Supported Employment - Call to Action

You may be aware of the BSWAT court case that has resulted in a national push to substantially increase supported employee wages for people working in Australian Disability Enterprises (ADEs). Whilst increased wages for people with disability is a worthy goal, people with disability working in ADEs have moderate to severe disabilities (many with an intellectual disability) and mostly with lower productivity levels. In addition ADEs are charities, established to create work for people with disability and cannot viably afford to pay much higher wages. 

Families please carefully read the attached Sunnyfield pamphlet and if you agree, then send a letter to the Minister.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8rZ09ZXFyX7WVU2S2JGbGtZVm8/view?usp=sharing

A suggested draft of the letter is attached here...
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8rZ09ZXFyX7cnJQZGxmM1ZyRVE/view?usp=sharing

Parents Fear Privatisation of NSW Disability Services.

Extraordinarily quick review by Ernst & Young commissioned by the new Federal Government into the NDIS Act

Apparently a review was quietly announced in mid September which will receive SOME submissions from interested parties about the NDIS Act. 

See here  NDIS Act independent review. The discussion paper at this link and was prepared by Ernst & Young. 

It was announced on 15 September, 2015 but we only learned of it in the last week of September, 2015. Submissions are due to be lodged by 9 October which is not a good sign given that the NDIS is the biggest social infrastructure reform since Medicare.  

Apparently the single and/or collective views of Parents and Families are "not invited" (not my words...).

If you think this is not right you need to quickly write to your local Federal MP and copy the new Federal Disability Minister, Christian Porter.

Wage Increases for disabled workers.

Recently NDS, the peak body for Disability Service Enter[rises (DSEs) commissioned a report into the impact of legislated wage increases.  In part the report says this...

A 40% increase in the wages of supported employees would see 85% of Australian Disability Enterprises (ADEs) in deficit, with four in 10 ADEs making losses above $250,000. 

The report, 'Assessing the impact of increasing wage costs on Australian Disability Enterprises', stress tests ADEs in relation to a range of wage cost increases - from 20% to 100%. It shows that many ADEs currently struggle to be financially viable and that imposing higher wage costs would tip them over the edge. The project collected data from 85 organisations operating ADEs (44% of ADEs nationally employing 57% of supported employees) ensuring a representative sample. 

The report effectively confirms that ADEs could not absorb higher wage costs without the loss of a large number of jobs. If wage costs increased by 40%, the jobs of 10,800 supported employees would potentially be at risk.  

NDS will provide the report to the Fair Work Commission to help inform negotiations about a new wage assessment method. We shall also provide the report to the Australian Human Rights Commission in support of extending the time available for ADEs to adopt a wage assessment tool other than the BSWAT. *

If you are concerned that your disabled relative should stay employed at current rates rather than get a pay rise that forces their employers out of business - so they lose that job, then you should consider making your views known to your local State and Federal political representatives.

Mary-Lou Carter reports that 400 Parents recently attended a rally in Wollongong, convened by Greenacre and Flagstaff (two local DSEs) to discuss a community response.

It is likely a protest rally will be arranged for families to go to Canberra and express their concerns.

POWER is WITH the PARENTS. 

If you want this move rejected you'd better get involved and make your voice heard.

(* NDS National News Update , 30 Sep 2015)

Auxiliary Meeting, 19 September, Allambie

Attached please find copies of the two presentations given last Saturday.

Firstly, Caroline Cuddihy's NDIS PowerPoint...

click on this link
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8rZ09ZXFyX7eXNnWTctdzBOSUk/view?usp=sharing


and secondly Steve Robb's .ppt re Enterprises...

click on this link
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8rZ09ZXFyX7RlVhZGRKQWlmNWM/view?usp=sharing

We will issue a Notice of Meeting shortly by email to announce a date & time where we can publicly worksop what, as individual families, should each should do to properly address planning for NDIS.

July 2016 is less than one year away...

The National Disability Insurance Scheme will roll out across New South Wales between 1 July 2016 and 30 June 2018.

The New South Wales and Commonwealth Governments have signed an agreement that outlines how and when the NDIS will roll out.

When and how people access the scheme will be based on three factors:

1. Where they live.
2. What supports, if any, they currently receive.
3. Their need for support if they don’t currently receive any.

People wishing to access the NDIS should check that they meet the access requirements, which are available on the national NDIS website.

When will the NDIS be available?

With so many people coming into the scheme in such a short time it is important that there is a planned approach to how they access the NDIS.

People with disability living in the local government areas of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Maitland can already access the NDIS though the Hunter trial.

From 1 July 2015, the NDIS has also become available to eligible participants aged between 0-17 in the Nepean and Blue Mountains area, a full year ahead of schedule.

From 1 July 2016, people living in the Hunter New England, Southern New South Wales, Central Coast, Northern Sydney, South Western Sydney, Western Sydney and Nepean Blue Mountains districts will be able to access the NDIS.

From 1 July 2017, the NDIS will be in place across the rest of NSW, and people living in Northern New South Wales, Mid North Coast, Sydney, South Eastern Sydney, Illawarra Shoalhaven, Murrumbidgee, Western New South Wales and Far West NSW will be able to access the NDIS.

Notice of Meeting - 19 September 2015, at the Canteen, Allambie

Proposed Agenda

Allambie/Chatswood Auxiliary - Meetings, Officers and Committee/s

Prior meeting/s and actions arising

NDIS

Timetable for introduction

NDIS Plan & pre-planning

Continuity or funding & “principal of no disadvantage”

Annual reviews

General Business

Next Meeting