Disability News: Vol 1 No 5 - Wednesday, 6 July 2005
Enhancing post secondary education, training and employment opportunities for people with a disability RDLO & DCOs National Website http://www.adcet.edu.au/rdco/	Compiled by Timothy Hart DCO for Northern, Central and Southern Sydney

To return to the DCO Disability Newsletter Archive Page go to http://www.cdds.med.usyd.edu.au/dco/newsletter or click here

Conferences:
The Global Access Project (GAP) Inaugural International Forum ‘Sharing the Knowledge’
Presented by Macquarie Customised Accessibility Services M-CAS, September 29th & 30th, 2005
Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia,
An equity focussed Forum aimed at addressing the GAP between the needs of students and employees with disabilities and current services and technologies. The Forum will include a showcase of & workshops with new adaptive technologies, case studies from end users and interactive panel sessions. For further information or to register contact http://www.cfl.mq.edu.au/mcas/gap/ Enquiries +61 2 9850 7570
The Global Access Project (GAP) is an initiative of Macquarie University's Centre for Flexible Learning and has grown out of Macquarie Customised Accessibility Services. The aim of the GAP forum is to provide an international forum where delegates can share knowledge, experience, technologies and methods for facilitating equity of access to information and knowledge in both the Education and Industry sectors. This forum provides an ideal opportunity for delegates to both participate and learn about new developments in the accessibility area.
The GAP forum is an equity focussed forum which will address the divide between the needs of students and employees with disabilities and current services and technologies. We are fortunate to have two International speakers, Frances West from IBM USA and Dr Martin Morrey from Intrallect UK, as well as a line up of engaging and stimulating speakers from Australia. The Forum will include a showcase of new adaptive technologies, technology workshops, case studies from end users and interactive panel sessions.
International Keynote addresses from
Frances West, Director of IBM’s World Wide Accessibility Center, IBM USA
Dr Martin Morrey, Intrallect UK, (elearning systems and bespoke software)
Special Guest speakers include
Dr Sev Ozdowski, Human Rights Commissioner, Human Rights & Equal Opportunity Commission
John Loxton, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Macquarie University, Sydney
Suzanne Colbert, CEO, Employers Making a Difference (EMAD)
Helen Dakin, Senior Legal Offi cer, Australian Copyright Council
Mark Bagshaw, Manager IBM Australia & NZ Accessibility Centre
http://www.cfl.mq.edu.au/mcas/gap/

Education:
Uni groups reaffirm opposition to VSU
July 5, 2005 - 7:24PM
Peak university bodies are reaffirming their opposition - in a country-wide series of Senate committee hearings this week - to the federal government's plan to introduce voluntary student unionism (VSU).
Australasian Campus Union Managers Association (ACUMA) and Australian University Sport (AUS) have called for the preservation of student services and infrastructure.
ACUMA estimates the current $170 million collected annually from compulsory amenities and services fees will drop to $45 million if the changes make it through parliament.
The group - which represents clubs, catering, bars and bookshops - also fears up to 4,200 jobs could be lost among its members.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Uni-groups-reaffirm-opposition-to-VSU/2005/07/05/1120329443344.html

Uni jobs feared at risk
By Linda Doherty and Stephanie Peatling
July 5, 2005
More than 4000 jobs will be lost and revenue from university student fees slashed by $125 million a year if the Federal Government introduces voluntary student unionism, campus service providers say.
The Australasian Campus Union Managers Association said the greatest impact would be on regional universities and new campuses in city suburbs as many existing student services became "extinct".
In a submission to a Senate inquiry investigating the Government's proposed abolition of compulsory student union fees, the association said it was "highly unlikely" universities would have the funds to support services from child care to student counselling.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/uni-jobs-feared-at-risk/2005/07/04/1120329388590.html

Unis warn on cuts to to funding
Samantha Maiden
June 30, 2005
PUBLIC funding for university places in real terms per student has slumped since the Howard Government was elected, university chiefs have warned.
By contrast, John Howard's "user-pays" agenda has resulted in a significant rise in payments from students, leaping from $1500 a year per place in 1989 to $3894 in 2000.
University leaders will also reveal this week that the student-to-staff ratio has risen by more than a third.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,15774549%255E2702,00.html

Student attrition rates acceptable: AVCC
June 30, 2005 - 12:04AM
Australia's peak university body has welcomed a new report which shows university attrition rates are not as bad as previously feared.
The Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee (AVCC) said it was pleased with the findings of the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) report into course change and attrition rates from higher education, released on Thursday.
AVCC chief executive John Mullarvey said the fact that only 14 per cent of the initial group chose to leave the university sector after two years was a very encouraging result.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Student-attrition-rates-acceptable/2005/06/30/1119724701932.html

Liberal big gun joins critics of student fee ban
By Kelly Burke and Josh Paine
June 23, 2005
The Federal Government has come under attack from a Liberal Party heavyweight, adding to the growing chorus of dissent over the move to ban compulsory student union fees.
Macquarie Bank's chairman and former federal Liberal Party treasurer, David Clarke, told the Herald he had spoken to the Prime Minister, John Howard, 10 days ago, in an attempt to persuade him to soften the Government's stance on voluntary student unionism.
"When people actually understand what this legislation is going to do, I find there is very substantial opposition to it amongst people who would be regarded as traditional Liberal voters," he said. "I pointed out … there was a lot of opposition, and that was something I wanted him to be aware of."
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/liberal-big-gun-joins-critics-of-student-fee-ban/2005/06/22/1119321795448.html

Report calls for probe into student poverty
A Senate report on student income support has recommended the Government consider changes to payments and eligibility criteria.
The committee says the issue of student poverty needs further investigation, although government senators disagreed with more than half the recommendations.
Labor Senator Trish Crossin says the committee heard evidence of students resorting to prostitution to pay for food.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200506/s1399036.htm

Nelson introduces uni workplace reforms
June 23, 2005 - 4:04PM
The federal government's controversial legislation to re-shape the industrial relations landscape in universities was introduced into parliament on Thursday.
Under the changes, universities and TAFEs are being forced into offering new individual Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs) to staff due to conditions placed on federal government funding worth $11 billion over ten years.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Nelson-introduces-uni-workplace-reforms/2005/06/23/1119321840322.html

Nats told to toe line on student unions
June 22, 2005 - 9:59AM
Senior members of The Nationals have warned their incoming senators to toe the line on government plans to introduce voluntary university student unionism.
Under laws introduced to parliament in March by Education Minister Brendan Nelson, university students will no longer have to join student unions and pay compulsory union fees.
The government expects those laws to be passed once it takes control of the Senate in July.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Nats-told-to-toe-line-on-student-unions/2005/06/22/1119321765091.html

Student union bill in peril as Nats defy PM
By Josh Paine and Kelly Burke
June 22, 2005
National Party senators are threatening to block the Federal Government's legislation to outlaw student unions, potentially derailing one of the Prime Minister's ideological ambitions.
Two incoming senators, Queensland's Barnaby Joyce and NSW's Fiona Nash - who have already indicated their opposition to the voluntary student unionism bill in its present form - are likely to be joined by others.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/student-union-bill-in-peril-as-nats-defy-pm/2005/06/21/1119321738094.html

Uni fee reform threatens jobs: academics
Fri Jun 17 2005 AAP
Australia's peak university body has told the federal government its legislation banning student union fees will threaten thousands of jobs as well as key sport, health and welfare services.
The Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee released its report into the abolition of compulsory up-front student union fees, saying the government must see sense on the issue and agree to a compromise.
For the rest of the article go to
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=12383

Technical colleges in limbo after student charges claim
By Kelly Burke Higher Education Reporter
June 17, 2005
The Federal Government's move to establish 24 Australian Technical Colleges has stalled amid claims of broken election promises over fee charging and funding.
The Opposition has refused to pass a bill set to deliver training in traditional trades to 7200 year 11 and 12 students from next year, after the leak of a backbench briefing paper prepared by the Minister for Vocational and Technical Education, Gary Hardgrave.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Technical-colleges-in-limbo-after-student-charges-claim/2005/06/16/1118869048101.html

Local uni students should not pay fees: Labor
By Shane Green and David Rood
June 16, 2005
Federal Labor will continue to oppose local fee-paying places at university as part of its new higher education policy.
Education spokeswoman Jenny Macklin also flagged the party's likely continued support for full indexation of Commonwealth grants to universities.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Local-uni-students-should-not-pay-fees-Labor/2005/06/15/1118645872289.html

Are our universities losing their autonomy?
June 16, 2005
Government intervention and reduced funding are constricting universities, writes John Mullarvey.
Since the passage of the Higher Education Support Act in 2003, the higher education sector has been the subject of an extraordinary number of discussion and consultation papers. These include Building University Diversity, Research Quality Framework, the discussion paper on Commonwealth and state responsibilities for universities and higher education, Strengthening Standards in Offshore Education, and the singling out of the university sector in the Government's workplace reforms agenda. All these raise the question of the autonomy and future legislative control of universities.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.theage.com.au/news/Opinion/Are-our-universities-losing-their-autonomy/2005/06/15/1118645864712.html

Govt stands firm on student unionism
June 15, 2005 - 4:25PM
The federal government has rejected a last ditch plea by student leaders from universities across the country to soften its stance on the introduction of voluntary student unionism.
A 30-strong delegation of heads of student organisations, led by National Union of Students (NUS) president Felix Eldridge, arrived at Parliament House in Canberra to make their appeal to Education Minister Brendan Nelson.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Govt-stands-firm-on-student-unionism/2005/06/15/1118645857307.html

Debate shut down on skills Bills
June 15, 2005
THE Federal Government today shut down debate on proposed laws designed to shake up Australia's vocational education and training sector and place TAFE workers on individual contracts.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,15620857%255E1702,00.html

Floored by a right hook
Brendan O'Keefe
June 15, 2005
UNIVERSITY of Sydney women's officer Isobelle Barrett-Meyering got a rude shock during a recent visit to the University of New England to campaign for the National Union of Students.
At a polling booth during a referendum, a Liberal student said to her: "The question isn't whether women should be able to attend UNE, but whether they should be able to attend university at all."
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,15613680%255E12332,00.html

UNE radio sacking sparks review
Brendan O'Keefe
June 15, 2005
THE University of New England students association has sacked the campus radio station manager after he criticised a ban on broadcasting a forum on voluntary student unionism.
Tune FM station manager Edward Campbell told the HES he was accused of "bringing UNESA into disrepute" and was called into a meeting with UNESA president Samantha Aber and treasurer Dayne Rosolen, and sacked.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,15614898%255E12332,00.html

Employment:
Warning on skills shortage, aged workers
June 14, 2005 - 5:44PM
The need for lifelong learning is becoming more urgent as Australia confronts the twin challenges of an ageing workforce and a skills shortage in key industries, a new report has found.
The Committee for Economic Development of Australia's (CEDA) Lifelong Learning report found there were economic benefits to lifting school retention rates and encouraging further education and retraining throughout people's careers.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.smh.com.au/news/Business/Warning-on-skills-shortage-aged-workers/2005/06/14/1118645803531.html

Welfare:
Almost $100 poorer due to welfare changes
SYDNEY — A new analysis by the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) of the impact of the federal government’s changes to welfare, announced in the May budget, reveals that many people who find part-time work or undertake study after July 2006 would be worse off than under existing arrangements.
“The budget’s welfare-to-work package increased employment assistance for people with disabilities and provided more childcare for sole parents but if those on payments want to work or study they have even less money to make ends meet”, said ACOSS president Andrew McCallum on June 27. “The financial disincentives to work and study must be removed so struggling Australians can improve their prospects and find a way out of poverty.”
Next year, people with disabilities assessed as able to work part-time and sole parents whose youngest child is over five years who would have been on higher-paying pension payments will be diverted onto lower-paying allowance payments. Those on allowances face lower incomes when working part time or studying, compared with the existing social security system.
The ACOSS study found that a single person with a disability will be $93 worse off under the Newstart allowance, while a sole parent will be $86 a week poorer.
Kerry Smith
From Green Left Weekly, July 6, 2005.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2005/632/632p2c.htm

Mentally ill need own court: advocate
By Carol Nader
Health Reporter
July 5, 2005
A leading social welfare advocate has called for the establishment of a mental health court to reduce the number of mentally ill people in prisons.
Peter Norden, policy director of Jesuit Social Services, said a mental health court would help prevent the mentally ill from reoffending and would have a "less adversarial approach".
Father Norden said the court would recognise that an offender's main problem was not breaking the law but mental health. "That means you might have a focus on the needs rather than the deeds," he said.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/mentally-ill-need-own-court-advocate/2005/07/04/1120329381303.html

Opposition to “welfare-to-poverty” agenda
Matthew Davis, Perth
In response to the federal Coalition government’s unfair changes to the disability support pension, peak body Australian Federation of Disability Organisations (AFDO) has initiated Campaign Enable.
The campaign will target 16 electorates from now until the 2007 federal election, including PM John Howard’s seat of Bennelong, and other electorates where the number of people with disabilities exceeds the number of votes required for the seat to change hands.
Campaign Enable has three main goals: To gain a commitment by the federal government to develop a national employment strategy that addresses systematic discrimination; to end the planned unfair disability support work capacity test; and to ensure that the extra costs of people living with a disability are met, along the lines recommended by the August 2000 McClure report.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2005/632/632p10c.htm

Insider exposes agency
By Carly Crawford
19jun05
CENTRELINK staff are rejecting welfare claims so they can meet performance targets, internal documents reveal.
The agency also black-marks personal files of people on benefits who criticise the organisation, the documents - obtained under Freedom of Information laws - show.
Welfare watchdogs are calling for a national inquiry.
The cases are highlighted in a book called Australia's Artful Dodger: Centrelink Exposed, by former senior manager-turned whistleblower Rod Whyte. In the book, to be launched on July 1, Mr Whyte also says:
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,15656483%255E421,00.html

are you worrying yourself sick
June 19, 2005
Work, relationships, world peace... worry is a sign of the times. But do it properly and it needn't take over your life. By Sara Mulcahy.
It's three o'clock in the morning and you've just woken up, had a drink of water and settled back down for another four hours of well-earned sleep. Then a thought creeps into your mind. That meeting at 11am requires a fair bit of groundwork and maybe two hours won't be enough time to prepare after all. Why didn't you think of this earlier? Okay, okay, no point in worrying about it now. Or is there?
For the rest of the article go to
http://entertainment.news.com.au/story/0,10221,15611913-22811,00.html

Media Releases:
Senate Inquiry Travels to Armidale
Senator Natasha Stott Despoja
Democrats Senator for South Australia
The Government should listen to regional universities concerns about the likely impact of its anti-student unionism legislation on regional campuses, according to the Australian Democrats.
Democrats Higher Education Spokesperson Senator Natasha Stott Despoja is in Armidale today for a Senate Committee inquiry into the Government's legislation to ban compulsory student union fees.
For the rest of this Media release go to
http://www.democrats.org.au/news/index.htm?press_id=4690&display=1

Work and study doesn’t pay in Govt’s welfare package
New analysis of the impact of Budget changes to welfare revealed that many people who find part time work or undertake study post July 2006 would be worse off than under existing arrangements, the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) said today.
“These proposals set for July 2006 will make work less rewarding for those who gain part-time work or study,” ACOSS President Andrew McCallum said. “The Budget’s welfare to work package increased employment assistance for people with disabilities and provided more childcare for sole parents but if those on payments want to work or study they have even less money to make ends meet.“
“The financial disincentives to work and study must be removed so struggling Australians can improve their prospects and find a way out of poverty.”
For the rest of this Media release go to
http://www.acoss.org.au/media/2005/mr_06%2027%20budget%20cuts%20payments.htm

Report Slams Student Income Support Measures
Senator Natasha Stott Despoja
Democrats Senator for South Australia
Australian Democrats spokesperson for Higher Education
A Democrat-initiated Senate inquiry into student income support measures has slammed the Government for being 'missing in action' for over a decade on relevant policy reform.
The report of the inquiry, tabled in the Senate today, found that policy neglect and poor service delivery of student income support by the Government has become an important factor in the financial hardship faced by thousands of students.
For the rest of this Media release go to
http://www.democrats.org.au/news/index.htm?press_id=4678&display=1
and
http://www.democrats.org.au/news/index.htm?press_id=4687&display=1

'Welfare To Work' Melting Under Spotlight
Penny Wong
Media Statement - 19th June 2005
In the last week of parliamentary sittings, Labor will highlight that the Howard Government's so-called welfare to work package is a shambles that won't improve workforce participation.
"Since the Budget, Labor and independent experts have shone a spotlight on the Howard Government's incompetent scheme and found that it fails its own basic test of moving people from welfare to work," Shadow Employment Minister Senator Wong said today.
For the rest of this Media release go to
http://www.alp.org.au/media/0605/msewp190.php

Students Should Receive Full Benefit of Scholarships
Senator Natasha Stott Despoja
Democrats Senator for South Australia
Australian Democrats spokesperson for Higher Education
Australian Democrats' Higher Education Spokesperson Senator Natasha Stott Despoja today gave notice that she will introduce legislation to ensure disadvantaged students receive the full benefit of their scholarships.
"My bill would remove anomalies in the treatment of scholarships by the Tax Office and Centrelink which severely diminish the benefits students gain from them," Senator Stott Despoja said.
For the rest of this Media release go to
http://www.democrats.org.au/news/index.htm?press_id=4659&display=1
and
http://www.democrats.org.au/news/index.htm?press_id=4673&display=1

Inquires:
Provisions of the Higher Education Support Amendment (Abolition of Compulsory Up-front Union Fees) Bill 2005
http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/eet_ctte/highed_unionfees/index.htm

Inquiry into Student Income Support
http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/eet_ctte/studentincome04/index.htm

Vol 1 No 5
Compiled by Timothy Hart DCO for Northern, Central and Southern Sydney

To return to the DCO Disability Newsletter Archive Page go to http://www.cdds.med.usyd.edu.au/dco/newsletter or click here