People with Disability Australia in Sydney, Australia | Non-profit organisation

People with Disability Australia

Locality: Sydney, Australia

Phone: +61 2 9370 3100

Address: Level 8, 418a Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills 2010 Sydney, NSW, Australia

Website: http://www.pwd.org.au

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• Non-profit organisation
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• Non-governmental organisation (NGO)

25.01.2022 "It is really important for the Royal Commission to look at how the government, or all services, can increase the skills of the Aboriginal workforce, so that there’s more Aboriginal workers to support people with a disability ... But also to educate mainstream services as well, so that people have more choice about services that they want to go to and that mainstream services have a better understanding and awareness of the needs of Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islande...rs with a disability." Guest blogger and 3CR programmer Gavin Moore interviews Connecting Home CEO Lisa Zammit on disability services for the Stolen Generation and the Disability Royal Commission. The Disability Royal Commission starts its first hearing on the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander people with Disability next week. https://buff.ly/3lRYUoM [Image description: Lisa Zammit (left) and Gavin Moore (right) in the 3CR radio studio. We can see the back of Lisa's head. Her dark hair is in a ponytail. Gavin wears a backward cap and is operating a radio panel. Both are wearing headphones and speaking into microphones. The wall behind them is a deep red colour.]

25.01.2022 Nominations for the PWDA Board (positions of Director and President) have been extended to this Friday 5pm AEST. For more information or to nominate visit our 2020 Board Election page: https://pwd.org.au/g/elections-and-agm/2020-board-election/

22.01.2022 The Disability Royal Commission is asking for people to talk to them about "Safeguards and Quality" in disability services. Essentially, they would like to know what is working when it comes to protecting people with disability from violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation from their service providers, what is *not* working, and what must change. *Anyone* can tell their story to the Disability Royal Commission, and it is vital that the voices of people with disability be h...eard. Your submission can be long or short and in any language. It can be written or recorded in audio or video format. It doesn't need to be formal or complicated. You can tell your story in your own way. More information can be found here: https://disability.royalcommission.gov.au//safeguards-and- And in Auslan here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oocneIp-vx0&feature=youtu.be [Image description: Text reads "Safeguards and Quality Issues Paper" over a purple and green background.]

21.01.2022 "People with Disability Australia spokesman El Gibbs said it was disappointing there might not be an increase [to the DSP] as surveys showed pandemic-specific costs, including healthcare, had increased for households receiving these payments. ""People with disability need recognition of these higher expenses, not further tightening of income support," Ms Gibbs said."

20.01.2022 Good morning and Happy Monday! Today is the first day of the Disabiltiy Royal Commission 8th public hearing on the experiences of First Nations people with disability and their families in contact with child protection systems. Our friends at First Peoples Disability Network have made a video submission to the commission. You can watch a preview here: https://twitter.com/FPDNAus/status/1330632146860404737 and follow along on their twitter for more updates.... We''ll be live tweeting along all day. You can follow here: https://twitter.com/PWDAustralia/status/1330648735483760642

20.01.2022 CN: Reference to misuse of medication in hospital settings and death. One of the stories to come out at the Disability Royal Commission yesterday. "Oliver died in 2016 of a combination of pneumonia and hypoxic brain injury after having a severe reaction to the psychotropic drug olanzapine. ... "[His mother] said the 18-year-old had been given the drug while having a seizure because of behaviour that was perceived as challenging. "But she said she believed his behaviour was the very same that any other person, who was rightly frightened and anxious, would experience while in seizure." https://buff.ly/3iY9EAG [Image description: Orange pills dropping onto a pale surface.]

20.01.2022 We have two opportunities for our members in NSW to get involved in our projects and campaigns. The first is in supporting our campaign for NSW-Funded Disability Advocacy, it is under threat. The second is a call for Women With Disability In NSW to Join Our Expert Advisory Group.... More information on both can be found online: https://pwd.org.au/opportunities-for-nsw-members-to-get-in/ [Image description: Calling on NSW Members]

20.01.2022 CN: Implications of self-harm. "Some Doctor (plural: Doctorii) looked at me, looked at a chart, and said in his mind: ‘A man in the trial takes 2000mg of this drug. This woman is the same height and weight, and she might even have blood and guts inside her too. What the heck?’ "He scribbles ‘2000mg nocte’ on the script.... "Needle in the butt, pills down the throat. "Heidi goes to sleep and wakes up at 40." _____________________ The Disability Royal Commission hearing on "Psychotropic medication, behaviour support and behaviours of concern" starts on Tuesday. Our blog series by people with lived experience of the mental health system starts today with "I Used To Know, And Love, My Mind" by artist, musician, writer and advocate, Heidi Everett. [Image description: Photograph of Heidi Everett, a middle-aged white woman with a bright smile, wearing a red vest and scarf. Behind her is a brick wall.]

20.01.2022 CN: Description of chemical restraint. "The [Disability Royal Commission] is examining the use of psychotropic drugs such as anti-depressants and mood stabilisers to influence the behaviour and emotions of people with disability. "Glen Hardwick lived in a group home in regional Victoria. Mrs Atherton told the hearing Mr Hardwick loved window shopping and joking around with people, but it was clear all was not well with her brother when he arrived at a Christmas gathering in 2...017 and "looked like a zombie". "It was at that point Mrs Atherton realised her brother's medication now included more than the Ritalin he had always taken for his attention deficit hyperactivity disorder." Thanks to the ABC for their coverage of the Disability Royal Commission this week: https://buff.ly/3kILbQi If you want want to follow PWDA's coverage we are live tweeting again today from here: https://buff.ly/32WA1kM [Image description: A woman with curly dark hair wearing a wedding dress and pearls with a young boy in a bowtie and vest. They are outside in a wooded area. Both are smiling.]

19.01.2022 CN: Descriptions of abuse in group homes. The Royal Commission has released its report on one of its early hearings, The experience of living in a group home for people with disability. People with disability have the right to autonomy that is, the right to control their own lives, to make their own decisions and to exercise choice, the report says.... The evidence at this hearing indicates that although the experiences of people with disability in group homes is not uniform, far too many people are denied autonomy in the choice of accommodation allocated to them, their carers and their co-residents. Read the full report here: https://buff.ly/2HJbVSv [Image description: Text over a green background reads "Public Hearing 3 Report. The experience of living in a group home for people with disability".]

19.01.2022 CN: Descriptions of restrictive practices and trauma. More evidence at the Disability Royal Commission yesterday: "Victorian woman Dariane McLean gave emotional testimony about her son's 13-year ordeal in supported accommodation and his experience on psychotropic medication.... "Mr McLean, now 42 years old, lives with an intellectual disability and as a result of his time in group homes has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)." This is why we are calling for the closure of group homes and boarding houses. This man’s story confirms living independently in the community is entirely possible with supports. This man is now an artist. https://buff.ly/3i21Vjq [Image description: A white man with a short beard, wearing a red plaid shirt and tracksuit pants, standing in the front yard of a house with a tree and letterbox behind him.]

18.01.2022 "The federal department responsible for the National Disability Insurance Scheme did not activate a joint plan to manage the risk of COVID-19 in the Victorian disability sector with the state government until the second wave was near its peak." https://bit.ly/2FQSBSs [Image Description: three people on a path. One of them is using a wheelchair, with the other two people on either side. They face away from the camera, towards a leafy walkway]

18.01.2022 PWDA pays tribute to The Hon. Susan Ryan AO, former Disability Discrimination Commissioner and the first woman to hold a Cabinet position in a Labor Government. Ms. Ryan passed away on the weekend. In addition to holding the position of Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Ms. Ryan advocated for the introduction of the Sex Discrimination Act which was passed in 1984. This law made discrimination on the basis of sex illegal. The current Disability Discrimination Commissione...r Dr Ben Gauntlett remembered Ms. Ryan’s contributions as both Disability and Age Discrimination Commissioner. He said: Susan Ryan’s contribution as Disability Discrimination Commissioner will benefit generations of Australians. Her outstanding work [for] Australians with disability, [included] a landmark report that highlighted the value of employing people with disability. She will be missed" [Image description: Headshot of a person smiling in front of a blue background]

18.01.2022 "Just one fine has been issued and only one provider banned by the disability watchdog despite more than 8000 complaints being lodged in the past two years. The scandal-plagued disability sector will get $22 billion from the federal government this financial year, but an independent review found the system left vulner able people open to harm and neglect." https://bit.ly/3kpa2s1... [Image Description: two people using wheelchairs, both wearing black clothes.]

17.01.2022 "Australia’s interpretative declarations restrict implementation of the CRPD [Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities], prevent reform, and allow for human rights violations including the denial of legal capacity, arbitrary and indefinite detention, and forced treatments and medical interventions." The first report in the Disability Royal Commission's research program has been published. Written by Rosemary Kayess and our former CEO Therese Sands. The report inv...estigated the early rights movement of people with disability from the 1960s and 1970s through to the present day. https://disability.royalcommission.gov.au//australia-allow [Image description: Text reading: "Research Report. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Shining a light on." Text sits on a green background with a bit of purple in the lower right corner.]

17.01.2022 "Nearly 14,000 people have now been forced to do 18 months of job search and survive on $40-a-day jobseeker benefits before they were finally granted the disability pension." "Some 100,000 disability support applications are made each year, but those who manage to complete job search requirements before applying make up a tiny fraction of overall claims. About 30% of claims are granted each year, down from about 70% in 2011." Read more here:... https://bit.ly/3n9ycZU See more

16.01.2022 CN: Mentions of suicidal ideation and descriptions of restrictive practices in hospitals. "I don’t know why they deemed me safe to go home; why they didn’t believe me when I said I had a seizure (it’s right there in my file that I have seizures regularly); why I was left alone, unable to communicate, in a hospital emergency waiting room, crying, unable to call my mum to tell her I was alive. "I don’t know why they don’t believe disabled people when we talk."... ________________________________ The next in our series on lived experience of the mental health system in the lead up to the Disability Royal Commission hearing happening this week, "Visits to the Hospital" by Pippin Latham. Look after yourselves this week everyone, and remember, if you feel impacted by anything you have read here, you can always call Lifeline on 13 11 14. You can also call the National Counselling and Referral Service on 1800 421 468. This service is set up specifically to support people impacted by anything related to the Disability Royal Commission. https://buff.ly/2FOL0DL [Image description: A bare, drab room with a small window, peeling paint and a hospital wheelchair.]

15.01.2022 The Greater Sydney Commission is looking for new members to join their youth panel. They’re looking for expressions of interest from people aged 16-30 who live in the Eastern City District. The Youth Panel provide insights on strategic planning issues affecting young people across Greater Sydney. ... Youth Panel members are paid an hourly rate of $100 for each meeting and/or event they attend. All applicants will be required to submit an Expression of Interest which can be found here. Applications will close at midnight Wednesday 30 September 2020. Submit your EOI here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8QCHKTH

14.01.2022 We are live tweeting the 6th hearing of the Disability Royal Commission into the use of "psychotropic medication, behaviour support and behaviours of concern" this week using the hashtag #DisabilityRC. Today's proceedings start at 10am, and you can come join us on twitter if you'd like to follow along: https://twitter.com/PWDAustralia/status/1308189965772181504... You can also watch the livestream from here: https://disability.royalcommission.gov.au/ The Royal Commission will be addressing topics which may be confronting or upsetting for some people this week, so let's look after each other, and be sure to take a break from it all if you need to. If you feel impacted by anything you hear this week, remember you can always call Lifeline on 13 11 14. You can also call the National Counselling and Referral Service on 1800 421 468. This service is set up specifically to support people impacted by anything related to the Disability Royal Commission. [Image description: The Australian coat of arms (a kangaroo and and emu holding a shield in front of a wattle) on a purple background.]

12.01.2022 Do you want to join the PWDA team? We currently have three vacancies across different teams in the organisation. Part-time and full-time roles are available, and are based in different areas. Advocate (Queanbeyan)... The Advocate role provides advocacy support to individuals or groups of individuals with disability, and their associates, to promote and protect their human, legal and service user rights in accordance with the National Standards for Disability Services. More info: https://bit.ly/377ApOa Project Officer / Advocate Redress Project (Sydney) The Project Officer/Advocate will, in collaboration with the Manager & Specialist Advocate, conduct research, stakeholder and community engagement to support people with disability who face barriers to access the National Redress Scheme. More info: https://bit.ly/2KDi4kB Project Officer / Advocate Redress Project (NSW) The Project Officer/Advocate will, in collaboration with the Manager & Specialist Advocate, conduct research, stakeholder and community engagement to support people with disability who face barriers to access the National Redress Scheme. This role will be focused on community engagement within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and is an identified position for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person. More info: https://bit.ly/33eCVBk Applications will be closing within the next few weeks, and we encourage people to apply as soon as possible. PWDA is a proud employer of people with disability, and people with disability are strongly encouraged to apply for these positions.

10.01.2022 We need liveable housing design for *all* Australians. "The major losers in the current model are people with physical disability, who are forced to justify every ramp, every automated blind, the width of each doorframe. Why are we satisfied with such a piecemeal approach? "Do we want to be a society that singles people out and only allocates resources according to what they can’t do? When people are tied to a single modified home, what real choice and control does that affor...d them?" https://buff.ly/32Zpg0V [Image description: A white silhouette illustration of a person with a cane walking up a step. The background is blue and purple.]

10.01.2022 Paid Writing Opportunity - People With Disability Must Be Heard During Our Royal Commission! The Disability Royal Commission is holding hearings between now and the end of the year addressing the the following issues: - barriers to safe, quality and inclusive school education,... - the experiences of people with disability in the criminal justice system, and long-term detention, - the experiences of First Nations people with disability and their families in contact with child protection systems, - training and education of health care professionals treating people with cognitive disability, - barriers to employment. We believe the voices of people with disability should be prioritised during these hearings (nothing about us without us!), and we will be publishing a series of guest blogs on our website in the lead up to each hearing. If you are a person with disability, and/or part of the Deaf community, who wants to share your thoughts, feelings or experiences regarding any of the issues listed above, we want to hear from you! We encourage people from Indigenous, CALD and LGBTQIA backgrounds, and people with intellectual disability, to apply. More information here https://buff.ly/33jBC4l [Image description: Text reads "Call out for bloggers with disability. Nothing about us without us." Text is over a blue and white background with the PWDA logo in the bottom corner.]

09.01.2022 "A bad experience with medication can leave lasting trauma and close us off to truly helpful and positive use later", writes Ashley Waite. The third in our blog series on lived experience of psychotropic medication and restrictive practices in the mental health system. It is so, so important that people with disability are being heard on these issues, especially as we are seeing a distinct lack of people with disability giving evidence during this week's Disability Royal Com...mission hearing. https://buff.ly/3mO5VrC [Image description: Red blue and white, and pink pills on a textured pink surface.]

08.01.2022 Nominations for the PWDA Board are open! More information on our website: https://pwd.org.au/g/elections-and-agm/2020-board-election/ The Board of Directors of PWDA is the voice of our members. The Board’s job is to speak with and for people with disability and to govern the organisation. [Image description: Nominations are open for the PWDA Board]

07.01.2022 "Chemical restraint is a serious violation of human rights. It leaves us feeling like we’re not human, that we’re really scared and powerless. The effects of these drugs is very serious on our health. It can have an impact on limiting our life expectancy." - Indigo Daya interviewed by Nas Campanella on ABC Radio. You can listen to the full story (or read the transcript) here: https://buff.ly/33N1ch7... [Image description: A white woman with short blonde hair, red glasses, dangling earrings and a big smile. She is in a café setting, holding a coffee.]

03.01.2022 Want to stay up to date? Sign up to our fortnightly newsletter to get updates on the latest news in the disability justice movement, and opportunities for you to have your say. You can sign up for our newsletters here: https://pwd.org.au/news/newsletters/

01.01.2022 From ABC News "Thelma Schwartz, the principal legal officer at the Queensland Indigenous Family Violence Legal Service, has told the Commonwealth inquiry the child protection system is "bleak" and in "crisis". Giving evidence in Brisbane, Ms Schwartz said she had witnessed the removal of Indigenous babies first hand. "I would call it a heinous practice," she said."... The 8th public hearing for the royal commission continues today. Follow along on our twitter: https://twitter.com/PWDAustralia https://ab.co/35ZPDp1