National Reform Series 2016 | Civil Society Australia
Reforming NDIS: Fulfilling the Promise to Revolutionise Disability Services Online Consultation - First Round
What Do You Think?
The following are proposals for reform of NDIS. There are twelve (12) proposals on which comments are invited. We want to know what you think.
Our aim is to receive comments on these proposals so that refined proposals can be presented to the National Conference on Reforming NDIS on 21 March 2016.
People with disabilities, families, friends, support organisations, community groups, services and policy makers are invited to contribute to this people-driven process to ensure NDIS delivers on the promise to Revolutionise Disability Services. Reforming NDIS: Process and Timeline 1 December 2015 - 31 January 2016 Submit your suggestions and proposals for reform of NDIS. Proposals will be distributed for consideration. Participants consider various suggestions and proposals for reform, and offer their assessments.
1 February - 21 March 2016
Refinement of proposals based on participant feedback.
21 March 2016
Conference participants assess proposals for NDIS Reform and establish mechanisms for driving an ongoing reform process.CLICK HERE to register your interest in participating in this process.
CLICK HERE to submit a suggestion or proposal for reform. CLICK HERE to read the submitted proposals and add your comments.
CLICK HERE to register for the 21 March 2016 national conference.
Two Days in March 2016This process and conference on Monday 21 March 2016 forms part of a series of reform events hosted by Civil Society Australia in 2016. Two events will be held in March 2016. Participants may attend one or both of these as they wish. Monday 21 March 2016 Reforming NDIS Revolutionising Disability Services Tuesday 22 March 2016 Reforming Mental Health Breaking the Inertia in Reform CLICK HEREfor further information. Venue
The Angliss Conference Centre is located in the Melbourne CBD, on the corner of LaTrobe and King Streets, on the fifth floor. It is close to train and tram services. Flagstaff railway station is one block away in LaTrobe St, and Southern Cross station is three blocks away in Spencer St. Trams 23, 24, 30, 34, and City Circle run along LaTrobe Street.
There are numerous accommodation options close by, to suit all budgets.
Start and Finish Times
Both events begin at 9.15am, finishing at 5.00pm.
CLICK HEREto register for one or both of these events.
Further Information CLICK HEREfor further information. CLICK HEREfor Civil Society Australia website.
Perth shock jock Howard Sattler quizzing the
Prime Minister on whether her long-term partner is gay is just the latest in a
long list of offensive quips the 6PR drive host has delivered in his 31-year
broadcasting career.
In yesterday's interview (for which he has been
suspended pending an internal inquiry) Sattler took the opportunity to
"test out" a few "myths, rumours, snide jokes and
innuendos" by asking the Prime Minister to respond to rumours on the
s-xuality of her partner, Tim Mathieson, given that he's a former hairdresser.
Julia Gillard responded: "I don’t think in
life one can actually look at a whole profession full of different human beings
and say we know something about everyone of those human beings."
That's not a creed that Sattler himself seems to
live by. Between 1989 and 1992, Sattler was the subject of 19 individual
complaints to the Australian Broadcasting tribunal for comments by himself or
his callers relating to Aboriginal people and culture.
On April 4, 1990, Sattler commented on the
deaths of three Aboriginal children who had died while Perth police were
pursuing a car they had stolen, declaring: "Well, I say good riddance to
bad rubbish. That's three less car thieves. I think, they're dead, and I
think that's good."
The comments sparked
protests and much public outrage. Sattler was found to have contravened the
rules of the Australian Journalists Association; however, the finding was later
overturned.
The 6PR star was then heavily involved in
orchestrating the 1991 protest Rally for Justice, which was designed to put
pressure on the government to introduce harsher penalties for juvenile
offenders. Sattler ran a strong campaign on a local "crime wave", predominantly
Aboriginal crime, however crime statistics show there had been no increase in
crime. Effectively, the protest gathered a lynch mob on the steps of the
Western Australian state Parliament.
Sattler said himself in Demons at Drivetime, a
1995 documentary on the country's top drive-time hosts:
"When I went up there and saw a sea of
people, must have been 30,000 people, surrounding Parliament House, I felt
fairly uneasy, I've got to tell you. All of a sudden I realise what a position
I'd been placed in. These people came here because largely I told them to, or
asked them, implored them to go there. And now, to a degree, I had them in my
hands and I could say things to them and they may do things that they would
regret and I would regret later."
The shock jock also
became embroiled in the 1999 cash-for-comment saga involving radio broadcasters
Alan Jones and John Laws -- although not to the extent of that duo. Sattler had
sponsorship deals with Optus, Qantas, Rams and Mitsubishi, and the Australian
Broadcasting Authority found that 6PR breached the industry codes of practice
17 times.
In October 2009, Media Watch devoted a segment
to examining Sattler’s on-air claim that refugees were ripping off our welfare
system. Sattler lashed out: "They've got a cast of thousands putting that
together -- disaffected journalists -- people who have just got a gripe on the
world, who wouldn't make it in the real world of media."
Not like Sattler, of course, who noted in a 2011
interview given to mark his 30 years in radio that people often called him a
racist in the street."You get tagged because you ask questions about
Muslims, burqas and that sort of thing," he said. "You can tip-toe
through the tulips if you like, but I think you've got to confront these
things."
But to give him credit where it's due, Sattler
spoke with Sunrise in May to offer his take on the Gillard-Vegemite-sandwich
incident and conceded that people shouldn't actually throw things at the Prime
Minister.
In his profile on 6PR’s website states that his
most embarrassing on air moment was "interviewing actress Bette Davis, who
disagreed with every statement I made about her".
Looking for a book-end to Julia Gillard's 'Misogyny' speech? I consider the speech given yesterday by Glenda Jackson in the House of Commons in London as part of the 'tribute' session for Margaret Thatcher to be an appropriate book-end. Gillard's speech was delivered in response to the words and deeds of a man. Jackson's was delivered in response to the words and deeds of a woman.
In a civilised and secular society like ours, I know it is not fashionable to believe that words can build up or tear down. I put as evidence though the words Whitlam spoke on 11 November 1975.
Well may we say 'God Save the Queen'; because nothing will save the Governor-General. The proclamation you have just heard was counter-signed 'Malcom Fraser' - who will go down in history as 'Kerr's Cur'.
And nothing did save the Governor-General. He became a pathetic figure in the public life of Australia. However, the Malcolm Fraser curse has not come true. In fact, late in their lives, they have become friends. Perhaps this means, that as important as words are in creating or destroying, actions can nullify our words. In short, bad deeds can mock good words and good deeds can overcome bad words.
Since Julia Gillard came to be Prime Minister of Australia many destructive words have been pour forth against her and about her. Large sections of the Australian polity believe these words go beyond the political argy-bargy and indicate a deep-seated mysogyny among a lot of Australian men - well educated and not; influential figures and not. Then there is the asylum seeker debate and the topics of climate change and carbon pricing.
Australia's political discourse has become distinctly uncivil. Those of us with long political memories can not recall anything as witless and excoriating as the recent and current discourse of Liberal and National Party politicians and their influential allies in some sections of the media. Added to this are the bigots, the racists, the ignorant and the ill-informed. A quite disgusting dawn chorus!
What a great disservice we perpetrate when we don't mind our language. If we don't allow for another valid perspective; if we don't carry a widespread love and respect in our beings from which we can give voice. A change of words, respectful and intelligent discourse among us all can change things. It is the difference between confidence in troubled times, instead of fear. It is the difference between hiding behind an insular xenophobia and opening ourselves to new ways of being on this planet. Our lives could be so much better if we just remembered to mind our language.
~~~~~~
PRESS RELEASE
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH:
VIOLENT SPEECH HAS
NO PLACE
IN PUBLIC DEBATE
Feminists and supporters across the country are
calling for an end to use of language that is symptomatic of violence towards
women in current political commentary.
“We accept that debate, commentary and opinion are
important avenues for public discussion and information about issues that
affect us all” said spokesperson Betty Green
“Violent hate
speech directed at women political leaders reveals a concerning acceptance of
abusive tactics in public life”
While we expect that from time to time such
discussions and conversations will be passionate, dynamic and robust, we do not
accept that the language
used should ever express sentiments which are reflective of violence against
women.
We have heard
or read about comments and statements in a variety of media directed at Julia
Gillard the first female Prime Minister of Australia that deeply concerns
us.
Comments such
as these may well be described as “off the cuff”, “the rough and tumble of
politics” however, we find these comments disturbing and troubling.
Violence
against women is not a trivial matter. In Australia 1 in 4 women will experience
some form of intimate partner violence in their lifetime, and cost the Australian economy approximately $13.6 billion per
year.
On average 76
women are killed annually in Australia at the hands of their current or former
partners.
“We and our supporters are saying clearly that this
trend is not acceptable”
Attitudinal change has been identified as a key
strategy in reducing violence against women in this country. Millions of
dollars in public campaigns and initiatives work towards this end
If we as a community accept speech reflective of
violence towards women as being “par for the course” in public life then we
undermine each and every one of these efforts.
Coalition for a Feminist Agenda:
Contact person: Dr. Betty McLellan: Phone: 0410 218 990.
Speakers: Robert Manne, Kenneth Davidson and Louise Connor. The Australia Series: Four panel discussions co-hosted by the Search Foundation and The New International Bookshop on the topics most critical to Australia’s economic, political and environmental future. 7pm, Trades Hall Meeting Room 1, 54 Victoria St, South Carlton. Entry to the Australia Series talks is by $10 / $5. For more information about the or to confirm your place on the night please contact The New International Bookshop on (03) 9662 3744 or at nibscoordinator@gmail.com
The article below is by Tess Lawrence and is re-posted, with permission, from the Independent Australia website. I hope Networkers will pop over there to follow up on the comments to Tess's article. Tess has kindly published my previous post in the comments section as well. And I hope you too will become a regular reader of IA.
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AUSTRALIA DAY IN BLACK AND WHITE
by contributing editor-at-large Tess Lawrence
“Many of our people call it invasion day,” said Mr Mick Dodson, a professor of law at the Australian National University. “To many indigenous Australians, in fact, most indigenous Australians, it really reflects the day in which our world came crashing down.”
When Mick Dodson uttered those words in 2009, after being named Australian of the Year, he addressed the echidna in the outback room. I’m not the only Australian that empathises with him and like thinkers.
We have become so used to having a moribund Federal Parliament that has long divested itself of any concern, or even affection, for its people, but instead has morphed into a wasteland of toxic factions and fetid egos whose venal pursuit of power for power’s sake has reduced our nation’s governance to political squalor and hypocrisy.
This year we celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy set up on the grounds of the old Parliament House in Canberra. It is a sacred vigil.
The Tent Embassy has a nobility, patriotic passion and sense of purpose that is completely lacking in The Big House.
Its Coat of Arms and Constitution has no need for royal decree, since the people themselves have decreed it and declared it.
It does not buy and sell speakers and squelchers of the House. Its Ambassadors do not sit in high chairs or high dudgeon.
The Tent Embassy seeks equality not superiority. It seeks recognition that this nation was occupied by aborigines when the first white boat people arrived in their tens, then hundreds, then thousands and now millions and became the master race through brute and gentler force, imposing their language, their religion and their diseases — and whatever else…
It is a disgrace that we have yet to acknowledge the original inhabitants of our Great Southern Land in our Constitution. I say that, as I write, in the midst of much back patting and back stabbing and nonsensical puffery surrounding the issue.
It is more than a disgrace that we have no Treaty in place and I have long felt this.
I feel we will remain an illegitimate nation until we are honourable enough to do the right thing.
In February 2008, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd wrote himself indelibly into Australian history when he said Sorry. Perhaps we will have to wait for the Gillard FM (Faceless Men) Coup to be reversed for him to negotiate a Treaty.
Certainly, of all the big noters and the big notaries in the Labor Party – the big talkers and the big hawkers – Kevin Rudd came the closest to effecting a Treaty. He might yet get the chance to extend his historical paragraph.
Today, Independent Australia republishes an article I wrote for Planet Oz Media in 2009 about the Dodson Affair. Tragically, so little has changed in the years since. Dodson was seen by some to be ungrateful and ungracious when he made his comments — and yet, I rejoice that other Australians of the Year have since voiced their passions and beliefs and told it like it is, without marinating in spin or ingratiation.
It’s the Australia that I once knew and still love. Our Governments can reduce us to political Shamocracy, but We the People can still act on behalf of, and with, our communities and refuse to be threatened into silence or brutalised by corporations into submission.
AUSTRALIA DAY OR LOSTRALIA DAY?
G’day Australia. Do most of us really believe that it’s the right thing to celebrate Australia Day on the anniversary of a date when a bunch of whiteys preposterously plonked a Union Jackboot in the sand and declared the land unoccupied, when they had clearly seen a bunch of black fellows peeping through the gum leaves.
Smacks of a rip-off to me. Come off it, sport, how UNaustralian is that, mate?! Fair suck of the saveloy our gracious king.
And what’s up with ‘lil Kev. When he was Kevin 007 he said ‘Sorry’ for Gawd’s sake. Now he’s morphed into Kevin 09, long lost blue blood brother to one John Winston Howard, hogging the mike and telling us all the answer is an emphatic ‘ NO! ‘to any thought of moving the date for
Australia Day to a more appropriate ‘time of the month’ or year.
I was rather disturbed at his attitude and his nobody language. How can Kev go on about democracy and freedom of speech and in the same breath dictate to that big black upstart, the man with the hat, and his like, that the date WILL NOT be moved. Who said? You’re an elected servant of the people, Kev. The Great Unwashed. You might be removed at the next election, mate, for all you know. And what’s up with the drongo Supposition agreeing with him?
Not a good thing to say ‘never’ in politics, Kev. We of the never never reckon you could find yourself eating someone else’s turds. I’m with Professor Mick Dodson, Australian of the Year – and
Ron Barassi and the apparent minority to which I belong, that believes in Australia Day – but not its date.
As it stands, it’s a day for dancing alright; dancing on the collective grave of the inhabitants of the First Nation. You’ve lost me on this one Kev. Australia Day is invasion day — Lostralia.
What’s more, Kev, and this is neither threat nor prophecy (in case you’re thinking of issuing any ridgydidge fridge magnets to report any Australia Day insurgents), if you keep this up you could get a pair of thongs thrown at you at your next press conference.
A.D. or B.C.?
Should A.D. (Australia Day) better reflect B.C. (before Cook)? I say yes. I say change — not the short change that keeps coming to indigenous Australians.
Tough if it’s an inconvenience to change the date, or to seriously think about what we are doing to our indigenous brethren. All the platitudes in the gin-joints of the world mean nothing if we are incapable of empathy on this matter.
In truth this country was ‘founded’ on a lie. It was not ‘terra nullius’; but to a people that considered itself the master race of the universe, blacks were not humans. Bungs didn’t count.
Do they now, Kev? Not really. Neither in fact; nor in law. Not the white man’s lore. Not the King’s Law. Nor the white Queen’s Law. Nor, it seems, do we want them contributing to public debate and impacting upon the outcomes of those debates.
A bit of shiny bling…
…to pin on their diseased and diabetic chests
We orchestrated their past and we’ll orchestrate their future. We know what’s good for them.
Say ‘Sorry’, keep them happy, give them a bit of shiny bling to pin on their diseased diabetic chests.
Better hold on the toxic sugar. And the rabid 100% alcohol-proof fences.
Even if they are on the dole forever, their life span is not as long as ours, so whiteys on the dole forever can still enjoy the dole life plan for much longer. In a way, their early deaths represent considerable saving to the public purse. Come to think of it, then, this means it is not economically viable for us to improve their health.
They wouldn’t work in an iron ore lung…
They wouldn’t work in an iron-ore lung anyway.
There are two types of black deaths in custody. There are your traditional black deaths in custody: go alive into a prison cell, come out dead — Aunties wailing and tearing their hearts and hair out.
You know the scenario. They make such a bloody songline and dance about it.
Then there’s the other black deaths in custody. They now run into their thousands.
They’re the black deaths that have taken place since they’ve been in custody of the wider community. Our community. In our political custody and all that entails. That is, the sum total of all of us since white foot first trod heavy upon this Great Southern Land.
Once, in 1967, white and whiteish folks voted for aborigines to be counted in the national census.
What if we turned the tablelands on that? Do you think we could ask indigenous Australians to participate in a referendum about the date on which we should celebrate Australia Day? Could they be trusted with such political gravitas? Is that too big a word for them, Kev?
You probably want to keep them away from the political gravy train. Look at what happened to ATSICK. I mean, you wouldn’t want them handling a Wheat Board or, say, be Victoria’s Minister for Transport, Lynne Kosky, or anything like that.
Reckonciliation — Reconciliation
And you’d have to keep them away from plonk, glue and petrol wouldn’t you, Kev? Thenthey might be able to handle it. You’d have to keep them away from parliamentary dining rooms otherwise all their rellies would be eating there and complaining theirservings weren’t big enough.
Have you seen how they scoff their tucker? As if there’s no tomorrow. A short tomorrow, granted — but, look, they do get everything just handed to them on a platter. They get handouts and handsup and handshakes — and then they paint all those hands and plant them in the ground. And then have the cheek to give us their hand in wreckonciliation … oops! Reconciliation, I mean.
But that’s not all. They might have altercations on a night out with the iguanas, which they like to bake over an open fire. And you’d have to ban them from going overseas and representing us as diplomats because they’ll just get on the booze — they could also lose their daks, gawd love’em; but they do wear those red nappy things when they’re dancing, so it would probably be alright in the long run.
Better still Uncle Kev, keep them away from any real participation in political change. No, I like
the way you stood up to Professor Mick — have you done a bio authenticity check on him? What’s he profess to be a Professor of, ’eh?
We stole this land. Dress it up in laws and legislation as much as you like. We all continue to collude in this theft. As long as we delay Reconciliation and a Treaty, we remain accomplices.
It’s not right. It’s not fair. It’s not justice. We can’t undo the past. But we should be honest enough to acknowledge it.
Obama spells a Mabo backwards
I love this country. Like many of us who travel overseas, I am perplexed at the nostalgia and sentiment that intoxicate the brain when away from her. It is surely a spiritual bond and not the privilege of one skin colour alone. The power comes from her — and not those who walk upon her; sometimes walk all over her.
People keep asking if there’s an Obama type of fellow out there amongst our indigenous folk. Fat chance. You wouldn’t consider Mick or Noel would you? Don’t even think about a black sheila.
Unless it’s that Catherine the Great sprinter, the one who’s got ‘Salome’ as one of her middle names,
strewth! That’s a bible name. Cheek of it. She must be well up herself, with a surname like
Freeman. I reckon she could be a closet Muslim. Think about it, Salome………
She was given a bogong wasn’t she — an OAM I think. It’s that bling thing again with them.
And she won a gold medal in the Olympics desperately trying to ingratiate herself to us.
Trying to be whiter than white. As for her draping their flag around herself like that, well, with a middle name like Salome what do you expect ?
I thought she’d breakdance into the dance of the Five Veils, it being the Olympics and all. It was different when our Dawn nicked the Aussie flag — that’s more in keeping with our tradition and idiom; plus our Dawn’s got the advantage of being white. But look, getting back to skin colour, of course it matters. For a start, some of them are that white they only claim to be black so they can get the benefits.
Funny that Obama spells A Mabo backwards. I reckon that’s a sign. Black Magic. Also, some of them blacks are muslims like Obama. Did you ever hear of anything so ridiculous. What’s wrong with The Dreamtime? Their own culture not good enough for them? Rainbow serpents and Muslims. Didge in one hand — Koran in the other. What’s going on there? They should be facing Uluru, not Mecca; the Southern Cross, not Saudi Arabia.
I dunno, Kev, I think I’ve just about talked myself out of it now. Yeah, keep Invasion Day as Australia Day. After all, there’s more of us than them. Yo, whiteys rule! And don’t forget, they’re a dying race. As long as we go on as we are, soon there won’t be a race problem. They’ll die out. They’ve brought it upon themselves.
Geezus, they didn’t even put up a decent fight. And when you think about it, they may have lost their country but look at all they’ve gained. We brought them Civilisation! We took them out of the
Stone age. They put themselves into the Stoned age. We give them voting rights. They want Land Rights. They want equal rights. They make us feel like guests in our own country.
You can’t build a dunny on a dung heap without them claiming it’s sacred land and demanding billions of Australia Day medals. The only mistake we made was when we didn’t follow the example of our own white European ancestors. We didn’t learn from our own history. After all, did not the Dutch buy Manhattan for 60 guilders, if not baubles and beads, from the local red Indian savages. After all, our mob couldn’t read or write — still can’t. Anyway, even if we had’ve given them a few bob, where were they going to spend it ? They hadn’t even invented money. No shops. No milkbars. No malls.
To-day, January 26, is Australia Day - Australia's national day of celebration (that's the settler attitude) or the day to mark survival (that's the Aboriginal point of view). The Governor-General publishes a list of Australian honours. It is my Australia Day ritual to peruse the lists nodding in agreement with some (not a lot) and making snarky remarks to myself about others (quite a few). The snarky remarks go along the lines of - well, he/she has got it for a job in which they were well remunerated; so-and-so got this level of honour while so-and-so did similar activities and only got a lower level of honour.
One thing is always clear to me, though, and that is that Honours Lists are status-ridden. The highest level honours are few, seldom given to women or at least not more than one woman per list, and it is clear that one has to have reached a certain position - usually based on economic position - to be in the running. Although it is possible to work your way up from one level to another. This is noted in the lists with the biographies clearly delineating what the recipient has done since his/her last and lower honour.
For you, dear Networkers, I have singled out a few which are a great fit for the ethos of The Network. I have excerpted their listings and have placed them in the document below so you can read them in greater detail. Those that capture my attention are as follows:
David Rhett BUTLER - Firstly, don't you love the name, Rhett Butler. At least one parent must have loved Gone with the Wind. And, did he marry someone called Vivian and have a daughter called Scarlett? That's not why he made The Network Honours List. No. It is because he is the chair and founder of Skyjuice Foundation. As Networkers realise, water is a major priority on The Network and so I regard this not only as a gong for David Butler but for water as well.
Bryan Andrew KEON-COHEN QC. Networkers will realise that the First Nations have the highest priority on The Network. This blog is concerned for recognition and relationships with the First Peoples of all parts of the globe. This, however, is an Australian blog and The Network's primary concern is with the First Nations of Australia. Bryan Keon-Cohen's work for which he is honoured makes it perfectly clear that his priority is the same as The Network's priority.
Jon Stephenson - like myself an old Townvillean - has gone from the midst of us. Please note, Networkers. If you wish to nominate someone, please don't wait until they are on their last legs. Jon's achievements are amazing. For my money this man should have been nominated years before and received no less than our highest honour. Neither of these things have occurred. This man's achievements are many and unique. We ought to be reading about him in schools and libraries across the country. Is there a Hall of Fame somewhere for Jon Stephenson?
Lyn Pengilly of Parkes and Helen Poulos of Bondi Junction touch my heart strings. The Network emphasises and tries to live and breathe community and communitarianism. Lyn and Helen display this in their daily lives and have been honoured for it - one in regional Australia, the other in the very centre of Australia's major city. They are unpaid. They have done the most basic of volunteer jobs. Without Lyn and Helen and people like them across this nation and across the world our human community would be poverty stricken in mind, body, and spirit. They have turned their hands to what needs doing. They have provided the grease for the wheels of their communities.
“We need Aboriginal people to have a say about the draft because the decisions that will be set out in the final plan will have an impact on river country,” said Chief Executive Rhondda Dickson.
“I encourage Aboriginal people around the Basin to read the Yarn and draft plan, talk it through with us and send us submissions.”
The MDBA will be travelling to towns throughout the Basin to talk with Aboriginal people on their country — in halls, homes or by the river. This is part of the broader MDBA 20-week consultation period on the draft Basin Plan.
While visiting country, the MDBA wants to help Aboriginal people learn more about the draft Basin Plan, and have their say about what’s in the final Basin Plan.
CLICK HERE for further information.
