Proposed Agenda for social meeting 25 Jan 2014

Apologies

Topics for discussion

Auxiliary meetings, office bearers, frequency/schedule of meetings 

NDIS - status and discussion re likely progress

NSW NEW BILL FOR A MORE INCLUSIVE SOCIETY - discussion

Auxiliary website - comments?

ADHC

http://www.adhc.nsw.gov.au/about_us/strategies/life_my_way/getting_prepared

Treasurer’s Report

A provocative view on charity

All
this is worth a look...


 Dan Pallotta: The way we think about charity is dead wrong

Central Coast Auxiliary March 2013 meeting

Hello again everybody (and welcome new e-mailers),

 

Our March meeting is ready to go next Tuesday 26 March at the usual place and time.

 

There is a lot happening currently. Please refer to the Notice of Meeting attached. It would be great if we can get a nice big attendance this time to impress our visitors and make them feel welcome.

 

Also attached are the minutes of the February meeting and also, courtesy of Judi Fernance, a copy of the NDIS release No 35 (*) which is very relevent to us and is also relevent to all the material recently forwarded to us about the NDIS provisional rules.

 

Look forward to us getting together on Tuesday

 

regards

Allan Holswich

(*) This update was emailed by NDIS to registered users and can be obtained if you register first here.

Draft NDIS "Launch" Rules

This is one expert opinion about the NDIS rules that are about to be put into law.  Read carefully, are you happy that this is the future you want?

From: Vern Hughes [mailto:vern@partnerships.org.au]
Sent: Friday, 8 March 2013 9:56 AM
To: Colleagues
Subject: Full Report: NDIS “the world’s worst system of individualized funding”

NATIONAL STEERING GROUP  

---

Self-Directed Services and Personal Budgets

REPORT: DESIGNING NDIS
NOW AVAILABLE

Simon Duffy
Director, Centre for Welfare Reform UK
http://www.centreforwelfarereform.org/uploads/attachment/360/designing-ndis.pdf

“I have spent 22 years trying to design decent and affordable systems of individualized funding in the UK. I’ve also been lucky enough to have had the opportunity to explore other international models. I’m really hoping that the Australian system will go on to be the world leading system that Australians with disabilities deserve.

However, if the early designs that I have seen were implemented then I think that Australia is in danger of building the world’s worst system of individualized funding. I do not make these remarks lightly, nor for rhetorical effect.

In summary I believe:

1. The current design does not reflect international or Australian learning about best practice in individualized funding systems.
2. The resistance to acknowledging human rights and real entitlements will undermine both the quality and sustainability of the model.
3. The resistance to accepting the reality of rationing will have the perverse consequence of promoting the worst kinds of indirect rationing.
4.  In principle, the concept of insurance could be very helpful, but it is not currently being used effectively to guide the design of the NDIS.
5.  The current design is in conflict with human rights and lacks any basic trust in the competency of Australians with disabilities to make their own decisions.
6.  The proposed model does not do enough to harness the efficiencies that come from shifting responsibilities to citizens and making resources flexible.
7.  The model is hyper-centralised and risks eroding the responsibilities of states, communities, services and families.
8.  The current model is designed in a way which will create significant inflationary pressure and will damage social capital at every level.
9.  The proposed design involves an unnecessarily expensive and centralized bureaucratic structure.
10. The current design is not innovative, but bureaucratic, and it leaves no room for innovation at any level.”

The full report is available at http://www.centreforwelfarereform.org/uploads/attachment/360/designing-ndis.pdf

Vern Hughes

0425 722 890 vern@partnerships.org.au

http://www.partnerships.org.au/NationalSteeringGroup.htm

There is also a copy of the full report on the Aux website,  click here to read and learn...

Central Coast Auxiliary

Hello everybody,

 

Attached are the minutes of our last meeting in November.

 

We are not meeting in January, but we decided to have lunch on the usual meeting day, ie 22 January and bring family and/or friends along if this suited. You are therefore invited!

 

Hope you had a pleasant time over Christmas and best wishes for the New Year.

 

regards   Allan

p.s. NEXT MEETING   26 February 2013 – IMPORTANT MEETING with ADHC

A notice of meeting will be distributed

WARRINGAH DISABILITY NEWSLETTER No 291- 7 December 2012

Hello!

Today’s newsletter has information about the activities or resources listed below.  Your suggestions are welcome, as always! 

The next newsletter will be sent on 21 December 2012.

ACTIVITIES……………………………………….….2

Warringah Council’s Discobility – End of Year Zelebrations!

Sailability – Manly

Alchemy – by The Sunnyfield Parramatta Day Option Program (DOP)

New Horizons Respite Centre - December Calendar

Lane Cove Christmas Concert

Festive Events in Lane Cove Plaza

Loosely Woven Concerts:  Universal Child

Outdoor Christmas Film Festival in Chatswood

Women’s Festival of Wheelchair Basketball in February 2013

CARERS......................................................... .3

 Education Program for Carers of People with Dementia

Spring Up!  Support Group for People with Pancreatic Cancer

Bradfield Park Carer Support Programs

Bradfield Park Young Carers School Holiday Programs in January 2013

Gentle Relaxation Yoga at Hillview Community Health Centre

NSW Government offers Free Photo ID for Carers and Seniors

FUNDRAISING / FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE…….5

NDIS has full funding and full rollout in NSW

Reminder:  “Amplify your Art” grant applications

Northcott's 17th Annual Cricket Legends Lunch

Fundraising for Motor Neurone Disease

Guide Dogs NSW / ACT – Experience Unseen Travel Awards

Essential Medical Equipment Payment

Community Grants and Funding Opportunities

RESOURCES................................................... 6

The Shed Online

Make Quirky Christmas Trees from Books

Resources at Legal Aid NSW

DJ Andy for Parties, Discos, Fundraisers

PARTICIPATION COUNTS................................ 7

Carers NSW seeks Support Group for Carers of People with a Disability

The Power of Sharing Life Narratives on www.1000voices.edu.au/

Research study:  Using Skype for Speech Pathology after TBI

Survey on Support for People with No or Low Vision

Reminder:  National Survey into Special Disability Trusts (SDTs)

CONFERENCES, TRAINING, SEMINARS……..8

Manly Warringah Pittwater Sub Regional HACC Forum

Workshop:  Structured flexibility in frameworks of support for people with ABI

Carers NSW 2013 Biennial Conference:  Caring, Working, Living

Courses at UnitingCare Institute of Family Practice, Parramatta

 

Regards,

Marjorie Janz, Disability Information Officer

Sunnyfield Enterprises - Supported Employee Superannuation

DISCLAIMER: Before making any financial or investment decisions, Sunnyfield recommends you consult a financial planner to take into account your particular investment objectives, financial situation and individual needs. Sunnyfield, ABN 72 000 415 127, and its Authorised Representatives do not accept any liability for any errors or omissions of information supplied on request in regards Superannuation for disabled employees.

Having said all that, if your disabled family member works for Sunyfield then payments are made as required by law into a Superannuation fund.

If you have NOT given yet Sunnyfield a Tax File Number then 46.5% of the deduction is taken the the Federal Government as Tax.  Thirty three (33) disabled employees have so far not given a TFN and are losing about half their superannuation in Tax.

If you have not OPTED OUT of Insurance then you are now paying $6.00 per week (it was previously $3.45/wk) in management fees.

The combined effect of both these items may mean that your family member's superannuation may effectively be lost in Tax deductions and Insurance fees and you might just receive no long term benefit whatsoever.

Of our 282 disabled employees:
64 have already opted out,
130 have had their insurance cancelled because there are insufficient funds in the super account (presumably because of tax and high fees), and,
88 actually do have insurance cover.

Ask yourself the hard question: What benefit will your disabled family member get from Insurance cover? Also ask the Super Fund: given the tax deductions and management fees what is their estimate  of the value of the fund when they retire?

Sunnyfield's formal advice is detailed in the attached PDF document - click here to download.

If you want more information then talk to Sunnyfield's Enterprises GM, Fred JP Van Steel.