March 2012
A Federal Senate Committee inquiry is currently taking place into factors affecting the supply of health and medical professionals in rural areas. The committee is due to report on the 30th of April 2012.
Please view our submission to the inquiry.
Official website for the inquiry.
February 2012
IPART is conducting a review of taxi fares for NSW and will be making recommendations to Transport for NSW on the taxi fares to apply from July 2012.
SCIA's specific interest in the inquiry is in relation to the Taxi Transport Subsidy Scheme (TTSS) and seeks the support of the IPART members to recommend to Transport for NSW that an increase to the TTSS subsidy percentage and/or an increase to the taxi fare limit should occur.
October 2011
The NSW Government is committed to making the second phase of Stronger Together even more effective for people with a disability, their families and carers. The priority is to deliver client directed supports and funding arrangements. This means reforming the service system to give people control over their own lives.
What is a person centred approach?
A person centred system places the person with a disability at the centre of decision making when it comes to the supports and services they use. In this system, the rights of people with a disability, and their families and carers to make choices about their own lives are respected.
September 2011
To help inform debate in the lead-up to the Federal Governments Tax Forum, all participants were given the opportunity to provide a statement setting out their reform priorities for the tax and transfer system, and how their proposals would be financed over the short and longer term.
In addition, all Australians were provided with the opportunity to contribute to the tax reform debate in the lead‑up to the forum. This is our submission to the Forum.
Please view our submission here.
Official website for the Tax Forum.
Spinal Cord Injuries Australia has contributed to the inquiry into telecommunications access for people with disability, older Australians and people experiencing illness.
August 2011
The NSW Standing Committee on Law and Justice has an ongoing role to review the exercise of the functions of the Lifetime Care and Support Authority (LTCSA) of NSW and the Lifetime Care and Support Advisory Council (LTCSAC) of NSW. This is the committee's Fourth Review into the scheme.
June 2010 and August 2011
The Australian Government has asked the Productivity Commission to undertake a public inquiry into a long-term disability care and support scheme. (National Disability Insurance Scheme -NDIS).
Amongst other things, the inquiry will examine:
The draft report is due for release in February 2011. News Update: The Draft Report into Disability Care and Support was released on the 28th of February 2011. Further News Update: The Final Report Disability Care and Support was released on the 10th of August 2011. To view and download the report please go to the Productivity Commission Report page.
Our submissions to the inquiry:
Submission to the Productivity Commission's Draft Report into Disability Care and Support, no DR786, submitted to the Inquiry 29 April 2011.
Submission to the Federal Government's Productivity Commission Inquiry into a National Disability Long-term Care and Support Scheme, no 214, submitted to the Inquiry 9 August 2010.
July 2011
On 28 March 2011, the Victorian State Government announced a major independent inquiry into the Victorian taxi and hire car industry.
The inquiry will undertake a comprehensive investigation into all aspects of the taxi and hire car industry and recommend a set of reforms to the government focused on achieving better outcomes for the travelling public.
April 2011
Spinal Cord Injuries Australia has contributed to the Guidelines for the Prescription of a seated wheelchair or mobility scooter for People with a Traumatic Brain Injuiry or Spinal Cord Injury.
These guidelines have been developed collaboratively with input from experts in the field of wheelchair prescription. Please read our contribution.
The guidelines are available here.
December 2010
A new direction for disability services in NSW 2006-2016
On 3 December 2010 the Premier of NSW Kristina Keneally announced a further $2 billion investment in disability services over the next five years. Read the report here.
Read Spinal Cord Injuries Australia response to the stronger together 2 consultation paper June 2010.
December 2010The NSW government responded to the NSW inquiry into the Taxi industry on the 1st of December laying out their responses to the parliamentary committees 59 recommendations.
Overall, the recommendations that have been made to the usage of wheelchair accessible taxis have been well thought out by the committee. This high level analysis can only help to shape and strengthen the further implementation of WATs.
In large part, we agree with the responses, and pose the following general comments and questions.
On the topic of increasing the number of WATs from the current 11 per cent to 50 per cent over the next 10years, does this figure consider the ongoing demand that is placed on the transport system, with a growing population?
Furthermore, a comprehensive study including a forecast of the expected levels of people living with a disability requiring WAT transport would ensure the correct numbers of WATs are introduced into the transport system.
In relation to the current arrangement between Transport NSW and both the Home and Community Care Transport Sub Program and NSW Community Transport Program, where local taxis are currently used for transporting 8 per cent of all community transport, does this figure impact on availability of taxis that would otherwise be vacant for people with disabilities?
Also, with the increasing pressures placed on the above Community Programs, does the above method achieve its set targets within its budgets or merely transfer ownership onto another service?
We support a Service Delivery Charter between Transport NSW and passengers. We feel that this would be a commitment to the legitimacy of WAT response times, customer service and professionalism of the driver.
With reference to Transport NSW currently ensuring that all new replacement WATs comply with the Commonwealth Standards and WAT Measurement Protocols, there is a need to ensure that compliance information, such as wheelchair space measurements and roof heights are freely available to the public. This would also highlight a process for anyone wishing toaddress their concerns with compliance issues. An ideal one stop shop would have such material published on the Transport NSW website.
The recommendation raised about wheelchair accessible taxi ranks would ensure easy access to the taxi vehicle, by the passenger in a safe and reasonable manner, as well as for the driver. Although this is supported in principal, is there a due date for all councils to comply with this?
We agree with the recommendation of increasing the TTSS to half the total fare, up to the maximum of $50 per taxi ride, and would also support that this amount would be monitored with CPI and fare increase adjustments, to reflect such increases. We also strongly support that IPART be part of the above communication, to provide independent adviceand to review WAT costings.
With respect to NSW Taxi Industry introducing an electronic card system to facilitate payments made under the Taxi Transport Subsidy Scheme, we agree that such a system would be cost effective, reduce any discrepancies and provide benefit to passengers.
We also support that all taxi drivers in Sydney undertake disability awareness training, as this would reduce any misconceptions that currently exists within the industry. In addition, we would encourage close interaction with Transport NSW and Disability Groups about training modules. Training should incorporate topics such as transfer techniques, the reasons for and use of wheelchair restraints, assisting people with disabilities alighting and exiting vehicles in a dignifying manner, respectful cash handling, disassembling manual wheelchairs and people skills.
The final report and government response are available from the inquiry website.
Click here to view our submission to the inquiry.
November 2010
The NSW inquiry into the operations of Ageing Disability and Homecare (ADHC) was a much requested inquiry from our membership that we supported, lobbied for and contributed to. It was invaluable at ensuring that the views of many people that either experience ADHC services or advocate for better services were known. The inquiry looked into the effectiveness of ADHC in an open forum setting and realised 52 recommendations. Receiving 112 submissions the Inquiry was a huge success that we hope will stamp the person well and truly into the policy setting.
Click here to view the official site for the inquiry.
SCIA's interest in the Lifetime Care Scheme (LTCS) is obvious with many of our members having acquired a SCI through a motor accident. SCIA is keen to ensure that a well thought out scheme, which supports a newly injured individual to reach their full potential throughout their life, is in place.
Click here to view Spinal Cord Injuries Australia submission to the inquiry.
October 2010
As part of the 2009-10 Better and Fairer Assessments Budget measure, the Australian Government is updating the Tables for the Assessment of Work-related Impairment for Disability Support Pension, to make sure they are consistent with contemporary medical and rehabilitation practice. Spinal Cord Injuries Australia was invited to provide professional input into the review of the tables. Please read our input here.
The revised impairment tables are available here.
August 2009
Spinal Cord Injuries Australia is one of the many organisations that work within the Ministry of Transports accessible consultative group. We gave feedback about disability awareness training for all modes of transport.
Click here to download our contribution.
June 2009
The Federal government is showing leadership in unifying a program that works for people with a disability throughout Australia. Spinal Cord Injuries Australia’s submission covered a number of topics but largely voiced concern over the misallocation of permits and the issues that arise from too many ineligible people using allocated accessible parking spaces.
Click here to view our submission.
Click here to read the consultation paper.
July 2009
Spinal Cord Injuries Australia's position calls for an increase to the subsidy percentage from 50% to 75% and an increase to the upper limit of the subsidised taxi fare from $60 to $100.
Click here to view our position statement.
December 2008
This was a opportunity for us to be a part of the first proposed DDA amendments after the ratification of the UN convention on the rights of persons with a disability. Spinal Cord Injuries Australia congratulated the government for ratifying the convention and offered some points for consideration.
June 2008The inquiry was called for by Spinal Cord Injuries Australia in an attempt to address the gross underfunding that leads to burgeoning waiting lists for essential equipment in NSW. We made a written submission to inquiry and appeared as witnesses in Parliament.
August 2008
The MS Society proposed that the costs to people with multiple sclerosis of maintaining body temperature in summer (ie air conditioning) be allowed as a rebate on their electricity bills. MS reduces the body's ability to stay cool. In meetings the the MS Society SCI Policy supported the proposal with the addition of the costs of winter heating for people with spinal cord injury. In the same way that a person with MS can become overheated, spinal cord injury reduces the body's ability to regulate body temperature. The extra cost is an unfair financial burden.
June 2008
The IPART review of CityRail revenue "Determining CityRail's revenue requirement and how it should be funded", was a chance to document our stance that rail station staffing is critical to the present and ongoing success of the Easy Access upgrade program. Often the individual needs of passengers with a disability are overlooked. It is important to ensure that representation occurs.
December 2007
The NSW Ministry of Transport as part of its commitment to access, has to have an accessible action plan in place. Here are our suggestions to what are priorities for access in NSW.
April 2007
The five year review in 2007 gave the opportunity for SCIA to identify many of the issues that impact on the ability of people with a disability to use public transport. Among these are the allocated space, response times of accessible taxis and responsibilities of transport operators and providers.
Click here for the official site for the inquiry.
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