ACT DISABILITY ADVISORY COUNCIL - Minutes of the 2nd Meeting for 2011-13
Tuesday 22 November 2011 – Level 8 Board Room, 11 Moore Street
Meeting opened
Meeting opened at 5:10pm.
Agenda No. 1 - Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners
Chair David Long opened the meeting with the Acknowledgment of the Traditional Owners.
Agenda No. 2 - Attendance, Introduction of Guests and Welcome of Members
ACT DAC COUNCIL:
· David Long (Chair)
· Louise Bannister (Deputy Chair)
· Lauren Kish
· Sherrill Bell
· Philip Brown
· Peter Granleese
· Mary Hodges
· Sue McIntosh
· Mary Webb
EX OFFICIO
Disability ACT
Kate Starick, Director, Disability ACT
Council Support
· Heather McKeon
· Latha Sathyanarayanan
Apologies
EX OFFICIO
Community Services Directorate
Martin Hehir, Director General, Community Services Directorate
Natalie Howson, Deputy Director General, Community Services Directorate
Disability ACT
Lois Ford, Executive Director, Disability ACT
Kate Starick, Director, Disability ACT – from 6pm
GUESTS
· Justin Le Couteur, Senior Policy Officer, Public Sector Management, Chief Minister and Cabinet Directorate (CMCD)
· Laura Green, Housing Facilitator, Disability ACT
Agenda No. 3 - Confirmation of Previous Minutes
3.1 - Confirmation of Draft Minutes from 25 October 2011
Changes requested – spelling error correction page 2 - Disability ACT Director’s surname to be changed to Kenney, and A Kenney to be added to the attendance list.
Minutes to be accepted with agreement to changes above.
Proposed by L Bannister,
Seconded by P Granleese.
Agreed.
Agenda No. 4 - Actions Arising
4.1 - Actions arising update October 2011 meeting
August minutes
H McKeon will provide out of session to Members.
DAC Forms
H McKeon informed Council that previous Council members will still need to complete the payment forms due to the previous documents noting the term of the Council resulting in expiration of contracts. Copies of forms available at meeting as required.
National Disability Strategy – DOWG
A Kenney provided feedback to these action items – see agenda paper provided.
Housing Options
LB / DL met with LG – See agenda item 8.1.
Ms Howson to contact the chair of the Ministerial Advisory Council on Ageing to gather information about accommodation strategies used in the Aged Care. Action item to be moved to out of session response.
Village Creek Centre
Ms Howson to make inquiries about the progress on the accessibility issues raised by the focus group for the Village Creek Centre. Action item to be moved to out of session response.
Agenda No. 5 - Presentation – Provisional – Implementation of the ACTPS Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities – Justin Le Couteur
J Le Couteur provided copies of the strategy and brochure for Members. The strategy has been developed following the PWDACT Making Diversity Work report (2009). A challenge will be to increase disability confidence and awareness. A number of strategies and initiatives have been planned over the next 4 years. The ACTPS employment strategy for people with disabilities sits under the Government’s Respect Equity and Diversity (RED) Framework.
An aim is to effect further management cultural change resulting in considering the employment of the best person for the job regardless of disability or not. The aim over the next 2 years is to increase the number of people with disabilities in the ACTPS.
Discussion points (in response to questions raised by):
· Disability confidence and awareness sessions are being run.
· Incorporation into orientation sessions.
· Using people with disability confidence as champions raising awareness across he ACTPS.
· Increased disability awareness and opportunities through apprenticeships, short term contracts, work experience programs, Certificate / Diploma courses.
· The Strategy is employed across the whole ACTPS not limiting people with disability to pocket areas (D Long).
· Cultural change at point of recruitment brought about through an increase in disability awareness and confidence, knowledge of reasonable adjustments (P Granleese).
· Directorates having to provide annual reporting on the implementation of the strategy.
· Consideration of flexible work arrangements / environments, same as other employees (L Bannister).
· The promotion of employment of people with disabilities at all levels of Government, not limiting people to entry level positions.
· Building leadership in the youth through work experience.
· K Starick mentioned some of the BLITS Activities such as Inclusion awards, disability awareness program for ACT schools and the Everyone Everyday competition - 101 ways to include people with disability.
· While the strategy does not extend to non ACTPS sector, J Le Couteur has contact with organisations and education settings, doing presentations, promoting cross fertilisation opportunities (S Bell / L Kish).
· Opportunities through social procurement – with contractor encouraged to be inclusive of people with disability.
· Utilisation of available programs rather than replacing current schemes, such as the Australian Network on Disability (AND) programs (L Kish).
· Reasonable adjustments would be assessed centrally through Shared Services or the employment of a consultant for some cases (L Kish).
· J Le Couteur commented he would like to be involved in consultative groups in regards to renting large buildings to ensure consideration is made for people with disabilities (P Granleese).
There are no specific milestones in the near future but J Le Couteur is happy to attend every couple of months to provide an update to the Council. There is a policy being developed that
J Le Couteur would to consult the Council on the final draft versions.
D Long thanked J Le Couteur for his time and information.
The link to it on the CMCD website, location of the strategy
http://www.cmd.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/203127/pwdstrategy.pdf
Agenda No. 6 - Secretariat outsourcing proposal
Item to be held over until future meeting. Out of session brief being assembled.
Agenda No. 7 - Actions Outstanding Update 2009-11
Accessibility issues at Westfield’s Belconnen
L Kish reported that some progress had been made. The problems had been identified as:
· Parking cutaway rather than a step – being addressed.
· Carpet, difficult to transverse for people with disability, elderly and people with prams – still be discussed.
· Removal of critical area seating – following up.
Frank Crews from BLITS has talked to Westfield; L Kish is awaiting a response. Action is to be held over until 2012 as an ongoing issue.
M Hodges raised another concern regarding difficult with the use of trolleys on the escalators.
Workforce / Carers
Draft paper on experiences with carers in the home setting developed by S Bell and D Long ‘A Perspective on Support Care Services For Disabled Persons’, provided for Members information.
K Starick noted that the paper covered effectiveness of service, S Bell clarified that the effectiveness of assessment of service was a main point. K Starick commented that services were moving to a more outcome based reporting. She suggested that at a future meeting
L Ford could discuss the Prequalification and Outcomes based frameworks and that Members look at some quality of life (QOL) outcome measures such as CQL measures. K Starick commented about the Workforce survey recently conducted (2010), quoting some of the figures. She also noted that the results were inconsistent with the survey conducted in 2004, to the extent that the she will be reviewing the breakdowns and respondent demographics.
S Bell will continue to collect information out of session and report back to Council.
Employment Presentation
Implementation of ACTPS Employment Presentation, completed as Agenda Item 5 above.
Supported Accommodation Options Work
Ongoing work, Agenda Item 8.1.
Parking
Email sent to Members regarding People With Disabilities ACT's Meeting on Disability Parking Spaces in ACT at 7pm on Wednesday, 23 November 2011. Conversation to be held on parking issues in regards to the new parking spaces and lack of information on use.
Agenda No. 8 - Work Plan
8.1 - Accommodation for People with Disability – Update of meeting with Laura Green and Discussion
D Long and L Bannister met with L Green to discuss how Ms Green might assist in the development of the DAC project. The synopsis of the discussion covered the need to consider the 3 main areas, which are: Housing and Physical Environment; Tenancy and Environment; and Support Services.
The accommodation topic came out of a meeting with the Minister for Community Services and is her main focus for the Council. L Bannister noted that the first 2 areas were covered well; L Green clarified this to there being reasonable evidence of coverage. Housing ACT has done some work on tenancy arrangements. A number of properties have been built to universal design, which means they can be adapted easier but are not originally built to and individual’s need.
L Green described the framework she is working with, see Attachment B. This framework has been the basis of conversations with approximately 140 people on their needs and issues.
L Bannister explained that the Minister had asked for the Council to provide information / guidance on resources for people to access that is easy to maintain, robust and accessible to people with disabilities, their families / carers. This resource would need to be in multiple medias and would be used as a conversation tool, widen expectations, support decision making and enable the individual to move forward.
Initial idea is a web based resource with interactive video etc that would guide through the processes and then send and email with contacts etc.
P Brown asked if this tool would be used with school students in planning ahead. L Green indicated that planning was the primary role but would not specifically talk to people less than 14 years.
L Bannister commented that the tool would need to be flexible, adapting to changes in service provision e.g. NDIS.
P Brown asked if computer skill levels would restrict access to the tool. L Green clarified that the tool is used as a guide in a conversation.
The Council needs to move towards developing a Brief to on the project, funding and next steps. H McKeon to send out the accommodation papers discussed with the previous Council.
Laura Green contact details
Housing Options Facilitator
Disability ACT
Community Services Directorate
Ph: (02) 6207 6433
email: /
8.2 - Community Consultation Proposal – discuss possible first meeting either Jan or Feb 2012
D Long discussed the possibility of using some of the February meeting as a consultation with key community people / organisations.
S McIntosh asked if this was to be a planned regular activity. L Bannister explained that this used to occur and had dropped away.
No decision made.
8.3 - DAC newsletter discussion of possible format and story list for potential first edition in late Jan or early Feb 2012
D long proposed that the newsletter be electronic based using a RSS feed. The format would be in the form of a brief note with a link to further information, links to other jurisdiction information, inclusion of a calendar of events (DAC, other organisations, community meetings etc.). The newsletter is proposed on a quarterly basis.
D Long asked P Granleese if he would have the capacity to be Editor as he has experience with other newsletters.
Members forward any notes and comments to D Long.
8.4 - Discussion on issues to be included in new Work Plan
D Long asked that Members forward any ideas for activities to him, to be added to agenda for further discussion.
Agenda No. 9 - Reports from Other Meetings
9.1 - Meeting with Ms Mary Durkin and Ms Kelly Swan 2 Sept 2011
S McIntosh asked who these people were and where they were from. L Bannister clarified that this meeting was a regular quarterly meeting with M Durkin, the ACT Disability and Community Services Commissioner at the ACT Human Rights Commission and K Swan, her senior officer.
Topics discussed:
Kambah Village – general discussion
NDIS – discussed fairness. Comment made about the possible need for an external reviewer.
L Bannister will follow up with copy of M Durkin’s submission to Productivity Commission.
Submissions webpage from Productivity Commission’s website, listing all the submissions made.
http://www.pc.gov.au/projects/inquiry/disability-support/submissions
Agenda No. 10 - DAC Budget Update
October 2011 accrual update provided to Members in the meeting papers for their information.
Agenda No. 11 - Other Business
11.1 - Segway Review – consultation / input sought
H McKeon reported that the Council had received a request for input into the Minister for Justice and Community Safety’s review into the use of segways in the ACT. A segway is a self balancing, two wheeled vehicle.
As part of the review a Discussion Paper is being developed by ACT Government Transport and Road Safety Policy (TRSP) area.The input requested of the Council will assist in identifying issues relating to the use of segways in the ACT and will inform a segway Discussion Paper. A questionnaire has been developed to guide comments. D Long sought a volunteer to collate the Council comments into a single response, L Kish accepted to role.
The Discussion Paper is expected to be released in early 2012. Members to email L Kish comments by 23 December 2011.
H McKeon to send out questionnaire to all Members.
11.2
ACT Police practices with regard to ACT citizens with an intellectual disability as vulnerable persons – P Brown
11.3
Provision of protective environments for ACT citizens with an intellectual disability by government and nongovernment agencies and parents and carers – P Brown
11.4 - Quality of whole of life learning opportunities for ACT citizens with an intellectual disability – P Brown
11.2-11.4 Briefly discussed – further elaboration to be discussed at December meeting,
P Brown to develop additional information.
11.2 - P Brown raised the issue of interviews conducted with people with intellectual disabilities, in particular by police. Members briefly discussed the issue. When comments from an article were mentioned, H McKeon reminded previous Council members and informed new Members of a presentation held in 2010 on the review of the Mental Health Act and that the issues was discussed at that time.
P Brown commented that under the NDIS the consideration of Disability Coordinators in courts was suggested.
11.3 - This was concerning the use of current systems to factor protection from abuse and to prevent grooming opportunities.