Over the next 6 months, AFDO will be working on a number of key policy issues.

UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disability
In June, AFDO took part in a workshop about the United Nations Convention on the rights of people with disability. Australia was one of the first countries to sign the Convention, signing on 30 March 2007.

The workshop was organised by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. AFDO has agreed to work with the disability sector to lobby for the Federal Government to ratify the Convention.

The text of the convention is available on the United Nations web site at www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/rights/convtexte.htm

2007 Federal Election – Making Australia Fair
In coming months AFDO and our members will be planning and running an election forum, focussed on issues of importance to people with disability. We will also be working with other organisations that are part of Australia Fair to try to make as many of the functions organised as part of the Australia Fair campaign accessible to people with disability. Keep watching our website for more information.

CSTDA/Commonwealth Disability Assistance Package
On 28 June, the Federal Government announced a Disability Assistance Package, with funding of $1.8B over five years. The announcement includes initiatives in the areas of accommodation, respite, employment and personal support. It also provides greater financial assistance to people who are caring for children with disability.

The Australian Federation of Disability Organisations and its members will work with the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs to try to make sure that as these initiatives are implemented, the primary focus is improving the lives of people with disability. We will also continue to work to ensure that the perspective of people with disability is heard in the negotiations around the Commonwealth-State/Territory Disability Agreement.

5 Year Review of the Standards for Accessible Public Transport
AFDO and its members are preparing submissions to the 5 year review of the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport. You can read more about the Review, including how to make a submission, at the review website: www.ddatransportreview.com.au

AFDO encourages all people with disability to make a submission to the Review to tell your personal experience of using public transport.

Centrelink Reporting Requirements
In April, the Disability Discrimination Legal Centre (DDLC) wrote to Centrelink outlining the concerns of AFDO and its members about the accessibility of a new Centrelink reporting system. Some people receiving Newstart Allowance are now required to complete a Participation Record. We were concerned that some people with disability would find it difficult to complete the Record correctly.

In response to this letter, AFDO, our members and the DDLC have met with Centrelink to discuss our concerns in more detail and to find solutions to them. The meeting went well, with Centrelink committing to practical solutions to improve the accessibility of Centrelink forms.