+++AUSTRALIAN BLINDNESS FORUM and NATIONAL DISABILITY SERVICES.
++ABF UPDATE DECEMBER 2008.
[Contents begin]
+01. ABF Activities.
+02. COAG and Increased Funding for Disability Services.
+03. Disclosure Regimes for Charities and Not-for-profit Organisations.
+04. Access to Premises Standards.
+05. National Secondary School Computer Fund (NSSCF).
+06. National Compact.
+07. Historic Non-profit Sector Meeting.
+08. Australian Government Procurement Plans.
+09. National Human Rights Consultation.
+10. Information, Publications.
+11. ABF Member Organisations.
+12. National Conferences.
+13. NDS Events.
+14. International: World Blind Union.
+15. 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]
The ABF and NDS offices will close on 24 December and re-open on 5 January. Happy Christmas to everyone and best wishes for a successful 2009.
+01. ABF ACTIVITIES.
ABF Directors held a strategic planning day on 15 December. More detail will be provided to members early next year.

+02. COAG AND INCREASED FUNDING FOR DISABILITY SERVICES.
At the recent COAG (Council of Australian Governments) meeting, the Australian Government agreed to provide an additional $408 million over five years to the States and Territories for more specialist disability services and for system reforms. This takes the Commonwealth’s commitment under the new national disability agreement to an estimated $5.3 billion. Incorporated into the base amount of the agreement is the $901 million from the Disability Assistance Package (which formed part of the $1.9 billion agreed to by disability ministers in May this year). Contrary to expectations, the future funding and administration arrangements for the delivery of HACC services was not resolved at the COAG meeting. It is expected that this will be on the agenda for the first meeting in 2009. For more information, NDS members can read the NDS News Updates of 4 December and 7 October.
COAG agreed to consider an ambitious program of reforms to roles and responsibilities for funding and delivery of services to the community. Officials have been requested to bring back specific proposals in relation to community mental health, disability services and aged care in the first half of 2009 as part of these reforms. For more information, read the COAG communiqué at http://www.coag.gov.au/coag_meeting_outcomes/2008-11-29/index.cfm. 

+03. DISCLOSURE REGIMES FOR CHARITIES AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANISATIONS.
A Senate Inquiry has found that not-for-profit (NFP) organisations are burdened with inconsistent and inappropriate regulation and has concluded that there is a pressing need for reform. Overall, the findings of the report are consistent with the issues raised in the submission by the National Roundtable of Nonprofit Organisations (of which NDS is a member). Among the recommendations are:
- Agree on common terminology for referring to organisations within the sector
- Establish a unit within the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet specifically to manage issues arising for not-for-profit organisations; the unit should report to a Minister for the Third Sector
- Establish a single independent national regulator for not-for-profit organisations
- Establish a register for not-for-profit organisations with a compulsory sign-up requirement
- Adopt a single, mandatory, specialist legal structure
- Examine taxation measures
- Develop a National Fundraising Act
To find out more about the Inquiry and to read the full report, go to http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/economics_ctte/charities_08/index.htm. 
While not specifically addressing taxation, the Senate Committee did recommend that the NFP sector be examined within the current review of the tax-transfer system. Consultation on Australia’s Future Tax System will occur in the first half of 2009. The consultation paper is available at http://www.taxreview.treasury.gov.au/content/Content.aspx?doc=html/pubs_reports.htm. 

+04. ACCESS TO PREMISES STANDARDS.
The House of Representatives Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee will review the appropriateness and effectiveness of the Australian Government’s draft Access to Premises Standards. The draft standards were developed by the Australian Building Codes Board and the Australian Human Rights Commission to make public buildings more accessible for people with mobility, vision and hearing impairments and are available at http://www.ag.gov.au/premisesstandards. Submissions addressing the Inquiry terms of reference are due by 13 February 2009 and public hearings are likely to be conducted in March 2009. For background information, go to http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/laca/disabilitystandards/index.htm. 

+05. NATIONAL SECONDARY SCHOOL COMPUTER FUND (NSSCF).
Schools can still apply for funding for students with special needs under the NSSCF. Although Round 1 and 2 of funding have closed, a supplementary round has been announced that is open till 11 February 2009. If students heading into the Higher School Certificate are to have all their equipment lined up, their school needs to apply for funding soon. Information about the NSSCF is at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/management/ictsupportservices/nsscf/default.htm. 

+06. NATIONAL COMPACT.
The Australian Government has decided to proceed with the development of a National Compact with the not-for-profit sector. This decision is based on the main finding of a report from ACOSS (Australian Council of Social Service), commissioned by the Government, that there is strong support for such a framework to underpin how the Government and the not-for-profit sector work together. The next phase will commence in early 2009. For further information and the report on the first round of consultations, go to http://www.socialinclusion.gov.au/An_Australian_Compact.htm. NDS members can read the NDS News Update of 18 December at http://www.nds.org.au.

+07. HISTORIC NON-PROFIT SECTOR MEETING.
Non-profit sector leaders, from gathered at Parliament House in Canberra on 19 December for preliminary discussions aimed at establishing mechanisms for effective national representation of the 700,000 non-profit organisations in Australia. In 2006-07, non-profit organisations employed 884,000 people or 8.2 per cent of Australians in employment, had an income of well over $74 billion and engaged with more than 2.4 million volunteers. The National Roundtable of Non-profit Organisations’ website is at http://www.nonprofitroundtable.org.au//AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home1; to read the media release, go to http://www.catholicsocialservices.org.au/node/14846. 

+08. AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT PLANS.
To assist Australian Disability Enterprises (formerly Business Services), NDS has prepared a guide containing relevant contacts and 2008-09 Procurement Plans of the nineteen Australian Government Departments. Also included in the guide is a full listing of Australian Government Agencies and an A-Z listing of State and Territory Departments and Agencies. NDS members can access the guide via the NDS News Update of 18 December at http://www.nds.org.au. The AusTender website (https://www.tenders.gov.au/?event=public.annualProcPlan.list) also contains the 2008-09 Procurement Plans of all Australian Government Agencies.
 
+09. NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS CONSULTATION.
The Australian Government has appointed an independent Committee to undertake an Australia-wide community consultation for protecting and promoting human rights and corresponding responsibilities in Australia. The Committee, chaired by Frank Brennan, will consult broadly with the community, particularly those who live in rural and regional areas. A consultation paper will be released, with submissions to be made by 29 May 2009. The Committee is due to report to the Australian Government by 31 July 2009. For more information, go to http://www.humanrightsconsultation.gov.au/. 

+10. INFORMATION, PUBLICATIONS.
- The Year in Disability: On this year’s International Day of People with Disability, the Australian Government released ‘The Year in Disability’ covering the range of initiatives begun to support people with disability, their families and carers over the last 12 months (http://www.billshorten.fahcsia.gov.au/internet/billshorten.nsf/content/int_day_08dec08.htm).
- Disability Studies Conference: The Disability Studies and Research Centre invites offers of papers for presentation at the conference to be held at the University of New South Wales on 26 and 27 June 2009. The date for submissions has been extended to 23 January 2009. To find out or more about the conference, go to http://www.hotelnetwork.com.au/conferences/conferences/disability_studies. 
- Audio-described material: Media Access Australia (MAA) confirms that there is virtually no audio-described material available in schools but, over time, it hopes that will change as industry and government work together. MAA has a website that relates to audio description issues solely: http://www.audiodescription.com.au. 
For information about a Christmas competition for those who are blind or have low vision, please go to http://www.audiodescription.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=490:santas-got-something-for-everyone&catid=4:radio&Itemid=22. 
- New Free Tactile Library Service can be accessed at http://www.tactilelibrary.com. 
- The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust was established in Australia in 1965 to perpetuate and honour Churchill’s memory by awarding Fellowships to Australian citizens. Each of the 120 Fellowships available has an average value of $25,000. Any topic of research will be considered on its merits and no formal qualifications are required. A strong community benefit must be displayed at either a local, state or national level. Applications close on 27 February 2009. Information can be downloaded from http://www.churchilltrust.com.au./. 

+11. ABF MEMBER ORGANISATIONS.
- Vision Australia’s Dickinson Literary Award is open to all Australian writers who are blind or have low vision. There are seven categories, each of which has a first prize of a Vision Australia Equipment Solution’s voucher to the value of $500. Categories for fiction and non-fiction are separated into Adults 25 and Over; Young Adults 16-24; Youth Under 16 and Open for All Ages. Australian citizens who are ‘legally’ blind are invited to make submissions by 31 December. More information is at http://www.visionaustralia.org/literaryaward/. 

+12. NATIONAL CONFERENCES.
- AFDO first national conference postponed: ‘Policy About Us, For Us! A Practical Revolution in the Lives of People with Disabilities’ which was to be held in Melbourne on 9 and 10 October this year has been postponed to May 2009 – read the AFDO release at http://www.afdo.org.au/node/229.

+13. NDS EVENTS.
- Workforce 09, the NDS National Workforce and OHS Conference, will be held in Hobart on 4 and 5 May 2009. The Call for Papers closed on 3 December. For more information, go to http://www.nds.org.au/conferences/WF2009/CallForPapers.pdf.

+14. INTERNATIONAL: WORLD BLIND UNION (WBU).
The new WBU President, Maryanne Diamond, writes in the November 2008 WBU E-Bulletin that the first Officers’ meeting of the quadrennium will be hosted by RNIB in the UK in December. At the meeting, the work program for the next four years will be worked out. Resolutions adopted at the General Assembly in August will be included in the plan along with resolutions not completed from past assemblies and a number of ongoing initiatives. A copy of the Strategic Plan will be placed on the website early in 2009 and updated twice annually. To read the WBU E-Bulletin, go to http://www.worldblindunion.org/en/documents/e-bulletin/WBU-E-Bulletin-1108-November-08.doc. 
- Right to Read Campaign: The WBU Copyright and Right to Read Working Group and international member partners, DAISY Consortium and IFLA Libraries for the Blind Section, have been working to remove copyright barriers and to promote the establishment of a Global Lending Library for the Blind and Partially Sighted. This included the elaboration of a draft WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organisation) Treaty for Improved Access for Blind, Visually Impaired and other Reading Disabled Persons. The two main features of the proposed treaty include providing a minimum standard for limitations and exceptions for the blind and visually impaired, and allowing and encouraging the import and export of works in accessible formats. While several governments have given great support to the draft treaty, other countries are still resisting such a measure. The next meeting of the working group will be held in March 2009. A copy of the draft treaty can be obtained from the WBU office (http://www.worldblindunion.org/en/) upon request. 
Andrew Daly, ABF Chairperson, contacted the Australian Attorney-General, Robert McClelland, who advised that ‘Australia is playing an active role in international discussions at WIPO on possible ways of facilitating and enhancing access to protected works for blind and visually impaired persons. This includes an analysis of potential limitations and exceptions under copyright law to better facilitate access to reading materials.’ 
For more information about the Right to Read Campaign, go to http://www.worldblindunion.org/en/right-to-read.html and http://www.rnib.org.uk/xpedio/groups/public/documents/PublicWebsite/public_r2rhome.hcsp.
- Google settlement with authors, publishers: The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) in the USA has announced that the recent settlement between Google and authors and publishers over the Google Books project, if approved by the courts, will have a profound and positive impact on the ability of people who re blind to access the printed word. They, like other members of the public, will be able to search the texts of books in the Google Books database online; purchase some books in an accessible format; or access accessible books at libraries and other entities that have an institutional subscription to the Google Books database. While this agreement is presently applicable to the USA only, it is expected that it will be expanded internationally and the WBU Right to Read taskforce has already commenced strategies regarding its worldwide availability. The NFB website is at http://www.nfb.org/nfb/Default.asp.  
- Global Network for Women with Disabilities to represent over 300 million women around the world was formed at the global Summit on the Rights of Women with Disabilities in Quebec, Canada in August 2008. The network will share knowledge and experiences, speak up for individual rights, bring about change and inclusion in communities and empower women with disability to become leaders. For more information, go to http://wecando.wordpress.com/2008/10/30/inwwd/.

+15. INTERNATIONAL: OTHER ITEMS.
- The Obama Plan: The President Elect plans to empower Americans with disability by providing them with education opportunities that they need to succeed; ending discrimination and promote equality; increasing the employment rate of workers with disability; and supporting independent, community-based living. The plan can be read at http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/DisabilityPlanFactSheet.pdf. 
- The Accessible Channel launched in Canada: The National Broadcast Reading Service (NRBS), a Canadian charitable organisation that provides media in accessible form has launched The Accessible Channel. This digital-only service has the distinction of being the first fully audio-described TV channel in the world. The channel will show a range of programs sourced from the various TV networks. The audio description will be broadcast in ‘open’ format, which means that anyone switching on the channel will hear it. In addition to this, 90 per cent of the channel’s programs will be captioned for the Deaf and hearing impaired. For more information, go to http://www.mediaaccess.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=371:the-accessible-channel-launched-in-canada&catid=2:tv&Itemid=20. 
Media Access Australia advises that, while digital television in Australia broadcasts closed captions, there is no audio description and no plans at this stage to include it. Industry has set up an organisation (Digital Broadcasting Australia) website that provides general information about digital television, including whether an area has started broadcasts in digital.
- Journal for Disability and International Development is calling for contributions by the deadline of 31 January 2009 for the 01-2009 issue that will focus on Women with Disabilities: Identification and Participation in the Women’s and Disability Movement. For more information, email Dr Christiane Noe at noe.christiane@web.de or Susanne Wilm at Susanne_wilm@yahoo.de or visit http://v1.dpi.org/lang-en/resources/details.php?page=801. 
- Louis Braille Bicentenary 4 January 2009.
Under the sponsorship of UNESCO, World Blind Union and the French National Committee for the Social Promotion of Blind and Partially Sighted People, the international conference ‘1809 to 2009 – the writing with 6 dots and its future’ will be held in Paris from 4 to 8 January 2009 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Louis Braille’s birth. For more information, email ch.coudert@avh.asso.fr or Catherine Munoz-Smith at the WBU office at caterine.munoz-smith@wbuoffice.org.
National Braille Press, a non-profit printing house in the US, has secured the domain name http://www.louisbraillebicentennial.com for 2008 and 2009. 
Louis Braille Medal 2009 Bicentenary Award: Nominations for this award have been extended to 31 March 2009. For more information and the application form, go to http://www.worldblindunion.org/en/documents/awards-scholarships/Nomination-Form-for-LB-Medallion.doc. 
In Australia, while many local and state activities are still being planned, the Louis Braille Bicentenary Working Party, convened by Vision Australia, has confirmed some key national activities including:
*A limited edition commemorative Brailled Australia Post Pre-stamped Envelope was launched on 28 November at Vision Australia’s AGM by the French Consul-General and will shortly be available for sale at Australia Post outlets. They can also be purchased online at http://www.stamps.com.au/shop/stationery/ppe or by contacting Australia Post on 1800 331 794.
*The exhibition, ‘Living in a Sensory World: stories from people living with blindness and low vision’, has opened at Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum. Part of the collection highlights alternative formats, including Braille. The exhibition is expected to tour the country over the coming years. For more information, phone 02 9217 0111 or go to http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/exhibitions/coming.asp.
*The Reserve Bank of Australia, in collaboration with Blind Citizens Australia, has updated the bank note guide and supplies will be available by February 2009. For more information, phone BCA on 03 9654 1400 or go online at http://www.bca.org.au/.  
- 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. For more information, go to http://www.e-bility.com/spevi/conf09.php or phone Jessica Bosnakis of All Occasions Management on 08 8354 2285 or email Jessica@aomevents.com.
- Twenty-fifth Pacific Rim International Conference on Disabilities: Before this conference is held in Honolulu on 4 to 5 May, the Second Annual International Forum for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will take place on 2 and 3 May 2009 in honour of the sixtieth anniversary of human rights. More information about the PacRim conference is at http://www.pacrim.hawaii.edu/. 
[Update ends]
- Getting more information on issues in this Update: Unless otherwise stated, please contact Margaret Verick at margaret.verick@nds.org.au, phone 02 6283 3214.
- Reproducing information from this 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 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.