Get To Know Your Team
Policy and Advocacy 2021 Monthly Updates
Sydney + Alstonville
Our team provide individual, self, family and systemic advocacy for people with disabilities as well as their families.
Every month we will we sharing with you highlights from our Policy and Advocacy team.
Megan, Kim and Michelle from our Sydney and Alstonville teams give us an update about the advocacy work they have been up to.
If you would like to contact our Policy and Advocacy team for advice and support please call us on 1800 819 775 or email info@scia.org.au.

November + December 2021
Individual and Systemic Advocacy
ALSTONVILLE/TWEED HEADS
Five year ago, a client had been hospitalised due to homelessness and alcoholism (resulting in some mental illness). As a result, guardianship and a financial management plan was implemented.
As this was in place, our client engaged with the appropriate services to support him to be housed and his daily living, which included strategies to combat his drinking.
He approached us wanting to revoke his guardianship and financial management to help recover and regain control over his life. Our advocate discussed his situation, and liaised with all his service providers and team to gain appropriate supporting documents.
We filled out paperwork, submitted support documents and attended our client’s hearing. During the hearing, our advocate argued that orders were implemented when client was unwell, but based on current supporting documents, it was evident that there has been great engagement with supports and this is a step in helping client reach his personal recovery.
As a result, we were successful and financial management and guardianship orders were revoked.
SYDNEY
Systemic Advocacy
With multiple ongoing Parliamentary inquiries into the NDIS and Disability Support Pension, the systemic advocacy team has been busy voicing the concerns and experiences of SCIA members and clients.
Policy highlights include:
Individual Advocacy
As a result of the advocate’s services, the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) granted suitable housing for her client in their desired suburb with access to nearby medical and social facilities. What a feat in these times! Especially in the busy holiday period.
The client experienced a series of dangerous housing issues including an overgrown swaying tree, dirty gutters, and rotting window frames. Unfortunately, the DCJ considered this a non-urgent matter and advised it would take years to fix. They were not responsive to additional requests. Eventually, the case was escalated to the NSW Ombudsman whom regraded the issue as urgent. As a result, contractors were sent out to trim the tree, clear the dirty gutters, and assess the rotting window frames.
October 2021
Individual and Systemic Advocacy
ALSTONVILLE/TWEED HEADS
Once our individual advocate was on board, within four months we managed to get Housing to do a full inspection that highlighted a chronic leaking roof as the source of damp insulation facilitating chronic mould growth in the wall and ceiling ventilation.
Weeks ago, the client was able to have a new roof installed, old insulation replaced and the ceiling painted. Our individual advocates were also able to secure funding for a skip so all the water-damaged carpet and furniture that had been moved onto the lawn could be taken away. Our client was extremely happy with the progress and we’re so glad we were able to make a positive impact in her life.
SYDNEY
Individual Advocacy
Systemic Advocacy
With significant reforms planned for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), the team has had a busy month responding to the draft legislative package proposed by government and contributing feedback on other issues with the NDIS access, planning and reviews processes. We also welcomed the opportunity to discuss next steps in our advocacy work surrounding access to medical imaging and women’s health services for people with a wide range of stakeholders.
Policy highlights for the month include:
September 2021
Individual and Systemic Advocacy
ALSTONVILLE/TWEED HEADS
In the past year, the ADE discovered that this man didn’t have access to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and therefore wasn’t getting supported employment funding for his position. The ADE supported him to lodge an NDIS application, this application was declined and the ADE told him unless he gained access to this funding he would lose his job.
Our advocate intervened and looked at the information from the original application and decided he needed a comprehensive assessment. They liaised with a neuropsychologist in the area around what was required. A diagnosis and functional assessment was arranged.
The neuropsychologist completed the assessments and gave the young man a formal diagnosis and a comprehensive functional capacity assessment. The advocate then supported in lodging a new access request. After a week, the application came back as “access granted”.
The young man can now keep his job and has increased supports to ensure he can live his best life with the most appropriate supports.
SYDNEY
Individual Advocacy
As a result, the client received a new driveway, kitchen, bathroom modifications and laundry. After 2+ years of advocacy with Housing NSW and the AHRC, the case has finally been completed.
After we liaised with the housing provider, her support coordinator, and the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), a lockbox was successfully installed. The client’s support workers can now access the building.
Systemic Advocacy
September has brought lots of new developments that may impact participants and applicants to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Our joint survey on access to medical imaging and women’s health services in NSW also closed with a significant number of responses that will provide the foundation for a future submission and policy recommendations to eradicate barriers to access.
August 2021
Individual, Family and Systemic Advocacy
ALSTONVILLE/TWEED HEADS
Our Northern Rivers team have had some awesome wins over August!
The client had been requesting access to an amount of $625 he had accrued as an overpayment on his rent. The client had been requesting this payment prior to his transfer in January. In late April he had finally received a response from the social housing landlord indicating that the overpayment amount had been used to cover outgoing maintenance costs arising from the previous Evans Head property.
SCIA attempted to resolve this matter with the social housing organisation who refused to concede they had erred from their statutory responsibilities. On behalf of our client, SCIA lodged an application through the New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT), securing an Order for the social housing landlord to pay our client the full amount of $625 within 14 days of the July 22 ruling. Our client was particularly appreciative of the assistance they had received in resolving this matter.
The family of two moved to our region during the pandemic after escaping a domestic violence environment. Feeling isolated and alone with no family or friends in the area, the mother reached out to our service. After hearing about us through the SASH program (Home Modifications, Enable NSW). The son has a physical disability and was declined twice before SCIA came on board to help his mum navigate the NDIS process. Working closely with local community health OT’s and Physios and his specialists, we were successful with his application.
Next, we focused our attention on the mother who has a psychosocial disability that required a different approach. With the help of our SCIA advocate, the mother was guided one step at a time to encourage her not to feel too overwhelmed by the complex NDIS process.
It took six months and countless setbacks to gather and prove a 20-year history of the psychosocial disability before she was successfully granted access. Her first plan includes significant COS funding, which will be instrumental in making sure they engage with local service providers.
Recently speaking to the mother, she advised, “life has vastly improved since gaining access to the NDIS. SCIA advocacy is such an amazing service. I am grateful for my advocate being able to explain things in simpler terms and help me and my son gain access to the NDIS.”
SYDNEY
Our individual advocates continue to support clients achieve great outcomes in the face of hurdles presented by government agencies’ refusal to fund much needed supports, services or home and living solutions. Advocates have also persisted in supporting clients make complaints in response to discriminatory practices by providers and other authorities to ensure that their voice is heard and their rights respected.
Some significant updates from Sydney’s individual advocates include:
Our systemic advocacy team has had yet another busy month with a specific focus on accessible housing and ensuring people with disability have access to supports and services and COVID-19 vaccines. The team is also very excited to welcome students from the University of Technology Sydney’s Professional Pathways Project to assist with our research projects on supports for people aged over 65 with disability, accessible housing and universal, timely access to assistive technology.
July 2021
Individual, Family and Systemic Advocacy
ALSTONVILLE/TWEED HEADS
Our Northern Rivers team have a quick update about a win that happened during the month
Our client is only 50 years old and he approached our Northern Rivers team to assist him in revoking the financial management and guardianship he was placed under.
Our team assisted him in gaining access to the National Disability Insurance Scheme and connecting him to a Support Coordinator who helped him organise supporting assessments and reports.
We submitted the revocation paperwork, alongside the assessments and we are pleased to say that as of this month the order of financial management and guardianship has been revoked.
SYDNEY
Our individual advocates have persisted in advocating side-by-side with their clients through these particularly challenging times and continue to make significant steps toward ensuring clients have the supports in place to dramatically improve their quality of life and ensure their rights.
Some significant updates from Sydney’s individual advocates include:
Additionally, Housing NSW has finally agreed to carry out home modifications on their property, after properly considering a report from an occupational therapist. This approval ensures that not only will this participant receive the right supports to meet their disability needs, but they can also feel more safe and secure knowing that their home is truly accessible.
This month has brought big news on the NDIS front, with the halt on independent assessments in their current format. We have also been focussed on providing feedback from SCIA members and clients on the Disability Support Pension and promoting the need for mandatory minimum accessibility housing standards across all states and territories.
Some policy highlights for the month include:
June 2021
Individual, Family and Systemic Advocacy
ALSTONVILLE/TWEED HEADS
Our Northern Rivers advocates have had some wins with our clients.
This month’s highlights include:
He is unable to communicate his needs, non-verbal and non-weight bearing. He and requires assistance with all of his daily activities.
As his disability requires very specific needs, he requires specialised staff that are able to work with him in a slow kind and caring way otherwise he becomes very anxious and display aggressive behaviours.
Our client resides in a nursing home and the staff are not trained to look after him and he was often just left on his own in his bed and neglected. This was obviously unacceptable as he was also at serious risk of choking and injuring himself.
His sister appealed to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) to have his NDIS plan reviewed by the NDIA with assistance from our advocate in the Northern Rivers.
We’re so pleased to let you know that after our intervention we successfully fought for 12 hours per day one-on-one support worker assistance 52 weeks per year so that he could receive the care and support that he needs.
This AAT Appeal was successful and he is now very happy and well cared for by wonderful support workers.
The place they resided in had high rent and even though client received a private rental subsidy. they were required by Housing NSW to keep a rental diary to demonstrate they had explored all avenues for housing.
Client had difficulty complying with Housing’s requirements to keep housing search records, and when our client tried to explain that her disability was complex and finding housing was unsuccessful, client says that Housing NSW staff talked over her and overall she felt discriminated.
A complaint was made to the Anti-Discrimination Board for Housing NSW to abide by their policies regarding disability and to recognise the housing needs specified by her general practitioner.
A phone conference was held between the Anti-Discrimination Board, Housing NSW, our client and our advocate. After five months of negotiations a Terms of Agreement was finalised.
Housing NSW has apologised for the threatening approach and has parked the requirement for our client to search for alternate housing.
SYDNEY
Our individual advocates have continued to fiercely support their clients through challenging times and have secured some notable wins throughout the month.
Some updates from the month include:
There have been lots of developments on the systemic advocacy front with public consultations covering employment, community inclusion and ongoing debate surrounding the NDIS.
Some policy highlights for the month include:
If you would like to read further about our policy engagements head to our Policy work, Submissions and Alliances page.
May 2021
Individual, Family and Systemic Advocacy
ALSTONVILLE/TWEED HEADS
This month, our Alstonville/Tweed Heads team had a successful NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) application for NSW Trustee Financial Management Order at the request of a client with disability.
Previously, our client and the family had been under the NSW Trustee Private Managers Team who provided him with positive supported financial decision making to manage his Disability Support Pension (DSP). He had expressed that he was unable to independently manage his finances and had requested this additional support.
At the time of the review it was decided amongst all parties (client and family) that they would remove the formal financial support and start informal financial supports via his family. This was due to the inability to afford the fee of the formal supports.
Unbeknown to all parties, informal financial support that is led by family means that the decision makers don’t have legal rights on that individual’s bank account. Client had been restricted by the family and issued him a personal budget of $1.00 a day, occasionally increasing so he can go out for a meal once in a while.
The family reasoned that the restrictiveness was due to the health of the client and they were only looking out for the client’s wellbeing.
Our advocacy team in Tweed Heads attempted contact with the family with no response.
The NCAT pointed out informal financial supported decision-making cannot have their names on an individual’s bank account and there is no legal right to force an individual to make a lifestyle change by restricting their budget as it’s a personal choice that requires an individual change.
Informal supports were removed and our client is currently placed under NSW Trustee Financial Management Order meaning he now receives a personal spending budget of $150.00 per week which is a huge difference for someone’s self-esteem and personal freedom.
It is an unusual situation for someone to have a better financial experience relying on the NSW Trustee Financial Management Order rather the informal supports. However, personal financial freedom was unattainable under the informal supports given.
This situation really highlights the vulnerability of people with disabilities when it comes to financial management and the importance of positive financial substitution. Our client’s health and wellbeing is of the utmost importance, but this should be a lifestyle decision made by the client themselves and not a third party against their will.
It also highlights how important it is to speak out on behalf of someone who may not be able to. Our client lives in Supported Disability Accommodation (SDA) and a staff member noticed the issue and flagged it with SCIA.
Our client is now able to go out and integrate with his community, go out to a gig every now and then and live a happier life.
SYDNEY
Our individual advocates in Sydney have had some incredible wins this month, supporting people with the National Disability Scheme (NDIS) to get the supports that they need.
Highlights of the month include:
There have been lots of developments on the systemic advocacy front with debate on the NDIS and accessibility.
Policy work this month has included:
If you would like to read further about our policy engagements head to our Policy work, Submissions and Alliances page.
April 2021
Individual and Systemic Advocacy
ALSTONVILLE
We’ve had some great wins this month for advocacy.
A client with a spinal cord injury came to us wanting assistance with an icare dispute which resulted in her support worker’s hours being reduced by half the amount.
We assisted by engaging with all parties via email and over the phone meetings to inform our client of her of her rights and the icare dispute process.
Our intervention resulted in icare agreeing to reinstate the appropriate support worker hours for her current 12 month plan.
SYDNEY
Our individual advocates in Sydney have been working hard to ensure that people are being fairly represented.
Highlights for this month include:
We located assistance animal providers with capacity for new clients, most had a waitlist of minimum two years, however one particular provider with capacity helped us design a proposal for the NDIA.
A wonderful and compassionate lawyer helped support us and the client at the AAT conference, and finally as of March this year the NDIS approved funds for a psychological assistance animal.
At the AAT, the DSP was refused on the grounds that the condition had not been “fully treated”. In the interim, we applied for Job Seeker with an exemption due to her medical condition.
After various home visitations, supporting medical documentation and telephone interviews with Centrelink, as well as a Centrelink appointed doctor, our client was successful in receiving the DSP in March 2021, backdated to January 2021.
• Staff were sleeping during a night shift where it is required that support workers must be alert for any emergency
• Support workers speaking over client and making decisions on her behalf
• Items missing
• Support workers dispatched who cannot drive to assist client. This specification has been stated in client’s care plan
• Reports of staff covering surveillance cameras
Fortnightly meetings were taking place with the provider to speak about these and addition issues that were arising, and to plan strategies to ensure duty of care and due diligence.
The provider was reluctant, but after a face-to-face meeting with our client, general manager of the agency and other management we are now successful in having two agencies engaging, with intention of including a third agency, to ensure that one is not dominant.
The Systemic Advocacy team has had another busy month with ongoing challenges surrounding the proposed changes to the NDIS; introduction of the Disability Support for Older Australians Program (DSOA) and possible reforms to the National Construction Code to enforce mandatory minimum accessibility standards. This included:
March 2021
Individual and Systemic Advocacy
ALSTONVILLE
It’s been a busy month for the Advocacy team up here in Alstonville, the year is now in full swing and we’re seeing lots of new advocacy issues coming in!
Our admin wizard, Donna, up here in Alstonville has helped piece together an NDIS Eligibility Toolkit, with some handy hints for you and your health care professionals, aimed at ensuring you tick all the required boxes for access.
We spoke with them, provided some information around what was required, helped them compile the information needed and submit it to the NDIS reviews team. This was submitted within the 100 days the NDIS give you to review a decision.
However, over the course of a couple of weeks, the submission ran over the 100 days without us hearing back from the NDIS. Our advocate called up, explained the situation, but was told that due to it now being outside of 100 days, the review can’t be actioned in our central office.
The review was forwarded to the NDIS Northern team, and our advocate escalated the issue to our contact in the NDIS complaints department. The next day, an NDIS representative called up our client to say they had been successful in being admitted to the scheme! What a great outcome!
If you or someone you know needs help with accessing the NDIS or reviewing a decision they have made, feel free to get in contact and we would love to help out! If you would like to get a copy of the NDIS Eligibility Toolkit fill out our Policy & Advocacy Request Form.
SYDNEY
The systemic advocacy team has had a very busy month, focussing our efforts on responding to proposed changes to the NDIS, housing and preparing our 2021 Advocacy Strategy.
Highlights from the month include:
February 2021
Individual and Systemic Advocacy
ALSTONVILLE
Our team in Alstonville supports the entire Northern Rivers area. Here is a snapshot of our team’s advocacy support and issues that they have faced over the past month.
SYDNEY
Our team has been working hard over January to help people on an individual and systemic level. Here are some of the things we’ve accomplished and some we are working on at the present time.
Individual Advocacy
We’re currently working on
Systemic Advocacy
If you would like to get in touch with our Policy and Advocacy team in Sydney and Northern Rivers, NSW please email us at info@scia.org.au or call us on 1800 819 775.