There are less than three weeks to go until the AFDO conference. Everyone has been very busy working on it and the program looks terrific. You can read more about it elsewhere in the newsletter. If you haven’t already registered do so as soon as you can.

Apart from the conference AFDO has been extraordinarily busy.

Some of the things we have been working on are:

• Disability Inclusion Allowance
• Access to Premises Standard
• National Disability Insurance Scheme
• Emergency Management Issues

AFDO extends its sympathy to all of the people with disability, their families, neighbours and community members who were affected by the Victorian bushfires. AFDO is involved in a number of events and forums which will hopefully provide better outcomes for people with disability in emergency situations.

The Access to Premises Standard campaign kept us busy from January to March. Along with a number of other organisations, AFDO helped spread the word to the sector and assisted in developing responses to enable the proposed standards to be improved.

AFDO has developed a policy paper on the Disability Inclusion Allowance (DIA). The purpose of the DIA is to cover all the additional costs (excluding income support) that people with a disability have. Each person would be assessed on their needs and receive an allowance to cover the costs of whatever supports are needed. The policy paper can be downloaded from our website. Once the conference is over AFDO will be developing a campaign around the DIA to educate the community and to gain support for its implementation.

AFDO has formed an alliance with National Disability Services and Carers Australia to advocate for the implementation of a National Disability Insurance Scheme. This would be similar to a Medicare type levy where a percentage of revenue is set aside to cover the costs of supports and other things required by people with disability. More information on this can be found at www.natdis.com.au

As well as these campaigns AFDO has provided input into a number of consultations. These have included written papers and/or attendance at workshops and other meetings. AFDO is represented at these events by not only staff but our board and members as well as other people with the appropriate expertise.

In April I had the privilege to attend the Pacific Development Forum (PDF) held in Vanuatu. Combined with the forum was a workshop on women with disability. It was great to be able to meet people with disability from the Pacific region and to hear about what is happening in their countries. AFDO is now a member of the PDF and whilst we only have limited capacity and resources to be involved at the international level it is important to accept our responsibilities here and to engage in a process of two way learning.

Another highlight over the last two months has been the Art of Difference Festival and Symposium. This was a two day symposium debating many issues around people with disability and the arts as well as ten days of the best arts practice I have seen involving and including people with disability.

Once the conference is over I hope to be able to get around and meet many more people, hear what your issues are, what you are involved with and what you think AFDO should be doing. Until then I hope we will see you at the AFDO conference.