 2019, the NDIA has released a range of valuable data for public information and use. This data is part of the Government’s commitment to demonstrate full data transparency of the NDIS with the Australian community. This latest release includes new and refreshed data including four detailed reports: •
Analysis of participants by gender
•
People with an intellectual disability
•
Participant goals
•
An update to the NDIS market report using 31st December 2019 data which now includes 76 service districts compared with 64 at 30th June 2019
Information for providers on market opportunities now includes new interactive geographic maps that show the market concentration of participants and active providers within respective service districts. Participant numbers are also available in the form of count by diagnosis type.
The data gives a picture of the needs, successes and challenges for Australians who live with a disability, those who support them, and those who work within the sector. Further data releases are scheduled for June 2020 and you can register to be alerted when new NDIS data is released. For more: https://data.ndis.gov.au/
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Australia $750 Economic Support Payment
$550 Coronavirus Supplement
This payment is not taxable
This temporary payment is taxable
This means you don’t include it:
This means you:
•
when you report your fortnightly income to receive your Centrelink payment
•
•
in your family income estimate for FTB/ CCS
don’t need to report it as your fortnightly income as it’s part of your Centrelink payment
•
as income in your tax return for 2019-20 financial year
need to include it in your family income estimate for FTB/CCS
•
need to declare it as income in your tax
•
JobSeeker Payment
$1,500 JobKeeper Payment
This payment is taxable
This payment is taxable
This means you:
This means you need to include it:
•
•
when you report your fortnightly income to receive your Centrelink payment
•
in your family income estimate for FTB/ CCS
•
as income in your tax return for 2019-20 financial year
• •
don’t need to report it as your fortnightly income as it’s part of your Centrelink payment need to include it in your family income estimate for FTB/CCS as income in your tax return for 2019-20
Services Australia (formally the Department of Human Services) includes Centrelink, Medicare and Child Support. There are lots of people asking if certain payments are taxable and what is required for tax purposes or income estimates. Hopefully these information blocks to help you understand some of the available payments. There is a temporarily increase the JobSeeker Payment partner income test. From 27th April
your partner can earn up to $3,068 per fortnight before their income stops your payment. Financial Help We may be able to help you financially even if you don’t already get a payment from us. If you already get a payment from us, there’s financial help for people affected by coronavirus. This includes the Coronavirus Supplement and the Economic Support Payment. 5
NEWS BigDog Lawn Maintenance With the recent rains we have found that there are lots of yards that have grass for the first time in months and that grass needs mowing. With this happening BigDog has purchased a new Holden Colorado and a specially designed trailer that can carry our Toro ride-on mower, 2 push mowers, edge cutters and trimmers, blowers and all of the garden maintenance equipment that we need to maintain the smiles on our happy customers.
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Partnerships Uncle Darby Remembered Richard "Darby" McCarthy will be remembered as a trailblazer for Aboriginal sportspeople and a beloved member of the Toowoomba community, according to his family. Tributes have flown for the former jockey and indigenous elder, who passed away at the age of 76. A proud descendant of the Mithika who was born in Cunnamulla as one of 13 children, Uncle Darby grew up to become one of Australia's greatest jockeys. At his peak, he won the Stradbroke Handicap three times between 1963 and 1966, and would later ride in France against the world's best. Nephew Michael McCarthy, who thought of Uncle Darby as more of a brother, said his achievements in sport and life would not be forgotten. "The likes of him, the Lionel Roses and Artie Beetsons, they broke the colour barrier way back in the 1960s.” "He was riding overseas before he was even a citizen of his own country.” "He was one of the happiest, most kind-hearted people I knew. Very generous with his time (and) his energy."
May/Jun Magazine WhatsUp in Disability Stories in this issue include: • Brad’s Magical rebound in life • Coronavirus • 2020 Toowoomba Councilors
To obtain a copy of WhatsUp in Disability magazine or to be a sponsor, please contact WhatsUp via: Office
11-15 Alexander Street, Toowoomba
admin@whatsupindisability.org
Phone
4632 6678
Online
www.whatsupindisability.org
• At home with technology • NDIS Updates • Disability Response Plan • Martin Hoffman NDIA CEO
Steven Paull President 7
Safe Workplaces National Safe Workplace Principles Released 29th April 2020
Recognising that the COVID-19 pandemic is a public health emergency, that all actions in respect of COVID-19 should be founded in expert health advice and that the following principles operate subject to the measures agreed and implemented by governments through the National Cabinet process 1. All workers, regardless of their occupation or how they are engaged, have the right to a healthy and safe working environment. 2. The COVID-19 pandemic requires a uniquely focused approach to work health and safety (WHS) as it applies to businesses, workers and others in the workplace. 3. To keep our workplaces healthy and safe, businesses must, in consultation with workers, and their representatives, assess the way they work to identify, understand and quantify risks and to implement and review control measures to address those risks. 4. As COVID-19 restrictions are gradually relaxed, businesses, workers and other duty holders must work together to adapt and promote safe work practices, consistent with advice from health authorities, to ensure their workplaces are ready for the social distancing and exemplary hygiene measures that will be an important part of the transition. 5. Businesses and workers must actively control against the transmission of COVID-19 while at work, consistent with the latest advice from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC), including considering the application of a hierarchy of 8
appropriate controls where relevant. 6. Businesses and workers must prepare for the possibility that there will be cases of COVID-19 in the workplace and be ready to respond immediately, appropriately, effectively and efficiently, and consistent with advice from health authorities. 7. Existing state and territory jurisdiction of WHS compliance and enforcement remains critical. While acknowledging that individual variations across WHS laws mean approaches in different parts of the country may vary, to ensure business and worker confidence, a commitment to a consistent national approach is key. This includes a commitment to communicating what constitutes best practice in prevention, mitigation and response to the risks presented by COVID-19. 8. Safe Work Australia (SWA), through its tripartite membership, will provide a central hub of WHS guidance and tools that Australian workplaces can use to successfully form the basis of their management of health and safety risks posed by COVID-19. 9. States and Territories ultimately have the role of providing advice, education, compliance and enforcement of WHS and will leverage the use of the SWA central hub in fulfilling their statutory functions. 10.The work of the National COVID-19 Coordination Commission will complement the work of SWA, jurisdictions and health authorities to support industries more broadly to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic appropriately, effectively and safely. www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/covid-19information-workplaces/other-resources/
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COVIDSafe App Why you should use the App Receiving early notification that you may have been exposed to coronavirus means you can be tested or go into quarantine so your health and others’ is protected. Without the assistance of technology, finding people who may have been exposed to the virus relies on people being able to recall who they have been around and knowing the details of every individual they have been in close contact with. In many cases, we don’t know the names and contact details of those we’ve been in close contact with (for example, at the supermarket or on the bus). The contact app uses technology to make this process faster and more accurate.
The contact app has been developed to ensure your information and privacy is strictly protected. A user voluntarily downloads the app from the app store. The user registers to use the app by entering a name, phone number and postcode, and selecting their age range. They will receive a confirmation SMS text message to complete the installation of the app. On the basis of this information, an encrypted reference code is generated for the app on that phone. That code is changed every 2 hours to make it even more secure. The app uses Bluetooth to look for other devices that have the app installed. It takes a note when that occurs, securely logging the other users’ encrypted reference code. The date and time, distance and duration of the contact are generated on the user’s phone and also recorded. The location is not
recorded. This information is securely encrypted and stored on the phone. The app uses a rolling 21 day window to allow for the maximum 14 day incubation period, and the time taken to confirm a positive test result. The rolling 21 day window allows the app to continuously note only those user contacts that occur during the coronavirus incubation window. Contacts that occurred outside of the 21 day window are automatically deleted from the user’s phone. The contact information on the phone is not accessible by anyone (including the user of the phone), until the user is diagnosed with coronavirus and they upload the contact information to a highly secure information storage system. The uploaded information enables state or territory health officials to contact the user and close contacts to provide advice on actions they should take to manage their health. Download the COVIDSafe app in the Apple App Store or Google Play 9
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, BigDog is now using and supplying hand sanitiser as a control measure against the risk of transmission of COVID-19. Alcohol-based hand sanitisers, and some of their ingredients, can be considered hazardous chemicals. For example, ethanol and isopropanol are flammable liquids and can cause severe eye irritation, and hydrogen peroxide is corrosive to the skin and eyes. What is a Safety Data Sheet? A Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is a document that provides important information about hazardous chemicals and is used to assess and manage risks associated with the use of hazardous chemicals in the workplace. It includes information on:
• the chemical's identity and ingredients
Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (WHS Regulation), a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) is required to: • obtain the current SDS for a hazardous chemical from the manufacturer, importer or supplier, and
• ensure that the current SDS for a hazardous chemical is readily accessible to workers involved in using, handling or storing the hazardous chemical at the workplace, and an emergency service worker who is likely to be exposed to the hazardous chemical at the workplace. A hazardous chemical is a substance, mixture or article that satisfies the criteria for a hazard class in the Globally Harmonized System for the Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). Information from Safe Work Australia.
• health and physical hazards • safe handling and storage procedures
Sanifoam E
• emergency procedures, and
Flammable liquid
• disposal considerations.
category 3
Duties to obtain and ensure access to Safety Data Sheets
Eye irritation category 2A
Under section 344 (1) and (3) of the Work BigDog Day Service Toowoomba
Paul Myatt Community Centre 11-15 Alexander Street North Toowoomba 4350 Coordinator Sharon Price Phone: 4512 6020 dayservice@bigdogsupport.com.au 10
BigDog Support Services Magazine
Press the POWER BUTTON, after showing of full screen, the thermometer is now ready for a new measurement.
Aim the thermometer at the centre of the forehead with a distance of 2 to 3 cm and then press the START BUTTON.
Read the temperature on the display. 1. If the temperature reading is below 37.8c, a happy face will be displayed next to the reading. 2. If the temperature reading is 37.8c or above, a bad face will be displayed next to the reading. BigDog Day Service Rockhampton
206 Murray Street, Allenstown, Rockhampton 4701 Coordinator Betty Cowan Phone: 4573 4611 Press the Power Button to turn unit off after testing is complete. If no action is taken, the unit will automatically shut off after 1 minute.
ssmith@bigdogsupport.com.au sheit@bigdogsupport.com.au 11
BigDog ID Cards Included in the Queensland Dept of Communities, Disability Services and Seniors (DCDSS) 'Disability Connect' newsletter this month. Identification requirements for disability support workers accompanying clients in the community There has been some concern expressed about the impact on people with disability of the recent Public Health Direction regarding Home Confinement, Movement and Gathering, in particular the ability of volunteer and paid support workers to accompany clients when accessing the community.
DCDSS has had some very encouraging discussions with the Queensland Police Service (QPS), which has confirmed that people working in paid or voluntary disability support services are considered to be “exempt workers� providing essential services, and they will not be required to produce identifying documents to QPS officers or prove they work for a volunteer agency or non-government organisation when they are either travelling to and from their home and place of work, or in the community supporting their clients. This advice was provided to all QPS officers on 22nd April 2020. Notwithstanding this positive development, DCDSS would suggest it might be prudent for workers to carry their yellow card or other identifying documents with them during the time the Public Health Direction is in force.
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BigDog Support Services Magazine
Staff updates
Birthdays
Administration Offices From the 3rd April 2020 the administration offices will be closed to all staff and participants. Staff and participants will still be able to contact the office via the business telephone on 4632 9559 or the on call numbers outside office hours of 8 am to 4 pm.
Centre-based Group Activities BigDog has now closed all centre-based group activities until we are given the clearance to reopen. We are doing everything we can in keeping our community participants engaged in their support and providing employment to our staff. We are hopeful of a reopening from 16th May when groups of up to 10 people are permitted and from the 13th June when larger groups will be permitted.
May 3rd 5th 7th 16th 21st 22nd 27th 28th 30th
Aleisha S Kahn A Kerrie Christine D Hesty T Joel F Mia P Michelle Ryan T
Have a great day!
Safety Measures Wall mounted hand sanitisers are now installed in Alexander Street and must be used when entering or exiting the centre. Infrared Thermometers are also available and everyone signing into a centre must have their temperature checked and be below 37.8c to enter. Safety kits have been available for some weeks now, so if you don't have yours, call and book one.
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Justice of the Peace This service is available at the Paul Myatt Community Centre 11-15 Alexander Street Toowoomba (please call first to make an appointment) The JPs in the Community Program is also available through major shopping centres, libraries, court houses and hospitals.
Contact Us BigDog Support Services 232 Ruthven Street Toowoomba QLD 4350 PO Box 234 Harlaxton QLD 4350
(07) 4632 9559 1800 22 44 32 0427 408 698 (On Call) www.bigdogsupport.com.au 15
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