In response to Masquara’s post about the NDIS this morning Joy Burch’s office has sent in this response:
The $5000 per person funding is separate to the $10.6 million from the NDIS agreement signed by the Commonwealth and ACT Governments that has been referred to in several public statements the Government has made recently.
The $5000 figure [...]

Joy Burch has released her Ministerial Statement on what we can expect from the National Disability Insurance Scheme later in the year:
From July 2013, the ACT and Federal governments will invest $10.6 million dollars to respond to the demand for disability and mental health services that we know exists today, and from July 2014 eligible [...]

[ 1 December, 2012; 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. ]

Come along to the Albert Hall this Saturday the 1st of December between 10am and 2pm for the International Day of People with Disability Expo and Market. This is a FREE community event, so it’s not just for people with disability and their families, EVERYONE’S INVITED! Come see all the wonderful, varied talents of people [...]

This has come in for your consideration:
Concerned friends of the Hillier family are organising a fundraiser…
John and Linda have two delightful boys who, despite their disabilities (Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Autism and Diabetes), enrich the lives of their parents and all of us who know them.
We thank you in anticipation of your support and hope [...]

Joy Burch has launched a new social housing model:
The construction of three new homes for people with disability represents a new model for building similar developments in the future, Minister for Community Services Joy Burch said today.
The ACT Government has made a significant contribution to the Project Independence project unveiled today through the availability of [...]

Joy Burch has announced the makeup of the NDIS Expert Panel:
ACT Minister for Community Services Joy Burch today announced the membership of the National Disability Insurance Scheme Expert Panel, which will guide the launch of the landmark disability funding program in the ACT.
Ms Burch said the Expert Panel included representatives from the community sector, and [...]

After 12 years in Government Katy Gallagher’s announced that if given four more years she’d spend more money on carers for young people with a disability:
If re-elected in 2012 ACT Labor will provide additional funding of $5,000 per person to provide an extra half-day support each week, or other much-needed assistance, to young people with [...]

We’ve seen no shortage of stupid statements out of Steve Dozspot over the years.
But this afternoon’s effort really takes the cake.
He starts by thundering:
BOURKE SAYS ‘NO’ TO EQUALITY FOR CHILDREN WITH A DISABILITY
Steady on! Would Chris Bourke really say such a thing???
Why no. No he wouldn’t. What he has done (even in Steve’s own media [...]

Hi,
I am writing this to tell you all, how pleased I am with my progress. Due mainly to Tanya’s guidance and friendship, I have found myself losing weight, walking better and on the whole feeling more alive. Not forgetting, that Tanya’s now expanding Strive, so fellow clients please spread the word that Strive is effective [...]

The Chamber of Commerce is putting the word out about their 2012 Post School Options Expo:
The Post School Options Expo provides students with disability, their families, carers and teachers with appropriate and timely information and advice on services and pathways available, including but not limited to
– Transition Planning
– Career Pathways
– Employment Services & Options
– Further [...]

CityNews brings word that deaf patrons of the Canberra Theatre can now get captions on their phones via the Go Theatrical app.
The application will be available for the first time on the March 17 matinee performance of “Summer of the Seventeenth Doll”.
The application can be downloaded to from the App Store for $1.99, with all [...]

The disability support system in both the ACT and Australia wide has long been in need of an overhaul. People with disabilities are often unable to participate in all aspects of life like people without disabilities, because there is not enough care and support available to them.
Nearly 100,000 Australians have already put their hope for [...]

Joy Burch is letting the world know that local charity Technical Aid to the Disabled ACT (TADACT) has won the Social Inclusion category in the National Disability Awards.
Since it was established in 1979, TADACT has been helping people with a disability in the ACT overcome obstacles in their lives by developing a range of low-cost, [...]

Disability ACT has announced they’re seeking members of the Disability Advisory Council for the next two years.
The Council has broad terms of reference and is tasked with:
– Advising the Minister on disability issues;
– Working in partnership with Disability ACT on key activities;
– Communicating the needs of people with disability and their families; and
– Establishing [...]

UC has posted video of their Australian final Imagine Cup entry:
A UC student invention allowing people with limited movement or speech to use a computer has won the national final of the 2011 Microsoft Imagine Cup.
Well done team!

From the Canberra Airport website:
DISABLED PARKING
A number of designated disabled car park spaces are conveniently located in the airport car parks. To access these parking spaces, enter the car park via the boom-gate and take a ticket from the machine as you would normally.
Upon leaving the [...]

I have noticed something rather strange at ANU. The disabled toilets tend not to have soap in them. Not just no soap, but no soap dispensers. I thought this might be an isolated thing, but no, when I went for a wander today I found six accessible toilets, only one of which had soap in [...]

The ABC reports that the Greens are going to do the bidding of Canberra’s legal fraternity and at best delay changes to compensation for car accidents that would lower the cost of compulsory third party insurance.
The main change would be the introduction of a threshold of 15 per cent of whole person impairment before pain [...]

The Productivity Commission recently released its draft reporton their Inquiry into a Long-term Disability Care and Support Scheme. 
Having now waded through the document, I was pleased to see the recognition that current disability funding (including in the ACT) is inadequate, inconsistently applied and in desperate need of reform. 
The proposed solution is a national [...]

This week, I am, quite frankly, embarrassed to be a Canberran. The source of my shame is the ACT Wheelchair Accessible Taxi (WAT) system. It doesn’t work. Wheelchair users who are resident in Canberra, like me, know that the WATs don’t work. We are inured to this infringement of our human rights, with consequent isolation [...]

Yahoo7 news brings us the story of a woman who was refused travel on the Murrays service because none of their ‘coaches’ were low floor wheelchair accessible, nor did any have wheelchair lifts or some other provision for passengers in wheelchairs.
“(I want) people to realise that legislation is important and that it needs to [...]

Skills for Carers at CIT has just confirmed that they will again be funding places for parents to attend the Infant Massage Workshops and also the Attachment Playgroups in Term 3. One mum who attended the Infant Massage workshop & Playgroup earlier this year wrote in her evaluation:
“For the first time since my son was born, [...]

[ 1 June, 2010; ] Free coffee, free biscuits and snacks, free showbags, free pens, free notebooks, free plants, free keyring torches…  You get the idea.  There will be heaps of free samples and giveaways at the Australian Disability Enterprises Purchasing with Purpose Expo at the National Convention Centre from 10am to 4pm on Tuesday 1 June.

In addition to getting [...]

[ 1 June, 2010; ] From 10am to 4pm on 1 June, National Disability Services will be hosting a Trade Fair / Expo for Australian Disability Enterprises (ADEs) to showcase their goods and services.  The event is designed to raise awareness of how purchasing choices can improve employment opportunities for people with disability.  Some 600 ADEs employ more than 20,000 people with [...]

Hi, I want to get some information on how to go about petitioning for full time care for disabled children and a care center for carers with burnout.
My sister and her husband have three children two who are disabled, wheelchair bound and at 14 and 9 still need nappy changes and feeding / bathing / [...]

Got this on email this morning, it looks like a great way for parents to bond with a baby or child with additional healthcare needs. I’m no scientist, but I can see only good things coming from babies getting lots of gentle, caring physical contact with their parents or carers.
CIT’s Skills for Carers are offering [...]

I went out to the Stromlo Forest Park this morning to have a look at what they’ve done out there. It’s a very extensive community facility and, when the trees grow will probably be very beautiful.
Being the sort who likes to read plaques I was curious about the tiny writing on the pillar in the [...]

[ 11 April, 2008 to 13 April, 2008. 11 April, 2008; 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. ] In 2008 a new generation of Special Olympics stars will enjoy the thrill of sports competition when over 400 athletes meet in Canberra for the second Junior National Games from 11-13 April.

In preparation for that there is a Special Olymics torch run through Haig Park this morning
Start time: 1040hrs
Finish time: 1300hrs
Meeting place: Haig Park [...]

No links I’m afraid but it appears that Katy Gallagher has again had her competence called into question, this time by a former Queensland woman suffering from a number of debilitating afflictions.
From what I can gather at this stage, the woman moved here with her husband, an AFP officer, late last year and applied for [...]