+++AUSTRALIAN BLINDNESS FORUM and NATIONAL DISABILITY SERVICES.
++ABF/NDS UPDATE MAY 2009.
[Contents begin]
+01. What the ABF is Doing.
+02. News from ABF Members.
+03. Feature Item: New Children’s Clinic.
+04. Federal Budget.
+05. Australian Disability Parking Scheme.
+06. Accessible Cinemas and Audio Description.
+07. National Broadband Network.
+08. Print Disability Services Program Review.
+09. Employment.
+10. Taxation.
+11. National Compact.
+12. Other Information, Publications.
+13. NDS Events.
+14. Other National Conferences.
+15. Continuing Professional Education.
+16. International: World Blind Union.
+17. International: AMD Alliance International.
+18. International: Louis Braille Bicentenary.
+19. International: Other Items.
- Getting More Information on Issues in this Update.
- Reproducing Information from this Update.
- About Australian Blindness Forum.
- About National Disability Services.
[Contents end]

[Update begins]
+01. WHAT THE ABF IS DOING.
In the past month, the ABF has:
- held a meeting of the Board of Directors
- re-activated its Policy Subcommittees to review ABF policies and associated actions
- arranged a meeting in early June with Senator John Faulkner to ask for independent voting by people who are blind or vision impaired in federal elections to continue
- been accepted as a member of AMD Alliance International, the international body that generates awareness and understanding of age-related macular degeneration
- invited a number of smaller organisations to be involved with the ABF as Associates
- started planning the program for the 2009 ABF Members’ Forum to be held on Thursday 15 October in Brisbane
- emailed the third ABF/NDS newsletter to federal politicians

+02. NEWS FROM ABF MEMBERS.
- Vision Australia’s Mornings of Celebrations: Throughout May, Vision Australia hosted its annual Mornings of Celebrations, which featured the presentation of Making A Difference Awards, Further Education Bursaries and acknowledgement of the contribution of our amazing volunteers.
- Vision Australia Making a Difference Awards are presented to local businesses, organisations or individuals who have shown outstanding support for people who are blind or have low vision in their community. In 2009, Vision Australia presented twenty ‘Vision Australia Making a Difference Awards’ to cafes, companies, government departments, sporting clubs and individuals across the country. For further information, please visit http://www.visionaustralia.org.au/.
- Vision Australia’s Further Education Bursaries, generously provided by members of the public, are designed to assist students to purchase laptops, CCTVs, digital playback devices, voice recorders, scanners and screen reading software – adaptive technology that go a long way towards eliminating barriers to information access and education. This year, twenty-three bursaries have been awarded, taking the total given out since the program began in 1996 to 200. For further information, please visit http://www.visionaustralia.org.au/.

+03. FEATURE ITEM: New Children’s Clinic: The Royal Society for the Blind of SA (RSB), in conjunction with the South Australian School for Vision Impaired (SASVI), has created a Paediatric Low Vision Clinic to assist children who are vision impaired. Situated at RSB’s Low Vision Centre, the clinic is the first of its type in South Australia. It provides a counselling and optometric service for children currently enrolled at SASVI or in mainstream schools across the state. 
Parents and children attend a clinic session where they have the opportunity to talk about any issues or raise any questions concerning the child’s vision, either with a counsellor or while an optometrist undertakes a comprehensive examination including acuity, contrast sensitivity and colour vision.
Teachers also attend the session to learn first-hand what their student’s vision actually entails, helping them to better understand how their student’s vision functions and how it can best be utilised in the classroom for a positive educational outcome.
The clinic has had a very positive response from children, parents and teachers since its inception in March this year and is set to continue on a regular basis throughout 2009 and beyond. For more information, contact RSB by emailing Tim Crowe Mai at tcrowemai@rsb.org.au.

+04. FEDERAL BUDGET.
- Pensions.
An increase in pensions, including Disability Support Pension and Carer Payment, is the social policy centerpiece of the 2009 Budget. From 20 September 2009, single pensioners on the full rate will receive an additional $32.49 a week and couples will receive an additional $10.14. In addition, a $600 supplement will be paid every year to people on Carer Payment and Carer Allowance.
- Employment.
Announced in the Federal Budget, the Australian Government will fund, at a cost of $6.8 million, a pilot program designed to get more DSP recipients into employment. Commencing March 2010, participating employers providing jobs for people in receipt of DSP will receive up to $3000 once the person has been employed for six months at a minimum of eight hours a week. Funding for the pilot comprises both subsidies to employers and additional places in Disability Employment Services. Subsidies will be paid for up to 1000 jobs. (See also Item 8 Employment below.)
An extra $183 million over four years will fund more job capacity assessments. A tender process will secure new contracts with job capacity assessment service providers from 1 July 2010. From 1 July 2009, the administration of the job capacity assessment program will be transferred from the Department of Human Services to DEEWR. 
- Disability Parking and Companion Card Schemes.
The National Disability Agreement includes commitments to introduce a nationally harmonised parking program and companion card scheme. The Budget provides $3 million to assist with the introduction of a national disability parking scheme, with consistent eligibility criteria and entitlements and a national permit. (See also item 5 below.) It also commits $1.8 million to the implementation of a national companion card scheme.
For more information about the Federal Budget, NDS members can read the NDS News Update of 12 May at http://www.nds.org.au/national/default.htm.
- Reporting requirements.
Changes announced in the 2009-10 Budget will affect FaHCSIA’s own reporting. Each FaHCSIA grant program now has a specific intended outcome that will be reflected in an organisation’s funding arrangements with FaHCSIA. The first edition of the update ‘FaHCSIA Community Grants Update for Service Providers and other grant recipients’, which can be accessed via http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/about/publicationsarticles/corp/Community_Grants_Update/Documents/community_grants_update_may09.pdf, provides key information about changes happening in FaHCSIA to improve the way grants are managed and what these changes will mean for the organisations involved. Further information can be accessed by checking the FaHCSIA website at http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/grantsfunding/Pages/default.aspx; speaking with your usual agreement contact in your state or national office; and contacting the Helpdesk servicedelivery@fahcsia.gov.au for general information on the changes. 

+05. AUSTRALIAN DISABILITY PARKING SCHEME.
A discussion paper has been released about the new Australian Disability Parking Scheme, announced in the Budget, and national public consultations are underway. The proposed scheme aims to ensure there is a clear and fair policy to establish one set of eligibility criteria, national minimum standards for parking concessions and one Australia-wide parking permit to replace more than 100 different parking permit types currently issued across Australia. Public consultations will be held throughout June 2009 in each capital city, plus Alice Springs, Cairns and Townsville. If you wish to attend, you will need to register by calling 1800 630 740 or 1800 555 677 TTY. Written submissions are invited by 5.00pm on Friday 31 July 2009 and can be lodged either by email to accessparking@fahcsia.gov.au or by post to Australian Disability Parking Scheme Submissions (East Wing), FaHCSIA, PO Box 7576, Canberra Business Centre ACT 2610. There’s more information and the discussion paper at http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/sa/disability/progserv/people/disability_parking_scheme/Pages/default.aspx. For NDS members the NDS News Update of 28 May at http://www.nds.org.au/national/default.htm has more information.

+06. ACCESSIBLE CINEMAS AND AUDIO DESCRIPTION.
The Australian Government recently announced that twelve independent cinemas in rural, regional and metropolitan areas will now offer captioned and audio described movies, bringing the total of accessible cinemas across the country to twenty-four. Under the program, the government has funded special audio description equipment and captioning and headsets. Each cinema will be supported by promotional activities including a fully accessible website (http://www.yourlocalcinema.com/) that shows the location of the cinemas with accessible screening schedules; community service announcements on radio; and advertising through an in-cinema display in the foyer area of all sites. People who attended a recent audio-described screening of the Australian movie ‘Mary and Max’ at Cinema Nova in Melbourne were delighted with the greatly enhanced experience. 
Blind Citizens Australia, while welcoming the announcement, said that it’s unfortunate that ‘the majority of Australians who are blind or vision impaired are still left in the dark when it comes to being able to independently enjoy going to the movies with family and friends’. BCA has lodged discrimination complaints with the Australian Human Rights Commission against Australia’s major cinema chains that currently offer captioning for people who are deaf or hearing impaired, but no audio description. BCA hopes that the issue can be solved through negotiation, particularly as the equipment needed to access the audio description is readily available. For more information, contact BCA National Policy Officer, Wayne Hawkins, on 0437 355 985.
For more information about audio description, check the audio description website http://www.audiodescription.com.au/. 

+07. NATIONAL BROADBAND NETWORK.
The Department of Broadband, Communications and Digital Economy (DBCDE) is conducting a regulatory review of the National Broadband Network and is looking for input by 3 June 2009. There are important considerations regarding accessibility for students with sensory disability. For education groups, Media Access Australia (MAA) has prepared a summary of key accessibility principles and targets. To find out more, email Alan Hui, MAA Research and Policy Coordinator, at alan.hui@mediaaccess.org.au or phone him on 02 9212 6242. 

+08. PRINT DISABILITY SERVICES PROGRAM REVIEW.
FaHCSIA has advised that, as this program has not changed for over a decade, it is being reviewed to ensure it best meets the needs of people with print disability (in fact, this is the third review during that period). A FaHCSIA Discussion Paper sets out why a new service delivery model is needed to support the production of print material in alternative formats. All stakeholders are being invited to comment on the shape of a new model by making a written submission by 5.00pm on Friday 19 June 2009. Background to the review can be accessed at http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/sa/disability/progserv/providers/print_disability_review/Pages/default.aspx and the Discussion Paper at http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/sa/disability/progserv/providers/print_disability_review/Documents/PDSP_Disc_Paper.pdf. 

+09. EMPLOYMENT (see also Item 4 Federal Budget above).
- Challenge of rising youth unemployment: COAG (Council of Australian Governments) has agreed to a series of education and training measures to meet this challenge, including a Compact with Young Australians under 25 years to ensure that all have access to an education or training place, including those who lose their jobs. A feature of the Compact, which may be of particular relevance to DEN providers, is that 15 to 19 year olds who are working up to 15 hours per week will be eligible for training places under the Productivity Places Program. For more information, read the COAG Communique at http://www.coag.gov.au/coag_meeting_outcomes/2009-04-30/index.cfm#jobs, and NDS members can read the NDS News Update of 4 May at http://www.nds.org.au/national/default.htm.

+10. TAXATION.
- Deductible Gift Recipients: The Assistant Treasurer has announced that the Government will commence the triennial review of the four deductible gift recipient (DGR) registers to ‘help improve the integrity of the tax system’. The registers list those eligible cultural organisations, environmental organisations, harm prevention charities and overseas aid organisations which can receive tax deductible donations – many organisations in the blindness and other disability sectors have DGR status. The reviews will encompass both the guidelines for, and the organisations listed on, the registers. For more information, go to http://assistant.treasurer.gov.au/displaydocs.aspx?doc=pressreleases/2009/044.htm&pageID=003&min=ceb&Year=&DocType=0. 
- Fringe benefits tax: The Australian Government will amend the fringe benefits tax (FBT) law to ensure that donations to deductible gift recipients (DGRs) made under salary sacrifice arrangements do not result in an employer incurring an FBT liability, with effect from the 2008-09 FBT year. The changes will align the tax outcome of donations to DGRs made under salary sacrifice arrangements with donations made personally by employees or under Workplace Giving arrangements. Further information can be found in the Assistant Treasurer’s media release (about the Victorian Bushfires) of 24 February 2009 at http://www.treasurer.gov.au/DisplayDocs.aspx?doc=pressreleases/2009/010.htm&pageID=003&min=ceb&Year=&DocType=. 

+11. NATIONAL COMPACT.
The National Compact Joint Taskforce met for the first time this month to commence drafting a new Compact between the Australian Government and the third sector. The aim of the Compact is to help improve service delivery and address challenges currently facing the nonprofit sector, including governance, leadership and workforce issues. The Taskforce will meet again in June and July and will convene a workshop with a wider range of third sector representatives on 20 and 21 July 2009. For more information about the Compact, go to http://www.socialinclusion.gov.au/Compact/Pages/default.aspx. 

+12. OTHER INFORMATION, PUBLICATIONS.
- Donations of the latest technology: DonorTec (http://www.donortec.com.au) facilitates the latest donated software and hardware products from reputable ICT vendors such as Microsoft and Cisco to eligible Australian non-profit groups with Income Tax Exempt status. DonorTec charges an administration fee only for facilitating the program, which is typically between 4 and 8 per cent of a product’s retail value – for example, Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2007 has an administration fee of only $28.00. This means savings of 92 and 96 per cent on typical retail prices can be made. It is claimed there are no hidden costs and all administration fees attached to each product can be seen at http://www.donortec.com.au/microsoft-donated-software. For more information on eligibility criteria, go to http://www.donortec.com.au/node/165/#eligible and specific donor criteria, http://www.donortec.com.au/eligibility. 
- Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG2.0): The Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is working on the development of comprehensive recommendations for the implementation of WCAG2.0. A draft revision of the AHRC’s Web Advisory Note will be circulated initially to governments throughout Australia and then to the community for a period of public comment that will inform the production of a final version. Until that happens, the AHRC’s benchmark for website accessibility continues to be WCAG1.0, with Level AA being the minimum conformance level recommended. For specific enquiries about WCAG2.0 implementation, please phone Bruce Maguire at AHRC on 02 9283 9613.
- World Wide Web Consortium accessibility consultation: The W3C continues to seek international feedback on their ‘Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines’.  These guidelines will offer a firm benchmark against which the development of future authoring tools can be measured for accessibility for people with disability. An ‘authoring tool’ is defined as ‘any software application, part of an application, or collection of applications that authors interact with to create, modify or assemble web-content to be used by other people’. All interested parties are asked to read the current draft of the ‘Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines and submit comments prior to Thursday 11 June 2009. For more information, visit http://www.w3.org/TR/ATAG20. 
- Round Table Newsletter is now available online at http://www.e-bility.com/roundtable/communications.php#news. 

+13. NDS EVENTS.
- Shining Through – Creating sustainable employment in a turbulent world: This international conference, incorporating the NDS 2009 National Employment Forum and the Workability International conference will be held in Sydney from 6 to 9 September. Online registration is available at http://www.nds.org.au/national/default.htm.  
- CEO Meeting – Policy and Management Advice for Decision Makers: This annual event, to be held in Canberra on 30 November and 1 December, is for CEOs, senior managers and board members from NDS member organisations.

+14. OTHER NATIONAL CONFERENCES.
- Round Table conference will be held at the Citigate Central Motel in Sydney from 30 May to 2 June. The conference aims centre on the changing face of service delivery while continuing to provide service in today’s context. For more information, go to http://www.e-bility.com/roundtable/ or contact Tammy Axelsen, RT Administration Officer at RoundTableAdmn@bigpond.com. 
- Communities in Control 2009, the biggest annual gathering of community sector workers, volunteers and supporters, will be hosted by Ourcommunity.com.au in Melbourne on 15 and 16 June. There’s more information at http://www.ourcommunity.com.au/control/control_main.jsp. 
- Disability Studies conference will be hosted by the Disability Studies and Research Centre at the University of NSW on 26 and 27 June 2009. To find out more, go to http://www.hotelnetwork.com.au/conferences/conferences/disability_studies. 
- The Disability and Age Discrimination Law Reform Summit, to be held on 30 and 31 July 2009 in Sydney, will feature keynote presentations by the Hon Robert McClelland, Federal Attorney-General, and Graeme Innes AM, Disability Discrimination Commissioner and Human Rights Commissioner. For more information, go to http://www.iir.com.au/disabilitylaw.

+15. CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION.
There is a comprehensive 2009 program on offer from RIDBC Renwick Centre. To find out more about courses in hearing impairment, Braille, vision impairment, multiple disability and special offers, go to http://www.ridbc.org.au/renwick/courses/continuinged_calendar.asp. 

+16. INTERNATIONAL: WORLD BLIND UNION (WBU).
To read WBU publications, go to the website http://www.worldblindunion.org/en/. 

+17. INTERNATIONAL: AMD ALLIANCE INTERNATIONAL (AMDAI): The ABF is pleased to have been accepted as a member of the AMDAI global alliance – regular items about AMD will be included in these Updates.
Even though young award-winning portrait artist Adam Hahn does not have macular disease, he understands better than most that no two people living with the condition experience vision loss in exactly the same way. He creates awareness of macular disease through unique portraits, which can be viewed at http://www.amdalliance.org/portraits/portraits.php.
AMDAI’s Macular Disease Patient Charter can be accessed via http://www.amdalliance.org/documents/Patient_Charter.pdf. 

+18. INTERNATIONAL: LOUIS BRAILLE BICENTENARY.
- Louis Braille on PRIME Television: Vision Australia has been working with PRIME Television in Newcastle and on the Gold Coast to produce a 30-second commercial to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Louis Braille. The advertisement features Renee, a young person from Queensland, her mum Bernie, Dad Trevor and her older sister Chloe. Vision Australia has been working in partnership with PRIME Television since 2003. Since Vision Australia's partnership began, PRIME has produced and screened a number of 30-second commercials on our behalf. Listen to Renee's PRIME ad.
- WBUAP Onkyo Braille Essay Contest: The essays received by the due date of 10 May are currently being considered by the Australian Selection Committee.
- Louis Braille Bicentenary Website: The Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children (RIDBC), in creating a website to mark the bicentenary of Louis Braille’s birth, has produced and collected a range of resources about Braille facts, info, videos, trivia, games and quizzes, links to Braille events and workshops and some reading lists. The information is geared towards the general public to provide an overview of the history of Braille and an introduction to the Braille code. To find out more, go to http://www.cubicconsulting.com.au/ridbc/index.cfm?skinname=content&page=43984.
- Louis Braille Medal has been awarded in Coupvray, France to Euclid Herie of Canada. This medal is awarded at most once every four years and only to individuals who have made a substantial and outstanding contribution to people who are blind or have low vision through international service or to the WBU over many years. Among many other roles, Euclid Herie served in the WBU international officer positions of Treasurer, President and Past President during the period 1988 to 2004.International Congress Visually Impaired 2009 will be held in Coupvray, France from 18 to 20 June 2009 as part of the Bicentenary celebrations. For more information, go to http://www.cinal-dv2009.com/. 
- Louis Braille Touch of Genius Prize for Innovation: As announced in the ‘Louis Braille: A Touch of Genius’ biography, National Braille Press has launched its 2009 Prize. Potentially, the award process will inspire new strategic directions for National Braille Press. The $20,000 Louis Braille Touch of Genius Prize for Innovation will be awarded to an individual or group of individuals who contribute to innovation in the field of tactile literacy for people who are blind. The Prize can be granted for a new educational method; a new tactile literacy product; or a new technological advance. Applications must be submitted electronically, followed by a signed hard copy, by 20 July 2009. For further information, go to http://www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/louis/index.html. 
- BrailleLive (http://www.braillelive.com) has announced that the commemorative Louis Braille silver dollar will fly into space on a future space shuttle mission.
- Braille Bug: The American Federation for the Blind’s Braille Bug website http://www.afb.org/braillebug/ provides information for sighted students.

+19. INTERNATIONAL: OTHER ITEMS.
- UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: On Thursday 12 March 2009, the Australian Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Treaties tabled its report on the review into treaties including the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. To read the full report, go to http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/jsct/3december2008/report/fullreport.pdf or single chapters, http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/jsct/3december2008/report.htm#chapters. An HTML version download is expected to be available soon.
- Endeavour Awards (http://www.endeavour.deewr.gov.au/endeavour_awards/) are the Australian Government’s internationally competitive, merit-based scholarship program enabling citizens of the Asia-Pacific, Middle East, Europe and the Americas to undertake study, research or professional development in Australia. Awards are also available for Australians to do the same abroad. The Endeavour Awards aim to:
* Develop on-going education, research and professional linkages between individuals, organisations and countries 
* Provide opportunities for high achieving individuals to increase their skills and enhance their global awareness 
* Contribute to Australia’s position as a high quality education and training provider, and leader in research and innovation 
* Increase the productivity of Australians through an international study, research or professional development experience. 
- ICEVI Seventh European Conference ‘Living in a Changing Europe’ will be held in Dublin, Ireland from 5 to 10 July 2009. For more information, go to http://www.icevidublin2009.org. 
- World Sight Day, ‘Gender and Eye Health’ on 8 October this year is when Vision 2020 members work together to raise public awareness, influence governments and education target audiences about blindness prevention programs and generate support. To find out more, visit Vision 2020 at http://www.v2020.org/page.asp?section=0001000100070013 and Vision 2020 Australia at http://www.vision2020australia.org.au/news-events-world-sight-day.cfm.
- Canadian Transportation Agency releases Guide for Travellers with Disabilities: ‘Take Charge of Your Travel’ provides information for people with disability that will help them plan their travel and make it easier to get from point A to point B. To find out more, go to http://www.cta.gc.ca/doc.php?sid=1021&lang=eng.  
- First appointment of a woman with vision impairment to Cabinet: Newly elected South African President, Jacob Zuma, has appointed Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu, a woman with vision impairment, as his Deputy Minister of Public Works.
[Update ends]

- Getting more information on issues in the ABF/NDS Update: Unless otherwise stated, please contact Margaret Verick at margaret.verick@nds.org.au, phone 02 6283 3214.
- Reproducing information from the ABF/NDS Update: Anyone may reproduce any of the information in this Update – just acknowledge this source.
- About AUSTRALIAN BLINDNESS FORUM http://www.australianblindnessforum.org.au: Australian Blindness Forum (ABF) was first formed as an unincorporated body in 1992, funded only by its members. In 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 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 http://www.nds.org.au: National Disability Services (NDS) is the national industry association for disability services, representing over 650 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.