October 2020 Newsletter
Dogtober Royal Commission Hike for homeless Mental Health Week 1
Newsletter Editor Notes Queensland State Elections. Queensland’s 2020 general election voting period is from Monday, 19th October to election day on Saturday, 31st October 2020. The Governor has issued a writ requiring a State general election be held on Saturday, 31st October. Key dates for the election, including close of nominations and start of early voting can be viewed on the election timetable. A list of candidates will be available on the ECQ website after the ballot draw on the afternoon of Sunday, 11th October. Early voting will be available from Monday, 19th October until Friday, 30th October 2020. The ECQ is expanding the number and hours of operation of early voting centres across Queensland for the 2020 State general election.
In This Issue 1 Editor Notes 2 Royal Commission
The ECQ opened postal vote applications early, from Monday, 14th September to Friday, 16th October 2020, to allow more time for electors to apply. Postal votes will be sent to electors following the close of candidate nominations and ballot paper draw on Sunday, 11th October 2020.
4 NDIS Updates
Any elector can apply for a postal vote online, by calling 1300 881 665 or by returning the form by Friday 16th October.
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If I can make any recommendation to our readers I would ask that you please make your vote count.
15 Admin Updates
5 Federal Budget 6 Commission Investigation 8 Community News 9 Community Partnerships 11 Rockhampton Community Centre 12 Safety Matters 16 OctoberEvents 16 What’s Happening at BigDog
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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Commission Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability September 2020 The aim of the report is to describe the international human rights context in which the Royal Commission operates. The Royal Commission has been established with Terms of Reference that explicitly recognise the obligations contained in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. There has been evidence for many years about the unacceptable levels of all forms of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation against people with disability, which led to the campaign for the Royal Commission. This campaign can be understood in the context of the broader experience of inequality, discrimination and segregation that has defined the lives of people with disability. The experience of inequality, discrimination and segregation was the catalyst and the frame of reference for the emergence of the disability rights movement in the 1960s and 1970s. Section 4 of the report outlines the critical role of this movement in the formulation of a new conceptualisation of disability, now known as the social model of disability. This social model formed the basis for critical disability analysis and concerted disability advocacy over many years, and was central to the push for the development of a human rights convention on disability. It outlines the failures of existing international
human rights law prior to the CRPD, in addressing the inequality, discrimination and segregation experienced by people with disability. These failures were based on the prevailing medical model of disability, which framed disability as an individual deficit, a deviation from bodily, cognitive and mental norms that requires care, treatment and protection. This ableist normative standard was the basis for limiting or denying the human rights of people with disability. Influenced by the disability rights movement, international human rights law slowly began to recognise disability as a fundamental human rights issue from the early 1970s. Although the subject of disability formed part of international human rights instruments, commentators have remarked that prior to the CRPD, disability was an invisible element of binding international human rights law. Disability is not identified as an area of concern in the founding international human rights instruments. The motto – ‘Nothing About Us, Without Us’ – needs to be central to this endeavour, with people with disability and DPOs involved as valued partners in full recognition of the integral role played by the disability movement in changing the human rights normative standards for people with disability and in negotiating the CRPD. The social transformation needs to include the recognition that impairment is valued as part of human diversity and human dignity, and therefore people with disability are critical to all aspects of life, leading to a new motto, ‘Nothing Without Us’.
Nothing without us 3
Updates Younger People living in Aged Care Media release from the Minister 30 September 2020 The Australian Government announced new funding and a strategy for reducing the number of younger people living in residential aged care. Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, Stuart Robert, and Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, Senator Richard Colbeck said the initiative includes $10.6m in the 2020-21 Budget for a national network of system coordinators to help younger people find age appropriate accommodation and supports to allow them to live independently in the community. Minister Robert said the Younger People in Residential Aged Care (YPIRAC) Strategy charts the course to meet the strengthened targets set by the Government in late 2019 and builds upon the YPIRAC Action Plan released in March 2019. ‘The Australian Government is committed to ensuring no younger person needs to live in residential aged care,’ Mr Robert said. The YPIRAC targets seek to ensure, apart from in exceptional circumstances, there are no people under the age of 65 entering residential aged care by 2022; no people under the age of 45 living in residential aged care by 2022; and no people under the age of 65 living in residential aged care by 2025. ‘The experiences and needs of younger people living in residential aged care, their families and carers, are central to this strategy,’ Mr Robert said. 4
‘It recognises and prioritises the rights of younger people to determine where and how they choose to live. ‘Priority areas of work have been co designed with key stakeholders, with input from state and territory governments. ‘These include supporting greater choice and control, improving pathways and linkages across the disability, aged care, housing and health systems, and providing age-appropriate accommodation and ongoing support options. ‘Under the NDIS, we have seen significant progress in reducing the number of participants in residential aged care.’ From the launch of the Government’s YPIRAC Action Plan there has been a 39% reduction in younger people entering residential aged care from 407 to 247, a 22% reduction in people under the age of 45 living in residential aged care from 167 to 130, and a 15% reduction in people under the age of 65 living in residential aged care from 5,715 to 4,860. Minister Colbeck said the system coordinator initiative, funded in the 2020-21 Budget, will assist the Government to achieve and report against the targets in the YPIRAC Strategy. ‘As part of the 2020-21 Budget, the Government is establishing a national network of up to 40 system coordinators to directly help younger people living in, or at risk of entry to, residential aged care,’ Senator Colbeck said. People who want to live on their own terms and with independence in the community will be supported to navigate Commonwealth and state and territory systems.
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Budget 2020-21 Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg delivered the 2020-21 Federal Budget, where the main focus was directed toward. • Tax cuts The Government will bring forward the income tax cuts for most income brackets that were scheduled for 2022. The low and middle income tax offset of $1,080 will remain in place for the financial year.
More Funding for the NDIS The Minister’s media release announced the government would provide $3.9 billion more for the NDIS. Some people were a bit sceptical about the announcement. Particularly given what has happened in previous years.
• Superannuation To help members avoid paying additional fees for multiple super accounts, employers will no longer create default super accounts when an employee joins their company. By July 2021 MySuper products will need to do an annual performance test and notify members each year if their fund underperformed. The Government will also release an online comparison tool called YourSuper that will compare the fees and returns for super funds.
But this doesn’t appear to be funny business with the numbers – it appears to be a genuine increase in funding. It is spread across what is called the “forward estimates”. Forward estimates are the government’s best guess about what they think they will spend in the next few years.
• Age Pension and welfare recipients People who are currently receiving certain eligible income support payments and concession cards will receive two additional payments of $250, to be paid in December 2020 and March 2021.
Let’s just look at the main part of the NDIS – what the budget papers call “reasonable and necessary support for participants”. In other words – funds for people’s NDIS plans.
• Creating jobs The Government intends to grow the economy in 2021/2022 by creating job opportunities in sectors such as manufacturing, infrastructure, medicine, recycling, food, defence, farming and tourism. There will also be a focus on increasing female workforce participation. • Health services To help look after vulnerable Australians, there will be additional funding for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, mental health and suicide prevention, and the Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme.
If you compare the forward estimates from last year’s budget papers with the forward estimates in this year’s papers you can see the amounts have increased.
So that’s some good news. Every year the scheme gets a little bit bigger – there are more people in the scheme, and a little bit of inflation and wage growth means things can cost more. The extra funding means there is more money for those things without the need to reduce everyone’s funding. But (there’s always a but) what the figures also show is that the government certainly intends to limit growth. Because after a while (basically once they are sure transition is finished) the funding pretty much flatlines – there is only a little bit of growth. The NDIS remains underspent and yet underfunded. 5
Investigation Aged Care Findings Matthew Newton Toowoomba Chronicle Commission finds Blue Care Toowoomba used chemical restraints without consent More than 20 residents of a Toowoomba aged care facility were being chemically restrained with psychotropic medication without consent or medical authorisation, a report has found. The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission performed a site visit of Blue Care Toowoomba over two days on August 6 and 7 and found the service was non-compliant with two Aged Care Quality and Safety Standards. Commission officers found 21 residents were receiving “psychotropic medication as a form of chemical restraint” but Blue Care “had not identified these consumers were receiving chemical restraint and therefore had not sought consent of medical authorisation for the use of the restraint”. “Care planning directives do not provide guidance for staff in relation to the appropriate use of the restraint,” the report said. Blue Care did not refute the findings of the report and said consent would be obtained for all residents prescribed chemical restraints and care planning directives would be updated.
Other issues around a non-functioning call bell for a high falls risk resident, a lack of documentation around monitoring of the same resident’s blood glucose levels, as well as a lack of wound care documentation and inconsistent monitoring of fluid intake for two residents were identified by the commission. Blue Care committed to rectifying those issues, the report said. 6
Cancel culture is rife. And in almost all cases it does nothing to create any meaningful change. This year alone, some of the victims of cancel culture include Coon cheese, Pauls Smarter White Milk, Red Skins and Chicos lollies, episodes of kids' tv show Bluey, comedy shows by Chris Lilley and statues of Captain James Cook. Canadian dairy company Saputo’s decision to bow to misguided political pressure over the name of a much-loved brand of cheese - Coon - will do nothing to advance the interests of indigenous Australians, Robbie Katter MP said.
Mr Katter said Saputo’s decision to retire the “Coon” cheese brand, named after founder Edward William Coon, after 94 years was virtue-signalling at its most grotesque. He said the decision, which disregards the true origins of the name, was an insult to history and to those working on solutions to the real struggles facing indigenous Australians in 2020.
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Cars for a Cause An initiative of Toowoomba Kia Toowoomba Kia’s Cars for a Cause is a community-focused initiative which provides an uncapped opportunity to raise funds for selected partner support groups, teams and clubs. As a proud Toowoomba business, we are privileged to be able to work with other local organisations to provide one another with community support and awareness. How does it work? Refer anyone (friend, family member, colleague, teammate) to Toowoomba Kia for their next new car, and if they purchase we will donate $200* towards your organisation. The referral must mention Cars for a Cause prior to delivery of their new vehicle and nominate one of the below partner organisations.
Sedan, Seltos, Sportage, Sorento and Carnival, plus Australia’s best 7 Year Warranty, Toowoomba Kia has something for just about everyone, so don’t hesitate to refer your family and friends to us and receive this great incentive for your partner organisation. Want to become a Cars for a Cause partner organisation? If your support group, team or club is not yet a partner of Cars for a Cause, but would like to be, simply contact us to express an interest and find out more. *Terms and conditions apply. Referral of a Cars for a Cause partner organisation must be formally expressed to Toowoomba Kia prior to final sale. Vehicle sold must be a new or demonstrator vehicle to be eligible. For full terms and conditions contact Toowoomba Kia.
Why choose Toowoomba Kia? With an exciting range of vehicles to choose from including Picanto, Rio, Cerato Hatch and
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NEWS I’m Hiking for Homeless Hike for Homeless is aimed at raising awareness of homelessness in Toowoomba and much needed funds to ensure the Basement Soup Kitchen can continue to provide lunch time meals, blankets, clothing and essential services to people who are homeless or at high risk of homelessness in Toowoomba. BigDog have put together a team of hikers to participate in this event on Saturday 24th October at 6am at Jubilee Park, Bridge Street. Visit the following link and support us by making a donation to this vitally important fundraising event. https://www.mycause.com.au/page/237533/bigdog-support-services
Queens Park Market Sunday 18th Twisted Potatoes and Dutch Poffertjes will be back at our market this month. There will also be a sausage sizzle provided by WhatsUp in Disability - raising funds for their community centre. 8am to 1pm 3rd Sunday every month Frog’s Hollow Hume Street Toowoomba Supporting WhatsUp in Disability
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Partnerships
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WhatsUp in Disability
Sep/Oct Magazine Stories in this issue include: • John Elliott • Carnival of Flowers • Cars for a Cause • National Disability Strategy • NDIS Updates 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
Online
www.whatsupindisability.org
• DSW Survey Results • No Card No Start • Face Masks and other PPE
Steven Paull President 9
The Big Cow The Big Cow was built in the 1970s to attract tourists to a working dairy farm at 9-11 Ayrshire Rd. It is one of the many Australian Big Things. It was sculpted by Hugh Anderson, who also sculpted the Big Bulls in Rockhampton. The Big Cow is seven times the size of an Ayrshire cow on which it is modelled. It is made of concrete and described as "able to withstand a cyclone". After the dairy farm closed, the Big Cow remained on the property which was used for a variety of purposes. In March 2016, the Big Cow was described as "closed and fallen into disrepair". Owners of Maritime Career Training Barry and Margaret Barnes donated the Big Cow to Highfields Pioneer Village in 2019 and on the 10th of January 2020 the Big Cow was moooved to Highfields thanks to startup finding from Clive Berghofer and the generous assistance of Universal Cranes, George's Loader Hire, Chetty's Excavations, Doug's Shade Sheds and Sugden Cranes. Due to it's massive size the cow had to be cut into two pieces.
Congratulations to Tasha Grundon from the South Toowoomba AFC who played her 100th game for the Bombers in a Preliminary Final! What a great achievement this is, Tasha is the only woman in the Darling Downs competition to reach 100 games.
The Big Cow was officially opened by Mr. Clive Berghofer AM on the 20th of September 2020. 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
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Façade Improvement Scheme Rockhampton Regional Council has developed a Façade Improvement Scheme to encourage property and business owners with defined areas in the Rockhampton CBD and Mount Morgan Centre to invest in façade renovations and shopfront improvements using Council funded grants. One grant per property, being up to 50% of façade improvement costs to a maximum of $5,000 (inclusive of GST), will be available to property and business owners when undertaking eligible works. Funding will be allocated on a case-by-case basis subject to Council approval until an allocated budget has been spent or the scheme year has ended. The Scheme promotes the use of local businesses and tradespeople, obtained through an expression of interest process, who specialise in shopfront design and refurbishment.
Benefits of the Façade Improvement Scheme include:
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Promote the viability commercial businesses;
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Help building owners to attract and retain tenants;
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Contribute to the quality of life of residents, workers and visitors to the area;
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Make shopping streets more inviting and interesting places to work and shop; and
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Build local community and civic pride among the business community and people of the Rockhampton region.
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We are looking forward to working with Advance Rockhampton in developing a restoration program for the historic façade of our building in East Street. We are pleased that our application for a wheelchair parking area has been approved and will begin construction soon. We are also working with Council to have an external wheelchair ramp built on the outside of our building that will lead to the new entrance.
BigDog Day Service Rockhampton
Manderson’s Dance Centre 170 East Street Rockhampton 4700
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206 Murray Street, Allenstown 4701 Manager Suzanne Smith Phone: 4573 4611 rockhampton@bigdogsupport.com.au 11
October is National Safe Work Month Safe Work Australia is the national policy agency responsible for WHS and workers’ compensation arrangements in Australia. Since 2009, they run a national campaign each October to raise awareness of WHS and provide resources for Australian workplaces to run their own events. Individuals, their families and the broader community are all impacted by work-related injury and illness. Last year in Australia, Safe Work Australia preliminary data shows that around 180 people died while doing their job. Around 107,000 people made a workers’ compensation claim for serious injury or illness in 2017-18.
FCF Fire Safety Training We have recently engaged FCF to manage our fire safety program which includes fire extinguisher placement and regular safety audits in our offices, homes and company cars. They have offered us free access to their online first response fire safety training. You can access the course here: Fire Safety Training (https:// firetrainingonline.fcfnational.com.au/courses/ fire-safety-training/). A token number is required and will be sent out through our email program.
No one should be unsafe at work and no injury or death is acceptable. There is more that we can do, and together we can make a difference. This is why, during October each year businesses, employers and workers across Australia to join National Safe Work Month and commit to building safe and healthy workplaces for all Australians. This year’s theme, Work Health and Safety through COVID-19, acknowledges and reflects the wide-reaching impacts of COVID-19 on Australian businesses, employers and workers. The National Safe Work Month theme highlights the WHS challenges, as well as the positive outcomes brought on by the pandemic and the significant role WHS plays in keeping workers safe and preventing the spread of COVID-19. 12
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Have your say We greatly appreciate people utilising this App to let us know what they think we can do to assist in making their job more enjoyable, meaningful or appreciated.
Staff Birthdays
Some of this month’s suggestions include:
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I think there should be 5 minute staff meetings on update's about their clients
This is not always possible, especially when there is a last minute replacement due to sickness or unavailability. There are specific instructions included on your roster for the shift. We don’t always receive reliable or detailed information about our participants, and in some cases we are not even provided with a copy of their goals. Staff can always ask for relevant details.
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Cars should be more cleaner as it's very hard to see through windscreens back and front
There are a lot of things that are required to maintain a fleet of vehicles and we utilise the services of an insurance broker to maintain our fleet insurance, a fleet manager to ensure that all vehicles are registered and serviced according to log book requirements, roadside assist to ensure that you are not left at the side of the road without access to help, BP to ensure that vehicles are fuelled, an account with a car cleaning centre and a sanitiser kit in each office in accordance with our COVID-19 plan.
October 2020 4th 5th 6th 8th 10th 11th 12th 21st 24th 29th
Jenteale Richard N Benoni G Louise A Rob C Merin K Geraldine Steven P Sonya C Michelle S
Have a great day!
The driver’s responsibility is to ensure that they have a valid driver’s licence, that the vehicle is clean, all foreign items are removed and that passengers do not eat, drink or smoke in the vehicle.
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More input on handover's if anything needs to be done or said
Staff should present at a shift 10 minutes prior to commencement to ensure that an appropriate handover can be done. Be forthright and ask or check the details. 13
October is Dogtober, a month-long event to raise money for Dogs for Good. This year we need your support more than ever before, so read on and see which activity is best for you. It’s time to celebrate every dog, not only ours. Incredible things happen when you bring people and dogs together. If you have a dog in your life, you’ll know the joy and simple pleasures they can bring to us, especially during these difficult times…
Dogtober is a time for fun but has a serious outcome. We get over 5,000 requests for help each year and desperately need more funds to help more people. Please use Dogtober as an opportunity to tell others about our work. You can do this by sharing our success stories and blogs. Let’s make Dogtober the most fun month of the year! 14
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Carers Queensland’s Carer Friendly Business Awards (CFBA) recognise and celebrate employers, employees, and businesses that go the extra mile to make life better for carers. Each year, we invite carers to nominate businesses who deserve recognition for exceptional service or carer friendly employment practices. Nominations are for Queensland only, and made under the following three categories: • GREAT Employer • GREAT Employee • GREAT Business This is the opportunity to say “thank you” for making a positive difference to a carer’s life. When are winners announced? State winners and the carers who nominated them will be announced as part of our Carers Week celebrations between 11 – 17 October 2020. Nominate a business today! To nominate, please check out our website and complete the form at: carersqld.com.au/cfba Nominations close 25th September 2020
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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