Return to the Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) Newsletters Page
Submission to the Senate Inquiry into Women in Sport and Recreation in Australia
WWDA Meeting with UN Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing
Resource Manual on Violence Against Women With Disabilities Project - Update
Advancement through Advocacy for Women With Disabilities Project - Update
Young People with Disabilities in Residential Aged Care
WWDA Presentation to National Conference on Women & Industrial Relations
Monitoring the new workplace environment
UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities - Update
WWDA Presentation to ACTCOSS Conference
Telecommunications Consumer Representation Grants
WWDA Radio Interviews: 3CR Melbourne & 2XX Canberra
Appendix One: United Nations Press Release by Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing
Appendix Two: Letter from Federal Attorney General re UN Convention
The Commonwealth State Territory Disability Agreement (CSTDA) provides the national framework for the delivery, funding and development of specialist disability services for people with disabilities. Under the three agreements signed to date (the first being in 1991) all parties are responsible for funding specialist services for people with disabilities:
WWDA provided a detailed Submission to the Senate Inquiry. WWDA's Submission demonstrated that the CSTDA has failed, and continues to fail, women with disabilities in Australia. WWDA's Submission provides a detailed picture of the human rights situation of women with disabilities in Australia, in the context of the CSTDA. WWDA's Submission makes the following recommendation:
Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA), representing more than 2 million disabled women in this country, strongly recommends that the CSTDA make explicit recognition of the impact of multiple discriminations caused by the intersection of gender and disability by emphasising that women and girls with disabilities suffer particular disadvantages, including marginalisation and multiple discrimination, and that specific, targeted measures are needed to ensure full and effective enjoyment of their human rights and fundamental freedoms and full participation on the basis of equality. These specific measures should be reflected in the CSTDA policy priorities, priority issues, and bilateral activity 'themes'.
A copy of WWDA's Submission to the 'Commonwealth State Territory Disability Agreement (CSTDA) Senate Inquiry' will soon be made available on WWDA's website. If anyone would like a copy of the Submission emailed to them, please contact the WWDA Office via email on: wwda@wwda.org.au
As a consequence of WWDA's written Submission to the Senate Inquiry, WWDA was asked to appear before the Senate Committee to discuss the issues raised in our Submission. Sue Salthouse (WWDA Vice President) represented WWDA at the Senate Inquiry. As first witness on 4 August, the full complement of committee members did not appear. However, Senator Kate Lundy and Senator Andrew Bartlett (Chair) gave an opportunity for more detailed discussion of the matters raised in the submission. The Hansard transcript of the meeting will be available in September.
A copy of WWDA's Submission to the 'Senate Inquiry into Women in Sport and Recreation in Australia' will soon be available on WWDA's website. If anyone would like a copy of the Submission emailed to them, please contact the WWDA Office via email on: wwda@wwda.org.au
Throughout his visit and consultations, the Special Rapporteur identified a serious hidden national housing crisis in Australia. Whilst he took note of some positive initiatives and programs from the part of the Government (such as the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP) or the 'fixing houses for better health' initiative), the Special Rapporteur noted the lack of recognition in policies and legislations and government planning of economic, social and cultural human rights at federal and state levels.
A Copy of the UN Press Release (23 August 2006) on the Special Rapporteur's visit and findings, is provided as an Appendix to this Bulletin. If anyone would like a copy of WWDA's paper on 'Gender, Disability & Housing in Australia' emailed to them, please contact the WWDA Office via email on: wwda@wwda.org.au
The information WWDA is incorporating into the Resource Manual includes:
The Resource Manual is being developed into a series of four Booklets (with accompanying CD Rom). The four Booklets are almost completed to draft stage. WWDA has received contributions from women with disabilities which are being incorporated into a Booklet of Narratives, Poetry and artworks. It is anticipated that the Resource Manual will be available by the end of the year.
If anyone would like more information on the Project, please contact Carolyn Frohmader (Project Manager) at the WWDA Office via email on: wwda@wwda.org.au.
The overall aim and long term goal of this project is to improve the status of women with disabilities through systemic advocacy. The major objective of the Project is: 'to enhance WWDA's capacity to promote the participation of women with disabilities in all aspects of social, economic, political and cultural life.' Specifically, the Project will:
The Registration Proforma was finalised in early August and sent out to the 80+ women already on a fledgling Register. The Proforma is accompanied by a Curriculum Vitae Proforma. These two Proforma will enable the Register Administrator to keep information in a standard form on a data base, and they form an essential tool for managing the Register as it increases in size. The Proforma seems to have disappeared into the ether - with only a few returned after the passage of a couple of weeks.
WWDA appeals to those who have already received the Proforma to complete and return them to Sue Salthouse. This can be done by email to sudata@optusnet.com.au, or by snail mail to 4 Dietrich Place, Chisholm ACT 2905.
It is certainly not too late to register. Women with disabilities should contact Sue Salthouse for further information (Ph: 02 6291 6842).
In addition, a Register of Advocacy Bodies is being developed by committee member Sheila King. The Project is liaising with the Administrators of State/Territory/Commonwealth Registers for Women, and is encouraging all its registrants to put their names down at this level too. In this way we can maximise the possibility of making effective placements of women with disabilities on advisory boards and committees.
In a press release of 8 May 2006, Mr. Brough said the Australian Government will be working closely with state and territory governments to reduce the number of younger people with a disability in residential aged care.
"Younger people with a disability in residential aged care, with an initial priority given to those under 50, will be able to have their needs assessed and appropriate alternative arrangements, including accommodation, will be offered where care can be made available," Mr. Brough said. The choice to move from an aged care facility will be voluntary.
In his latest Media Release on the subject (15 August 2006) Minister Brough announced the finalisation of bilateral agreements with South Australia, Queensland and Victoria.
Sue Salthouse presented a paper entitled "Constant Bridesmaids". The intersection of the Work Choices and Welfare to Work legislation may coincide to effectively lock out of meaningful work young women with disabilities who will be placed into the Newstart income support stream from 1 July this year. Time will tell if they are to become the "Constant Bridesmaids", always wanting, but never getting the work placements they aspire to. At this stage it is impossible to know what the outcomes of the legislation will be for women with disabilities.
A copy of WWDA's paper "Constant Bridesmaids" will soon be made available on WWDA's website. If anyone would like a copy of the paper emailed to them, please contact the WWDA Office via email on: wwda@wwda.org.au
A synopsis of the paper was printed in the Community Newspaper for the Brisbane area.
In 2005, the WWW consortium commissioned the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling (NATSEM) to look at the distributional impacts of the industrial relations legislation on single parents and on people with disabilities. In 2006, WWW has teamed with HREOC and the Women's Electoral Lobby (WEL) to commission Women in Social and Economic Research (WiSER) to undertake the first part of the monitoring process. WiSER have a report on the Women's Employment Status Key Indicators at a draft stage already.
The WWW consortium needs additional funds to enable us to commission the larger long term research project which will use these indicators to shape a comprehensive study of the affects of the legislation on women. The present proposal is to include case studies of 100 women.
Anyone or any organisation interested in contributing to the research fund (tax deductible through donations to the National Foundation of Australia Women) should contact Sue Salthouse for further information (sudata@optusnet.com.au).
The revised working text of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities can be found at: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/rights/ahc7ann2rep.htm
Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) has concerns regarding the Australian Government's position on Article 34 - International monitoring. The position of Australian delegations to sessions of the Ad Hoc Committee to date, has been to NOT support a complaints mechanism in the final Convention. This position is on the basis that 'many of the rights are duplicated in other Conventions with existing complaints mechanisms, and the establishment of an additional complaints mechanism is not in accordance with Australia's treaty body reform objectives' (Attorney General's Department & Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, June 2006).
Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) believes that the final UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities MUST contain a complaints mechanism, and has communicated this in writing to the Australian Government (to both the Federal Attorney General and the Minister for Families, Communities & Indigenous Affairs).
WWDA recently received a response from both the Federal Attorney General (Philip Ruddock) and the Minister for Families, Communities & Indigenous Affairs (Mal Brough). Both letters expressed the same position. A copy of the response from the Attorney General Philip Ruddock is attached in Appendix 2 of this Bulletin.
In addition WWDA has been successful in obtaining a separate small grant from DCITA for the 2006-07 financial year to enable it to participate in the Australian Communication Industry Forum (ACIF) Disability Council (DC). ACIF has recently formalised its registration process for consumer organisations which have representatives on the Disability Council and its Consumer Council. Sue Salthouse (WWDA Vice President) was elected as the Vice Chair of the ACIF Disability Council at its August meeting.
WWDA has also completed a submission to the Allen Consulting Group (ACG) for its review of the operation of the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman Scheme.
In response to individual enquiries received via wwda-discuss, WWDA Telecommunications Group members have given information on where to get advice on broadband services.
In early August, Sue was the guest of the regular weekly Community Affairs programme hosted by ACTCOSS on the ACT Community Radio station 2XX. The discussion here also touched on the work and job search scenario for women with disabilities, but also encompassed a run down on the activities of the ACT women with disabilities group (WWDACT).
This site was developed by Carolyn Frohmader for Women With Disabilities Australia.