On Tuesday 3 July, Sue Salthouse attended a briefing on the Access Card draft legislation. The briefing was conducted by staff from the Office of the Access Card in the Department of Human Services.

Participants were given a comprehensive briefing pack – containing a large number of Fact Sheets, a copy of the Draft Exposure Bill, and various explanatory notes. The briefing pack is available from the Office for the Access Card phone 131 792. Their web site is at www.accesscard.gov.au

Of interest to people with disabilities is the section outlining who may be authorised to act on behalf of an individual, e.g. in making application for an Access Card.

Administration Rules will set out details of who can act on another’s behalf where the individual is unable to do so because of disability. It is likely that it will be someone who has Power of Attorney, or some power invested by Court Order, or someone deemed to have ‘authority to act’.

Thus this area is still a bit hazy and further consultation will be done with people with disabilities for clarification of an acceptable set of ‘agents’. Presenters were clear that they will use existing experience with Centrelink and Medicare to craft the new rules.

Presenters and Access Card office staff reiterated that they will be undertaking further rounds of consultation, especially with representatives of AFDO and the peak disability organisations.