Media Item

New ‘radical history’ of disabled people’s movement ‘has lessons for today’

Source: Disability News Service
Author: John Pring
Posted July 22, 2019

The launch of No Limits: The Disabled People’s Movement, A Radical History, took place last Friday (12 July), and was attended by its author, Judy Hunt, on the 40th anniversary of the death of her husband, Paul. It was Paul Hunt’s letter to the Guardian in 1972 which led to the formation of the Union of the Physically Impaired Against Segregation (UPIAS), which itself was to play a crucial role in the development of the movement and what was later known as the social model of disability.

Adopting large-scale personalisation in the NDIS

Source: The Manarin
Author: Flavio Souza
Posted July 19, 2019

But what constitutes success in personalisation for large-scale policymaking? And are there ways to reduce delays in designing and reviewing individual plans as the scheme rolls out to meet its target of 460,000 NDIS participants by mid-2020?

Reading and writing assistance increases the chance of getting a Disability Support Pension July 16, 2019 5.42am AEST

Source: The Conversation
Author: Nary Hong
Posted July 19, 2019

The Disability Support Pension is important in the lives of the Australians who receive it. Yet a huge proportion of claims for it are rejected. The largest non-medical reason given for rejection is failure to supply the requested information, accounting for one in eight rejections which means that people are being rejected due to an inability to complete the form which is 33 pages long.

The reality of the regional NDIS

Source: Pro Bono News
Author: Fran Connelley
Posted July 19, 2019

The NDIS funding model does not work for regional and rural Australia. We need a much smarter, hybrid block funded version of the NDIS due to the negligible supply in this market. The ILC lacks the financial capacity to successfully address this issue at a systemic level.

‘It is time for the NDIS to catch up’: Disability advocates call to fund access to sex work

Source: Pro Bono News
Author: Luke Michael
Posted July 18, 2019

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal this week ruled in favour of a woman with multiple sclerosis who applied for sex therapy funding in her NDIS plan, but was refused by the National Disability Insurance Agency.

The Morrison government has already indicated the NDIA will appeal the ruling, which said the woman should receive $10,000 a year to fund her treatment.

‘No-go areas’: The quest for disability access to Australia’s beaches

Source: Sydney Morning Herald
Author: By Ben Weir
Posted July 18, 2019

A device inspired by the ability of geckos to stick to almost any surface could make Australia’s beaches more accessible for the disabled. The company took out the Next Gen category Award at Australia’s Good Design Awards on Thursday night. Mr Tilley said Australia’s start-up culture was focused more on software design or tech and could do more for the disabled population.

The NDIS, compensable injury and paybacks

Source: Mondaq
Author: Evelyn Garnett and Carroll & O'Dea
Posted July 12, 2019

Lawyers are challenged by the difficulty of advising their clients regarding the NDIS. The issue becomes complicated where the NDIS supports costs to be repaid to the NDIS are not at all related to the compensable injury, but to a pre-existing disability, or are in part pre-existing and in part injury-related. The issue is further complicated where the damages for care are for gratuitous care, not paid care for the kinds of supports that may be provided by the NDIS.

Shorten queries NDIS executive exodus

Author: SBS News
Posted July 12, 2019

Labor frontbencher Bill Shorten wants to know why so many senior personnel in charge of the National Disability Insurance Scheme are leaving their posts.

Labor ‘alarmed’ by NDIA exodus

Source: Pro Bono News
Author: Luke Michael
Posted July 12, 2019

Bill Shorten has expressed concerns about instability in the National Disability Insurance Agency after it emerged several senior staff have departed the organisation in recent days.