+++AUSTRALIAN BLINDNESS FORUM and NATIONAL DISABILITY SERVICES.
++ABF UPDATE APRIL 2008.
[Contents begin]
Contents.
+01. ABF Policies.
+02. ABF Recycled Equipment Website.
+03. CSTDA.
+04. National Disability Strategy.
+05. National Approach to Assistive Technology.
+06. National Disability Insurance Scheme.
+07. Companion Card for Carers.
+08. Disability Investment Group.
+09. National Disability Awards 2008.
+10. BCA Executive Officer.
+11. Information, Publications.
+12. Continuing Professional Education Events.
+13. Web Accessibility Workshops.
+14. National Conferences.
+15. NDS Events.
+16. World Blind Union.
+17. Other International Items.
- Further Information on Issues in this Update.
- Reproducing Information from this Update.
- About Australian Blindness Forum.
- About National Disability Services.
[Contents end]
[Update Issues begin]
+01. ABF POLICIES.
Following the presentation of ABF policies to the Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children’s Services, Bill Shorten, on 18 March, the ABF policy on Education and Children’s Services has been adopted by the ABF Board and will also be presented to Bill Shorten. All six policies will soon appear on the ABF website at http://www.australianblindnessforum.org.au/Policy.html. The next stage is the development of action plans to implement the policies. 

+02. ABF RECYCLED EQUIPMENT WEBSITE.
The ABF Update for February 2008 reported that Australia’s delegates to the World Blind Union (WBU) Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly in China last August received endorsement for a surplus equipment exchange scheme to be piloted in the Pacific-Oceania Region. The website was launched in November 2007.
The ABF urges all blindness organisations in Australia and New Zealand to help make the pilot scheme a success by adding their lists of available equipment to those already on the Equipment Register at http://www.rsb.org.au/wbu/index.html.

+03. CSTDA.
COAG, at its meeting in March 2008, agreed to reform the Specific Purpose Payments (SPPs) and reduce their number to five or six, including one covering disability services. SPPs are grants which the Commonwealth Government makes to State and Territory governments tied to certain conditions. The new agreements will focus on outcomes and outputs, rather than inputs, and provide flexibility for jurisdictions to allocate resources to areas of need and to work out how best to deliver on required outcomes. To fit with the COAG timetable and allow for the new disability services agreement to be developed, its signing will have to be further postponed. More information for NDS members is in the NDS News Update of 9 April at http://www.nds.org.au/national/default.htm. 

+04. NATIONAL DISABILITY STRATEGY.
The promised National Disability Strategy is likely to take a rights-based approach guided by the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. A ‘summit’ recently convened by Federal Parliamentary Secretary Bill Shorten, brought together people from State and Federal governments; disability advisory councils; research bodies; non-government peak associations (including NDS); and disability advocacy organisations to discuss the development of a national disability strategy. For more information, NDS members can read the NDS News Update of 17 April 2008 at http://www.nds.org.au/national/default.htm. 

+05. NATIONAL APPROACH TO ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY.
NDS has written to the Australian Government seeking the development of a properly resourced national aids and equipment (assistive technology) strategy for inclusion in the next CSTDA. This adds to the ABF’s call for people who are blind or vision impaired to have access to a National Equipment Scheme under bilateral Commonwealth, State and Territory funding arrangements, as articulated in the ABF policy on Access to Equipment. For more information, NDS members can access the NDS News Update of 15 April at http://www.nds.org.au/national/default.htm. 

+06. NATIONAL DISABILITY INSURANCE SCHEME.
A National Disability Insurance Scheme was one of the ideas endorsed at the recent Australia 2020 Summit – an idea that has been around for some time but appears to be gaining momentum. Earlier this year, NDS’s Board strongly supported the idea of a no-fault national social insurance scheme for people who require long-term care as a consequence of ‘catastrophic injury’. NDS has produced a policy paper which is available to NDS members through the News Update of 21 April 2008 at http://www.nds.org.au/national/default.htm. 

+07. COMPANION CARD FOR CARERS.
People in NSW who have a severe or profound disability will now be able to take a carer on public transport or to a range of sporting, entertainment and other events for the price of a single ticket. NSW follows Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania and South Australia in introducing the Companion Card scheme. More information about the scheme is at http://www.companioncard.org.au/cc/CCPortal/portal_index.htm. 

+08. DISABILITY INVESTMENT GROUP.
The Australian Government has established a Disability Investment Group to explore innovative funding ideas from the private sector that will help people with disability and their families access greater support and plan for the future. NDS’s News Update of 21 April provides more detail for NDS members at http://www.nds.org.au/national/default.htm. 

+09. NATIONAL DISABILITY AWARDS 2008.
Nominations are now open for these awards, which were inaugurated last year to acknowledge the achievements and contributions individuals with disability make to the Australian community, as well as recognise individuals who have contributed to the disability sector. People can be nominated in one of five categories: Community Contribution; Young Community Contribution; Inclusion; Go Getter and Personal Achievement. Nominations close 9 May. For more information, phone 1800 440 385 or go to http://www.idpwd.com.au or NDS members can read NDS News Update of 18 March at http://www.nds.org.au/national/default.htm. 

+10. BCA EXECUTIVE OFFICER.
BCA President David Blyth has announced the permanent appointment of Robyn McKenzie as Executive Officer, a role she has been acting in for the past six months. To read the BCA media release, go to http://www.bca.org.au. 

+11. INFORMATION, PUBLICATIONS.
- Electoral Commission asked to pay: Darren Fittler, who is blind, failed to get the Braille ballot paper he asked for so he could cast a secret ballot in a Randwick Council election in NSW. He has now been paid $5000 by the Electoral Commission after the Administrative Decisions Tribunal determined he had been unlawfully discriminated against. The article in the Sydney Morning Herald can be read at http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/blind-voter-awarded-5000-for-poll-booth-humiliation/2008/04/23/1208743039809.html. 
- My Vision Works, an exhibition of art by people who are blind, will be held at the Foyer Gallery, Gasworks Arts Park in Albert Park, Melbourne from 22 April to 12 May. For more information, contact Madeleine Popper at madeleine@ronpopper.com.au, phone the Foyer Gallery on 03 8606 4200 or visit the website at http://www.gasworks.org.au/whats_on/visual-arts.php. 
- Macular Degeneration Awareness Week will be held from 25 to 31 May this year. For more information, go to http://www.mdfoundation.com.au/page3323837.aspx. 
- TEDICORE (Telecommunications and Disability Consumer Representation) is a cross-disability project promoting equity and accessibility in all aspects of telecommunications, seeking feedback from consumers with disability and giving input to policy and program development. TEDICORE is supported by the Commonwealth Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy and administered by AFDO (Australian Federation of Disability Organisations). For more information, go to http://www.tedicore.org.au/ or contact the National Coordinator, Gunela Astbrink, by emailing g.astbrink@tedicore.org.au. 

+12. CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION EVENTS.
The RIDBC Renwick Centre Professional Education (CPE) program offers the following events during May and June 2008.
- Basic Orientation and Mobility Skills: 14 May
- The Auditory System and Hearing Impairment: 14 May
- Cultural Factors in Service Implementation: 21 May
- Supporting Children with Vision Impairment:  A Pathway Analysis Approach: 4 June
For further details on these courses, go to the CPE online calendar at http://www.ridbc.org.au/renwick/courses/continuinged_calendar.asp. For more information about the CPE program, contact the Coordinator, Dr Reg Fardell, phone 02 9872 0302, email reg.fardell@ridbc.org.au. 

+13. WEB ACCESSIBILITY WORKSHOPS.
- Writing for the Web Workshop, Canberra, 20 May.
Vision Australia is partnering with respected usability and accessibility expert Dey Alexander to offer unique ‘Writing for the Web’ workshops. Dey is co-convenor of the Web Accessibility Network of Australian Universities and is a regular presenter on useable and accessible web writing to the education, corporate and government sectors. Focusing on excellent content writing, these practical workshops complement the Vision Australia Web Accessibility Workshops. For more information, go to http://www.visionaustralia.org.au/info.aspx?page=1653&event=47. 
- Web Accessibility Benefits and Issues: Canberra 30 July. 
This half-day workshop is targeted at policy makers, business managers and corporate communications or web-development professionals who want an overview of why web accessibility is important. For more information, go to http://www.visionaustralia.org.au/info.aspx?page=1653&event=129.  
- Web Accessibility Techniques: Canberra 31 July. 
This full-day workshop is targeted at web development team leaders, corporate communications professionals along with content authors, web programmers and designers and web contract managers. A basic knowledge of HTML is helpful. The workshop provides a thorough overview of accessibility issues and techniques to address them, covering the World Wide Web’s Consortium’s Content Accessibility Guidelines and their implementation. For more information, go to http://www.visionaustralia.org.au/info.aspx?page=1653&event=128. 
For up-to-date information on the workshops run across Australia on Web Accessibility Benefits and Issues, Web Accessibility Techniques and Writing for the Web, visit Vision Australia’s website at http://www.visionaustralia.org.au/info.aspx?page=519. 

+14. NATIONAL CONFERENCES.
- ARATA National Conference: Australian Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology 
Association will hold its 2008 conference in Adelaide from 22 to 24 September. The conference will explore some of the challenges faced with getting assistive technology to the people who need it and demonstrating its value to the community at large. To read the call for papers, go to http://www.e-bility.com/arata/conf_abstracts.php. 
- SPEVI Biennial Conference: The 2009 Biennial Conference of the South Pacific Educators in Vision Impairment will be held from 6 to 9 January 2009 in Adelaide. The theme of Challenges and Choices will focus on vision impairment, adaptive technology, early intervention and partnerships. The Call for Papers closed on 29 February 2008. For more information, phone Jessica Bosnakis of All Occasions Management on 08 8354 2285 or email Jessica@aomevents.com.

+15. NDS EVENTS.
- Inaugural Children’s Conference: The first national conference on children and young people with disability and their families, Every Child Matters, will be co-hosted by NDS and Families Australia in Melbourne this year. It will identify issues, share solutions, celebrate successes and help services to better respond to needs across four themes: family wellbeing; one community; our voice; policy, practices and priorities. The conference on 14 and 15 May falls within National Families Week and ends on International Day of Families. The program and registration form are on the NDS website at http://www.nds.org.au/conferences/CYF2008/home.htm.
- Accommodation and Social Participation Conference: NDS is pleased to release advance notice of the 2008 Conference, Home & Community: Overcoming Exclusion. This event, focusing on policy and service delivery issues affecting accommodation and social participation, will be held on 25–26 September 2008 at the Hilton Sydney. A Call for Papers has been issued and closes on 28 April. For more information, visit http://www.nds.org.au/conferences/ASP2008/home.htm or contact Philippa Angley, phone 03 8341 4302, email philippa.angley@nds.org.au. 

+16. WORLD BLIND UNION (WBU).
- Universal Postal Union’s Convention: WBU members are supporting the Universal Postal Union’s (UPU) proposal to improve the rules in the UPU Convention to clarify who is eligible and to ensure that the service continues to be relevant to people by including items such as talking watches and computer disks as well as the more ‘traditional’ Brailled items. In Australia, the Postal Concessions for the Blind Program, implemented by Australia Post, is funded and administered by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. NDS, in conjunction with the ABF, has written to the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs asking for Australia to support the proposed changes to the UPU Convention, which will be voted on in Geneva in August this year. 
- International Right to Read Campaign: In conjunction with World Book Day in Amsterdam, the WBU has launched the global Right to Read Campaign. The International Right to Read Alliance, a partnership between the WBU and the Libraries for the Blind Section of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), will work with publishers, booksellers, libraries and many others to create a world where blind people can read the same book at the same time and for the same price as everyone else. For more information about the Right to Read Campaign, go to the RNIB website at http://www.rnib.org.uk/xpedio/groups/public/documents/PublicWebsite/public_r2rhome.hcsp. 
- WBU General Assembly 2008: The Swiss Federation of the Blind and Visually Impaired will host the Seventh WBU General Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland from 15 to 23 August. Registration for the General Assembly and Women’s Forum closed on 31 March. More information about the General Assembly and the Women’s Forum is available at http://www.wbu2008.ch/e/ or by emailing wbu2008@kuoni.ch.
- International Congress for Blind and Partially Sighted Children – new date: The conference, ‘Listening to Children’, will now be held from 16 to 20 June 2008 in Pontevedra, Spain. The congress aims to provide a forum for a group of teenagers who are blind or partially sighted from around the world to reflect on their current status and to make their demands and needs known to decision and policy makers. For more information, go to http://www.europeanchildrensnetwork.org/euronet/resources/infodetail.asp?id=14507 (although you’ll notice that the old March date is still shown there).

+17. OTHER INTERNATIONAL ITEMS.
- UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: There were celebrations all round as the twentieth country (Republic of Ecuador) ratified the Convention on 4 April, triggering its entry into force on 3 May 2008. All member states are now called upon to ratify or accede to the Convention without delay. NDS has already called on the Australian Government to ratify the Convention. To read the UN Secretary-General’s release, go to http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=26213&Cr=disab&Cr1. 
- ICEVI and Inclusive Education Strategic Model for Timor Leste: Frances Gentle of the RIDBC Renwick Centre advises that ICEVI Pacific has partnered with World Blind Union Asia-Pacific to implement a range of activities in the field of vision impairment in the Pacific Island countries. These activities include a planned region-wide orientation and mobility certificate course (November in Suva Fiji) and Braille-related activities. All activities involve partnerships with international and regional development partners and organisations working in education and disability service areas. Shortly, Frances Gentle will present a strategic model for inclusive education to the Minister of Education and the Bishop of Dili. For a copy of the inclusive education model or more information on ICEVI Pacific activities, please contact Frances Gentle on phone 02 9872 0808 or email frances.gentle@ridbc.org.au. 
- Disability Strategy for Australia’s Aid Program: AusAID has established a ‘Disabilities Taskforce’ aimed at developing and overseeing a disability strategy for Australia’s Aid Program. Supporting this push for mainstreaming disability in the aid program, Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance, Bob McMullan, has said he wants Australia to be world leader on disability in development over coming years. Members of ADDC’s Policy Advisory Committee have met with Bob McMullan and AusAID and a Key Reference Group has been established to consult on the draft disability strategy during July. For more information, visit ADDC (Australian Development and Disability Consortium) at http://www.addc.org.au/ or email pdeany@cbm.org.au. 
- Twenty-first Century Communications Video Accessibility Act: The US House of Representatives has released a draft bill which proposes to amend the Communications Act – the main statute that impacts the telephone and video programming industries – to add new consumer protections that will ensure people with disability do not get left out or left behind as telephones and television programming increasingly rely on digital and Internet Protocol (IP) technologies. For more information, contact Deafness Forum Australia, http://www.deafnessforum.org.au/. 
- Free Accessibility Worldwide: The AIR Foundation is a non-profit body promoting universal accessibility so that every person who is blind or has low vision in the world has access to digital information over the Internet and Worldwide Web. The organisation’s first offering is free usage of a Web 2.0 accessible screen reader, SA To Go, powered by Serotek’s award-winning System Access software, which provides immediate text to speech, magnified visual and Braille access to digital information presented through the Web or Internet. The software does not remain resident on the user’s computer when the Internet connection is interrupted or terminated. Users can obtain access to the free software by visiting http://www.AccessibilityIsaRight.org.  
- Vision 2008, the 9th international conference on low vision, will be held in Montreal, Canada from 7 to 11 July 2008 – go to http://www.vision2008.ca. 
- International Conference on Diverse Abilities & Innovative Supports, ‘Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Community’, will be held in Hawaii on 11 to 13 August 2008. Registrations are now open – for more information, go to http://www.lifelibertyandthepursuitof.com/. 
- Australian Disability and Development Consortium (ADDC) will host its 2008 international conference, ‘Disability, Disadvantage and Development’ in Canberra on 29 to 30 September. The themes to be explored include social impact (education, access to services, gender); economic impacts (work opportunities); international conventions and other legal instruments and the relationship between disability, disadvantage and poverty. Visit http://www.addc.org.au for updates or email Paul Deany, ADDC Convenor at pdeany@cbmi.org.au or Neva Wendt of Australian Council for International Development at nwendt@acfid.asn.au. 
- Braille 1809 to 2009 – the writing with 6 dots and its future: Under the sponsorship of UNESCO, World Blind Union, French National Committee for the Social Promotion of Blind and Partially Sighted People, this international conference will be held in Paris from 4 to 8 January 2009 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Louis Braille’s birth. A call for papers closed on 31 January 2008. For more information, email ch.coudert@avh.asso.fr or Catherine Munoz-Smith at the WBU office at caterine.munoz-smith@wbuoffice.org.
A list of ideas for promoting the bicentenary throughout the coming months in Australia is available from the RIDBC Renwick Centre – for more information, email mike.steer@ridbc.org.au.
National Braille Press, a non-profit printing house in the US, has secured the domain name http://www.louisbraillebicentennial.com for 2008 and 2009. 
[End Update Issues]
- For further information on issues in this Update, contact Margaret Verick, margaret.verick@nds.org.au, phone 02 6283 3214
- Reproducing information from this Update: Anyone may reproduce any of the information contained in this Update but, please, acknowledge this source.
- ABOUT AUSTRALIAN BLINDNESS FORUM ABN 47 125 036 857: Australian Blindness Forum (ABF) was first formed as an unincorporated body in 1992, funded only by its members. On 23 April 2007, the ABF became an Australian public company limited by guarantee, funded by its members and governed by a board of directors. The purpose of the ABF is to operate as a peak body representing the blindness sector for the benefit of people who are blind or vision impaired. The Project Officer (Australian Blindness Forum) is located at the ABF’s registered office, 33 Thesiger Court, Deakin ACT 2600 – contact Margaret Verick, email margaret.verick@nds.org.au, phone 02 6283 3214. 
- ABOUT NATIONAL DISABILTY SERVICES ABN 52 008 445 485: National Disability Services (NDS) is the national industry association for disability services, representing over 600 not-for-profit organisations. Collectively, NDS’s members operate several thousand services for Australians with all types of disability. NDS’s members range in size from small support groups to large multi-service organisations, and are located in every State and Territory across Australia.
[End Update]