2011/12 Annual Report by Brain Injury Association of Tasmania

AANNUAL N N U A LREPORT REPORT

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2011 | 12

BRAIN INJURY ASSOCIATION TASMANIA BRAIN OF INJURY ASSOCIATION OF TASMANIA “When meditating over a disease, I never think of a remedy for it, but instead, a means of preventing it”

"When medita�ng over a disease, I never think of a remedy for it, Louis Pasteur 1822 - 1895

CONTENTS

OVERVIEW − OUR MISSION − OUR OBJECTIVES − OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES

REPORTS − PRESIDENT’S REPORT − TREASURER’S REPORT − EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S REPORT

ACTIVITIES FINANCIALS

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OVERVIEW MISSION STATEMENT BIAT exists to improve the quality of life for people living with or affected by acquired brain injury in Tasmania, raise awareness of brain injury and reduce the incidence. To achieve this overall aim BIAT will: - promote awareness and understanding of the impact of acquired brain injury (ABI) to families, communities, and service providers through training, education and resources; and -

advocate to address systemic issues which impact on people living with or affected by ABI both at state level and, through membership of Brain Injury Australia, at federal level.

OBJECTIVES -

Position the Brain Injury Association of Tasmania as an effective, relevant peak body in the eyes of government, industry service providers and the general public;

Promote and advance the rights of Tasmanians living with or affected by acquired brain injury;

Actively facilitate the ongoing development of a service system that is responsive to the needs of people living with acquired brain injury; and

Play a key role in activities that contribute to a community that is more informed about acquired brain injury.

Organisations are still struggling with a system that is decades old and founded on intellectual disability and the medical model. We need a fundamental change in service delivery; one based on the needs of the individual, where the cost of care is not just measured in dollars spent, but also in dollars saved and outcomes for clients.”

Synapse (The Brain Injury Association of Queensland) Annual Report 2012

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“a disability sector in need of rehabilitation…

GUIDING PRINCIPALS Responsiveness: To be responsive to the needs of people living with acquired brain injury, promoting their participation in the life of the community, keeping them informed about their options and choices, and systemically advocating for their needs. Collaboration: To work/partner with other relevant groups to bring about positive change and build a greater understanding of the needs of people living with or affected by acquired brain injury across the community. Influence: To utilise our detailed knowledge of the experience of people living with or affected by acquired brain injury to inform policy development within government and other relevant bodies. Quality and Professionalism: To maintain the highest quality in the development of information resources and the provision of our services. Sustainability: To ensure the continued growth of BIAT to fulfil its commitments and meet the wide range of needs and expectations of our membership and the community.

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Dr Roger Chung

President Brain Injury Association of Tasmania

PRESIDENTS REPORT It has been my great pleasure to serve as President of the Brain Injury Association of Tasmania during 2012. As we are all aware, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and the National Injury Insurance Scheme (NIIS) represent an important opportunity for us to work with the Federal and State governments to improve the access and quality of care provided to Tasmanians living with or affected by acquired brain injury. BIAT has been working in partnership with Brain Injury Australia and other state brain injury organisations to ensure that there is a strong and co-ordinated representation of brain injury in the implementation of the NDIS and NIIS schemes. The role out of the NDIS trial sites occurs in 2013, and it will be a major focus for BIAT into 2013 to contribute towards ensuring that the NDIS benefits Tasmanians living with acquired brain injury. During 2012, BIAT delivered Synapse Training in partnership with Synapse (Queensland) with funding support from the MAIB. This has been a highly successful program and we are looking at not only continuing it into 2013, but also developing it into a national training program. This year was also the second time that the annual national Bang-on-a-beanie campaign was held during Brain Injury Awareness week. A highlight of this campaign was the Prime Minister wearing a campaign Beanie in support of Australians living with acquired brain injury! This is my last year serving as President of BIAT, and it has been my great privilege to have chaired the Committee of Management over the past years. It has not always been easy, however BIAT has always represented a strong voice for all Tasmanians living with or affected by acquired brain injury, and our knowledge and experience in this sector will be critical over the next 12 months as the NDIS trial sites open. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to congratulate BIAT, the Committee of Management, our staff and particularly Deb on her tireless work on all of our collective achievements during my time as President of BIAT. Page 6 | Brain Injury Association of Tasmania Annual Report

A NEW STRATEGIC PLAN 2012 - 2014

In February 2012, BIAT released a new strategic plan. The plan provides strategic direction, focus and clarity for our organisation moving forward, and a blueprint for using our resources wisely to ensure BIAT achieves its mission. Holding a vision for a bright future, our new Strategic Plan encompasses four key action areas that will guide BIAT’s activities for the next three years. The Plan has now become an integral part of the organisation as the Goals, Strategies and Measures are woven into every aspect of planning and reporting. In addition to embracing goals and priorities, the plan reaffirms BIAT’s commitment to achieving and maintaining the highest standards of management excellence, and of financial and other organisation accountability and effectiveness. The four key action areas and goals, as defined in the Strategic Plan, are:

KEY RESULT AREAS

Community Engagement and Public Policy Goal: - Community-driven public policy change realised

Professional Support Goal: - Achieve broad workforce understanding of acquired brain injury

Sharing Knowledge Goal: - A community that is informed about acquired brain injury

Organisational Capacity Goal: - Strengthen BIAT’s infrastructure, and build our resource base and skills to deliver on BIAT’s purpose

A full version of the Plan is available at www.biat.org.au

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DEBORAH BYRNE

EO Brain Injury Association of Tasmania

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS REPORT It is with much pleasure that I present my 10th Brain Injury Association of Tasmania (BIAT) Executive Officer’s report. BIAT has faced considerable change in recent times, and there is certainly more ahead! It has definitely been another busy and challenging year for BIAT as we move closer to the implementation of both a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and National Injury Insurance Scheme (NIIS). As the President has reported, BIAT has worked, and will continue to work, closely with Brain Injury Australia to ensure that Australians living with or affected by brain injury will not be disadvantaged, in any way, by the NDIS. As in previous years, more detailed information on key activities undertaken by BIAT during the past year is provided in the ‘Activities’ section of this Report. I am confident BIAT’s 2012-2014 Strategic Plan will realise the ambitions it sets out, and strongly positions BIAT for the future. The new Strategic Plan affirms our commitment to a fully inclusive community where people living with brain injury live the life they choose. Change, over coming years, is inevitable and is going to be a necessity. Even though change invokes fear for some within our sector, BIAT views it an opportunity for new challenges and increased strength. Change has also challenged BIAT with the impact of funding cuts made by the State Government. BIAT share the Government’s commitment to improve accountability and know, in the coming years, we will certainly be held to greater account by our funders who will require us to deliver outcomes rather than throughputs. BIAT however intend to do much more than simply meet contracts; we will define the outcomes that we want to achieve for Tasmanian living with brain injury – the outcomes we know will truly empower individuals and bring about changes that will have a real impact. As the peak body with the primary role of representing core issues to government, service providers and the broader community through systemic advocacy and lobbying, BIAT has worked hard over the past 12 months to ensure strong representation for the ABI sector, and to build its organisation profile and reputation. Significant representation and input were provided at the state level through participation in working groups, membership on key bodies, submissions, correspondence and formal and informal networking.

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Organisationally, we have established a strong, experienced Committee of Management who have reviewed BIAT’s governance and reporting requirements with a view to improved transparency, innovation and best practice. Nationally the Brain Injury EO Network continues to be a valuable source of peer support, and an opportunity for collaborative work to strengthen state and/or national projects. The network also provides an important mechanism for the exchange of ideas and lessons learnt on best practice and emerging issues in brain injury, between peak state and territory brain injury organisations. Tasmanians living with acquired brain injury cite a lack of community awareness and understanding of acquired brain injury as one of the biggest barriers to their inclusion in, and acceptance by, the community; social isolation is a significant problem for many people and families living with the effects of brain injury. Through our work and the work of our affiliates across Australia, we know current statistics grossly underestimate the real numbers of people living with brain injury, and that many people with an ABI are either misdiagnosed or undiagnosed. With prevention currently the only cure for brain injury, funds raised from the sale of BANGONABEANIE Campaign products will be used by BIAT to enhance community awareness and understanding of ABI, while also promoting prevention where possible. A substantial gap exists in Tasmania in the area of children and ABI. Recognising the need to work towards addressing this issue, BIAT partnered with psychologists Tracey Dean and Sari O’Meagher in establishing a Paediatric TBI Network, with the first meeting held in March 2011. The objective of the network is to provide an opportunity for people working with children with TBI and their families to share their knowledge and experience regarding current service delivery in southern Tasmania. The network determined development of a ‘pathways’ document for children with brain injury to be a priority; this compliments the ‘Mapping Project’ work currently being undertaken by BIAT. BIAT recognise the need to be open to change and to ensure that our services are strengthened. We understand now is the time for BIAT to know its business, understand its strengths, weakness and outcomes in the community, and to position the organisation in readiness for the changes that lie ahead. The Brain Injury Association of Tasmania is determined to enhance peoples’ lives through support, advocacy, partnership, education, information and choice. In closing I would like to take this opportunity to thank members of the Committee of Management – Roger, Dario, Sue, Leanne, Mark and Lucinda - for their continued support throughout the year, and to sincerely thank Lynda, Dominic, Lea, Alf, Nick, Stuart, Michael and Susan for their commitment and enthusiasm in bringing to fruition the programs and operational changes that continue to keep BIAT at the forefront of organisations working for Tasmanians living with or affected by brain injury. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Synapse, particularly CEO Jennifer Cullen, for their mentoring and support of BIAT during the past year. I believe we continue to do some pretty amazing work despite the financial pressures that have been facing us for some years. I am confident that BIAT is well positioned to take on our future, its challenges and opportunities.

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TRAINING The Brain Injury Association of Tasmania (BIAT) in partnership with Synapse Training has shown the tyranny of distance is no obstacle when you both work to the same outcomes “Tasmanian based organisations and the general public (statewide) have clearly indicated the need for a significant increase in opportunities to access education/training regarding brain injury.”

(Brain Injury Association of Tasmania Final Community Consultation Issues Paper, April 2006 ‘Acquired Brain Injury Issues…? Solutions…?)

As reported last year, BIAT was successful in obtaining funding for a two year training/education project. The Motor Accident Insurance Board (MAIB) Injury Prevention and Management Foundation (IPMF) funded initiative proposed to, in partnership with Synapse (Brain Injury Association of Queensland), establish Synapse Training Tasmania to develop and deliver a range of specifically tailored ABI education/training sessions from July 2011 to June 2013 to: -

support generic and specialist agencies to improve service responsiveness for people with acquired brain injury, across the full spectrum of care;

assist family members to understand brain injury and their ability to cope with and contribute to the rehabilitation process of their family member; and

provide opportunities for the general community to become more aware of the impacts of, and complexities surrounding, acquired brain injury.

During the first year of the project:-

a Memorandum of Understanding between Synapse and BIAT was developed and signed by both organisations. BIAT and Synapse training staff met on several occasions to work through comparing the existing suite of training programs offered by both organisations to consolidate, update and rebadge the training packages;

17 ABI workshops were conducted across Tasmania. These included:- Introduction to Acquired Brain Injury; Working with concurrent ABI, Alcohol and other Drug, and Mental Health Conditions; Working with People with ABI – Understanding and Responding to Behaviour; Promoting Positive Sexual Adjustment after Acquired Brain Injury; Challenges in Meeting the Mental Health Needs of People with Traumatic Brain Injury; and Acquired Brain Injury for Key ABI Service Providers; and

BIAT worked closely with the Mental Health Council and more particularly the Alcohol, Tobacco and other Drugs Council in the marketing and administration of a significant portion of the training provided.

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SUSTAINABILITY 315 people attended Synapse Training brain injury workshops during the past year at an average cost to the Project of $115.00 per person. The Project partners believe this represents excellent value and demonstrates sustainability of this type of training into the future. EVALUATION Participants were asked to assess their level of knowledge, confidence and ability against a range of areas before the training, and then again after the training. An increase in participant’s knowledge and/or understanding of the various aspects of acquired brain injury was achieved in all of the training sessions provided. A high percentage of participants rated the facilitator’s knowledge of the subject, ability to train, and ability to involve all participants as excellent or very good. The relevance of the content to participant’s work was also rated very highly. RECOMMENDATIONS The Project partners believe there is considerable merit in the development an evaluation process which provides feedback on both the impact the training has had within participant’s organisations and on the lives of people living with or affected by brain injury. A full copy of the Synapse Training Tasmania First Year Report is available at www.biat.org.au BIAT would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank Mark Lamont for his dedication and contribution to developing, delivering and refining the workshops conducted to date.

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“Raising community awareness of brain injury is crucial in the lives of people living with ABI in order that they can receive appropriate and timely services and support. It is also essential in the prevention of ABI, as prevention is the only known cure for brain injury”.

(Acquired Brain Injury & Suicide: Cause for Alarm October 2007).

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EDUCATING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE The Brain Injury Association of Tasmania (BIAT) has a role in educating the community about brain injury – how it can happen, and the consequences that may result from acquired brain injury. It is especially concerned about educating those most at risk of brain injury - young people. Of all demographic groups, young people most urgently need to hear messages about injury prevention. Unfortunately, it is this group that is usually the least receptive; hence the need for prevention programs that are appropriate and relevant to the target group. Over 40% of people who sustain a brain injury each year are young people aged between 15 and 24 with many occurring as a result of risk taking behaviour or the attitude “it won’t happen to me”. Sadly it does happen all too often. The result can be devastating to the entire family involved, as well as impacting on the wider community. The aim of BIAT’s brain injury prevention and awareness programs is to make young people more aware of:- the causes of brain injury; the long-term impact of brain injury on their lives and the lives of their families, friends etc; and ways in which the risk of incurring a brain injury can be avoided. By presenting to young people at risk of sustaining traumatic brain injury, BIAT hope to influence their attitudes and risk taking behaviour. BIAT believe participants of brain injury community education and prevention programs will gain a greater awareness of the potential outcomes of high-risk behaviour and make alternative choices.

CUSTODY FOR LIFE TM Undertaking a high risk activity (drink driving, speeding, assault, driving without a licence etc) may ‘earn’ young people a custodial sentence - either at Ashley Detention Centre or Risdon Prison; their sentence usually being for a defined period of time. An acquired brain injury, as an outcome of high risk behaviour, is a ‘sentence’ for life as there is no cure for brain injury.

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In a decision to better utilise the BIAT EO’s time and ensure resources were dedicated appropriately, the BIAT Committee of Management determined the Custody for Life™ (CFL) and Heads Up 2 Brain Injury programs should be ‘outsourced’. CFL sessions in the South are now facilitated by BIAT Education Officer Lynda Moss and are still held on the last Friday of each month. Attendance, and feedback particularly, have been good over the past year. Lynda has administrative responsibility for co-ordination of the CFL sessions in the North which are delivered by Paul Mansfield from TABIS. Lynda and Paul met regularly during the past year to work on the Custody for Life™ and HU2BI programs.

HEADS UP 2 BRAIN INJURY

A complete review of the Heads Up 2 Brain Injury (HU2BI) program was undertaken by Paul and Lynda; this identified key areas for improvement. Determining that the Grade 10 timetable was already overstretched, including attendance at RYDA, it was decided to target Grade 9 students for the 2011-12 year. Improvements were made to the HU2BI program to ensure it was engaging for students, found the right balance between facts, figures and visuals, and encouraged students to really stop and think. The program has been delivered to a range of schools during the past year including :- Ashley Detention Centre (school), St Patricks College, Montrose Bay High School, Tarremah Steiner School, Hutchins, New Town High School, Dominic College, Sorell, Scottsdale, Huonville and Collegiate. Schools have been overwhelmingly satisfied with the experience with some expressing amazement that students who are known to struggle with their attention span and behaviour have interacted and been engaged for almost 2 hours.

ROTARY YOUTH DRIVER AWARENESS

16 days of RYDA Crash Survivor sessions, at a rate of 3 per day, were conducted by BIAT over a 4 week period in March and April of this year. The feedback received from both RYDA (NSW) management and the local Rotary organisations running the program was again very positive:- “The Crash Survivor presentation by Lynda, Alf and Michael was most professional and was compelling for the students”.

Pivotal to the success of all BIAT programs, and clearly supported by the feedback received to date, is the involvement of people with an acquired brain injury that young people can relate to, “telling their story”. Young people sit up and take notice when people who have been involved in serious accidents tell how it happened and what the consequences have been. The attitude of “it won’t happen to me” is replaced by an awareness of the consequences of their life choices and with compassion and respect for individuals who have sustained brain injury.

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BRAIN INJURY AWARENESS WEEK In addition to raising awareness of acquired brain injury through the Bangonabeanie campaign, the focus of national Brain Injury Awareness Week 2011 was on ABI and Criminal Justice. “While the problems they experience with their thinking and behaviour place them at the highest risk of re-offending – and re-incarceration – ABI gets very little recognition throughout the criminal justice system. Prisoners with an ABI rarely qualify for programs that might help them stay out of prison, or for offender rehabilitation programs that might help stop them from returning there. And while prison costs more than $200 per inmate per day, Australian government are not investing in services and supports to prevent people with ABI from committing crime in the first place.” (Brain Injury Australia Annual Report 2012) Activities facilitated by BIAT to promote Brain Injury Awareness Week 2011 included:

Hosting the Mental Health Council of Tasmania CEO/EO Network Meeting Lunch. This was attended by 9 Network members with guest speaker, Dr Grahame Simpson, addressing the meeting on the topic of ABI & suicide and co-morbidity.

Two x 1/2 day workshops facilitated by Dr Grahame Simpson – Promoting Positive Sexual Adjustment after Acquired Brain Injury, and Prevalence, Assessment and Treatment of Challenging Behaviours and Co-morbid Mental Health Conditions after Traumatic Brain Injury. The workshops were offered free of charge to BIAT members and at a cost of $30 for non-members; 20 people attended each workshop.

Public Panel Discussion – Rehabilitation or Retribution: Should Brain Injury Excuse Criminal Behaviour? Held at the Glenorchy Civic Centre the event was attended by 45 members of the public and key stakeholders. Panel members Greg Barns, Chief Magistrate Michael Hill, Deputy Chief Magistrate Michael Daly and Rehabilitation Physician Mark Slatyer addressed a range of questions presented by facilitator, Dario Tomat, and the general public.

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BIAT was very successful in gaining a wide range of media – radio, print and television - coverage during brain injury awareness week 2011.

“People who have never been through it or never experienced it with a family member or friend; they don’t really understand or appreciate the impact that it has on your lives. Living with a brain injury is… it’s real, it’s very real.

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BANG ON A BEANIE Australia’s national awareness fundraising campaign was literally ‘bang on’. A combination of strong branding, simple message and community support will see BANGONABEANIE continue for years to come In 2011 Synapse, in collaboration with Brain Injury Associations across Australia, started work on transforming an “invisible disability” into a very visible one. The BANGONABEANIE Campaign encourages people to buy a blue beanie to show their support for Brain Injury Awareness Week. Beanies, T-shirts and bumper stickers were available for sale through BIAT, TABIS, Headway Rebuilding Lives, Veranto, Healthy Inspirations, Independent Living Centre, Deloraine Health Centre, Heart 107.3, Southern ITF Taekwon-Do, and Not Just Bras, Beanies were also available for sale at the Hutchins School and Friends School following short brain injury presentations delivered by Lynda and Alf. Not Just Bras and Tasmania Police (women) from Hobart hosted a Bang on a Beanie and Bra Fundraiser which raised $300 for BIAT.

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Bang On A Beanie is a fun and, more importantly, informative way to get our message out there.

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BRAIN INJURY AUSTRALIA In its small way, Brain Injury Australia’s 2011-2012 continued its contribution to raising awareness about people with an acquired brain injury (ABI) who may not have received the advocacy attention they deserve. August 2011’s Brain Injury Awareness Week was devoted to the as many as 60 per cent of people in Australia’s criminal justice system who have an ABI – the subject of Brain Injury Australia’s 2010-2011 policy paper prepared for the Australian Government. While offenders with an ABI might not necessarily make the most attractive poster children for awareness-raising, the community and media response to 2011’s Brain Injury Awareness week was overwhelmingly positive. In 2012, Brain Injury Australia undertook a series of consultation with all stakeholders and has produced a policy paper entitled “Concussion in Sport”. One of the key recommendations of this document is the implementation of a national concussion education campaign built around the 5 Rs:- - - - -

Recognise the injury; Remove yourself from play; Referral to a doctor; Rest; and then Return to play.

This message became the theme for 2012’s national Brain Injury Awareness Week and, through ongoing partnerships and collaboration, BIA anticipates building a genuinely national understanding of this important issue. Since March 2012, Brain Injury Australia has benefitted greatly from the expertise and consultation skills of its Policy Officer, Dr Derek Brookes. Dr Brookes, in collaboration with Brain Injury Australia’s State and Territory Member organisations, has led Brain Injury Australia’s campaign to ensure that any eligibility and assessment regime of the proposed NDIS is genuinely inclusive of the lived experience of people with an ABI, in all its disparateness and diversity. Brain Injury Australia continues to work hard at extracting the maximum possible educational and awareness-raising potential from previous policy papers. It has for instance, over the past year, delivered presentations on inflicted traumatic brain injury – the leading cause of death and disability in children who have been abused – to a wide range of services, clinicians, allied health professionals and to 2011’s Australian Social Policy Conference. The information above has been copied from Brain Injury Australia’s 2012 Annual Report

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MAPPING PROJECT To identify a Best Practice model for a state-wide service system for people living with acquired brain injury and their support networks in Tasmania. With Mark Lamont focussing on the Synapse Training Project during the past year, BIAT engaged Lea Brady to continue work on the BIAT Mapping and Pathways project. The scope of this project is to look at and define what the present entry points into the service system are for people living with an acquired brain injury, and what the recommended entry points are. It will examine the regional differences within Tasmania and look at how to make the service system cohesive on a state-wide basis. The project will look at a person centred approach to the provision of a holistic system. It will look at the issues surrounding individuals with a mild, moderate or severe ABI and the differing short term and long term needs of these groups and look at the needs for their support networks. It will also examine specific support needs for individuals who come into contact with the criminal justice system either as victims or perpetrators. The project will not look at the causes of brain injury. The Project Outline includes a literature review of models of systems for people with an ABI in Australia and internationally. Tasmanian information will be gathered through literature reviews as well interviews with service providers in the three regions; these will include ABI specific as well as generalist disability services such as advocacy and the gateway services. The project will look at generic service providers such as counselling, emergency shelter and housing providers and healthcare providers. It will also include meetings and interviews with individuals with an ABI both recent and long term as well as their individual support networks where possible. BIAT anticipate that a number of service access issues and referral pathway blockages will be identified during the course of the ABI mapping and pathways project; we will work to propose, and where possible provide, solutions that address some of these barriers for people living with or affected by brain injury.

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Dario Tomat

Treasurer Brain Injury Association of Tasmania

TREASURERS REPORT I have pleasure in presenting the audited Financial Statements for the Brain Injury Association of Tasmania (BIAT) for the year 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2012. BIAT has maintained its sound financial position with a positive operating result of $27 748 due mostly to a higher than expected contribution from training activities facilitated by BIAT. Grants income, provided by DHHS and MAIB, increased from $145 809 to $151 134. As indicated last year, the greater grant revenue only just offset inflationary cost increases. The Statement of Financial Performance shows an increase in operational income between 2011 and 2012. Expenditure items of note for the past financial year include: -

Advertising:- a decrease resulting from the decision not to re-advertise in the PCYC Child Safety Handbook;

Depreciation:- an increase resulting from the full year effect of depreciation on a 2011 model motor vehicle

Office Expenses:- a decrease. Expenditure for 2012 reflects the average outlay for this item; the higher 2011 figure was due to the decision for BIAT to become more environmentally conscious, and to enhance Committee efficiency, by providing Committee of Management members with iPads for use during, and in preparation for, meetings.

Salaries:- an increase resulting from additional hours worked by BIAT’s Administrative Assistant/Education Officer, and a modest salary increase to BIAT’s Executive Officer, approved with effect from 1 November 2011.

Travel and Accommodation – an increase resulting from the change to Brain Injury Australia’s governance structure; and

Training Expenses:- an increase reflecting the level of training activities undertaken by Dr David Manchester in 2011.

As indicated last year, it should be noted that whilst included in BIAT’s Financial Statement, the Heads Up 2 Brain Injury income and expenditure is only administered by BIAT and essentially does not form part of BIAT’s accounts.

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Members will note the addition of Synapse Training Project to this year’s Statement of Financial Performance. Synapse Training is a two year project, made possible with funding from the Motor Accident Insurance Board Injury Prevention and Management Foundation. The Statement of Financial Position shows an increase in member’s equity as a result of the 2011/12 surplus; members will note current assets and liabilities are clearly itemised. The BIAT Committee of Management is conscious of their fiduciary duty in allocating the limited resources of the organisation. The Brain Injury Association of Tasmania remains able to meet future trading commitments. With the Tasmanian and Australian Governments jointly launching the first stage of a National Disability Insurance Scheme in July 2013, BIAT will need to continue to use our financial resources to further our mission in innovative ways, and pursue new ways to achieve long term sustainability. More than ever we have to strengthen our resource base. Our most important resource however is our people and BIAT want to invest over the next three years to ensure that our staff, and Committee of Management, are supported to learn, to challenge, to innovate, to be creative and to continue their strong focus on achieving outcomes for all Tasmanians living with or affected by brain injury. In closing, I would like to express my appreciation for the work the Executive Officer has done in assisting to administer the accounts and for the prudent day to day management exercised over BIAT’s expenditure.