Strengthening Disability Advocacy Conference 2017
Getting into gear for the NDIS journey

Friday 15th September, 2017 | NAB The Hall , 700 Bourke Street, Docklands

This event has concluded.
For more information about the event, access to resources and to read the transcripts, please click here.

Conference News

About

The NDIS trials are done and we’re now transitioning, region by region, to full roll out across Australia to be completed by 2020. The changes since trial are significant – Planners have been outsourced, the Quality and Safeguards Framework has been introduced and the External Merits Review has been replaced by the NDIS Appeals process.

Advocates are now shifting gear, turning their focus from the euphoric nationwide campaign that got the scheme established, back to assisting people with disability to navigate a new landscape where the signposts are not always clear.

Getting into gear for the NDIS journey will feature a keynote address and facilitated panel discussions looking back on the journey so far, how well the principles of choice and control are being embedded in NDIS policies and processes and what road blocks to avoid on the road ahead.

It’s a wrap

It’s all over for another year and it’s fair to say that we let the clutch out on the NDIS. We heard from a dynamic range of speakers, welcomed a few last minute replacements and shared many experiences and ideas. Choc tops and popcorn hit the spot at the screening of Defiant Lives and a national campaign to raise awareness of the value of advocacy (see latest news for more info) was muted in the final session on the ‘Gearing Up’ day.

Our roving reporter, Jeff Waters from Ethical News, was bouncing around all day gathering together comments from delegates which he compiled in this video.

This conference is for anyone who is interested in strengthening and upholding the rights of people with disability.

Defiant Lives

You are invited to join Sarah Barton, Director at Fertile Films, for this special pre-conference screening.

Featuring exclusive interviews with elders (some now deceased) who’ve led the movement over the past five decades, the film weaves together never-before-seen archival footage with the often-confronting personal stories of disabled men and women as they moved from being warehoused in institutions to fighting for independence and control over their lives.

Defiant Lives is a triumphant film full of extraordinary characters who put their lives on the line to create a better and very different world where everyone regardless of impairment is valued and can participate.

Defiant Lives Official Trailer from Sarah Barton on Vimeo.

Highlights from 2016

Last year’s ‘Putting rights centre stage’ conference created a buzz that sent ripples out to the wider sector and into the mainstream. To remind us of the key points, here is a short highlights video that encapsulates the passion participants experienced.

Conference supporters

The Strengthening Disability Advocacy Conference is hosted by DARU and is the flagship event for the disability advocacy sector in Victoria. The conference planning committee is comprised of representatives from disability advocacy organisations. The team putting together SDAC17 includes:

Melissa Hale, Coordinator, DARU
Natasha Brake, Administration Officer, DARU
Melanie Muir, President, Disability Advocacy Victoria (DAV)
Llewellyn Reynders, Policy Manager, Victorian Council of Social Services (VCOSS)
Leah Katieva, CEO, Rights Information and Advocacy Centre (RIAC)
Pauline Williams, Program Manager, Action for More Independence and Dignity in Accommodation (AMIDA)
Dean Dadson, Project Officer, Self Advocacy Resource Unit (SARU)

Keep up to date with the latest conference news on X (formerly twitter)

#SDAC17

Program

Thursday 14th September, 2017

Defiant Lives

Time: 10:30am - 12:30pm

Location: NAB The Hall

Speaker: Sarah Barton, Film Director

Defiant Lives introduces the world to the most impressive activists you’ve never heard of and tells the story of the rise and fight of the disability rights movement in the United States, Britain and Australia. Featuring exclusive interviews with elders (some now deceased) who’ve led the movement over the past five decades, the film weaves together never-before-seen archival footage with the often-confronting personal stories of disabled men and women as they moved from being warehoused in institutions to fighting for independence and control over their lives.

Registration

Time: 8:30am - 9:30am

Location: Foyer

Tea and coffee available on arrival.

Welcome

Time: 9:30am - 9:50am

Location: The Hall

Speaker: Melissa Hale, DARU Coordinator

An Elder representing VACHO will open proceedings with a Welcome to Country. Melissa Hale, DARU Coordinator will be the MC for the day and will cover house-keeping and introduce the conference theme.

Opening address: Tracking the Victorian transition to the NDIS

Time: 9:50am - 10:10am

Location: The Hall

Speaker: Martin Foley MP, Minister for Housing, Disability and Ageing, Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Equality, Minister for Creative Industries
Speaker: Gabrielle Williams MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Parliamentary Secretary for Carers and Volunteers

Negotiations with the Commonwealth are ongoing as state funded disability support services are transitioning to the NDIS. It’s a messy and complex process and we’ll hear a quick update on how things are going and how the Victorian Government is planning to bridge the gaps in service provision for those who are not eligible for the NDIS.

Keynote address: What should the NDIS look like within a Human Rights Framework?

Time: 10:10am - 10:30am

Location: The Hall

Speaker: Alastair McEwin, Disability Commissioner, Australian Human Rights Commission

In this presentation, the Disability Discrimination Commissioner will reflect on some of the human rights issues that have arisen since the NDIS began and what is required to ensure we see an NDIS reach its true potential within a human rights framework.

Morning tea

Time: 10:30am - 11:00am

Location: Foyer

A series of NDIS infomercials will be shown on the big screen during morning tea and repeated during afternoon tea.

Motor’s running and we’re ready to roll

Time: 11:00am - 12:00pm

Location: The Hall

Facilitated by: Llewellyn Reynders, Policy Manager, VCOSS

Speaker: Kirsten Deane, Executive Director, National Disability and Carer Alliance.
Speaker: Dean Barton-Smith, AM
Speaker: Les Cope, President of Ability Dignity Access Management (ADAM inc.), Administrator at NDIS Grassroots Facebook Group

The strength of personal stories and grassroots campaigning on the rights of people with disability touched the general public and politicians alike. This panel will reflect on how highlighting the disparity of people with disability in living an ‘ordinary life’ shamed the nation and brought the NDIS into being. We turned the narrow dusty road into a super highway- but are we there yet?

Revving up empowerment in the NDIS

Time: 1:00pm - 2:00pm

Location: The Hall

Facilitated by: Liz Wright, Disability Access Officer

Speaker: Leah Katieva, CEO at Rights, Information and Advocacy Centre (RIAC)
Speaker: Tess McCarthy, Coordinator Policy and Research Unit, Office of the Public Advocate
Speaker: Gary Kerridge, NDIS Senior Local Coordinator at Brotherhood of St Laurence

Since its inception, a fundamental principle of the NDIS has always been to promote choice and control. This panel will investigate how empowered people with disability really are in asserting these principles through NDIS processes. Are goals translated into supports through planning and does ‘reasonable and necessary’ refer to need of the participant or the NDIA’s bottom line?

Afternoon tea

Time: 2:00pm - 2:30pm

Location: Foyer

A series of NDIS infomercials will be shown on the big screen during morning tea and repeated during afternoon tea.

GPS needed for the road ahead

Time: 2:30pm - 3:30pm

Location: The Hall

Facilitated by: Colleen Furlanetto, Chair of Victorian Disability Advisory Council

Speaker: Peter De Natris, Strategic Advisor, National Disability Insurance Agency
Speaker: Mary Mallett, CEO at Disability Advocacy Network Australia (DANA)
Speaker: Miranda Bruyniks, Deputy Commissioner, Disability Services Commissioner (DSC)

The sector lobbied hard to retain independent advocacy by remaining outside the NDIS. Anecdotally, it’s acknowledged that participants achieve better outcomes through their interaction with the Agency by seeking advocacy assistance- but what will advocacy look like in the new NDIS landscape? This panel will identify the pot holes and road blocks ahead where advocacy might be called upon to hold the system to account. Might advocacy prove to be the most effective GPS for the NDIS?

Closing Address

Time: 3:30pm - 4:00pm

Location: The Hall

Speaker: Jeff Waters, Journalist, Ethical News

SDAC17 is very fortunate to have a ‘resident roving reporter’ who will be milling around all day, gathering key points and capturing themes and opinions from speakers and delegates alike. In this closing address, Jeff will present his multi-media mash up of the day with his wonderful ‘yes-I-can-do-this-with-no-time-to-prepare’ approach.

Alastair McEwin, Disability Commissioner, Australian Human Rights Commission

Keynote address: What should the NDIS look like within a Human Rights Framework?

Alastair’s background is in arts, law and business administration. Alastair's previous roles include CEO of People with Disability Australia and Manager of the Australian Centre for Disability Law. He is currently President of the Deaf Society of NSW and Chairperson of the NSW Disability Council, the official advisory board to the NSW Government on disability issues.

Colleen Furlanetto, Chair of Victorian Disability Advisory Council

Colleen Furlanetto lives in rural Victoria where she runs an Earthmoving Business and farm with her husband and family. Colleen was an elected representative of the Strathbogie Shire, from 2008 – 2016 serving two terms. With 4 years as Deputy Mayor and final year in 2016 as Mayor. Colleen is currently in her second term on VDAC which commenced in 2013 and, in December 2016, she was appointed as Chair of VDAC.

Motor’s running and we’re ready to roll

Dean Barton-Smith AM, has accumulated more than 30 years experience in the field of marketing and public affairs, strategic / corporate planning and advocacy within the telecommunication, sport, government (both state and federal), retail, health care, mental health, professional association, emergency management, transport, community and disability sectors.

Opening address: Tracking the Victorian transition to the NDIS

MP Gabrielle Williams will present in place of the MP Martin Foley who is committed elsewhere. MP Williams will present on the importance of the disability advocacy sector working together...

Revving up empowerment in the NDIS

Gary has worked in the disability sector for nearly 30 years. He has particular expertise in the Deafness area including Deafness and mental health. He has worked in s variety of roles across disabilities including management, community development, case work, project worker, advocacy and carer. He is a well-known advocate and social commentator across the disability sector in Australia.

Closing Address

Jeff Waters was a TV reporter for 30 years and has worked in almost as many countries. Learning to film and edit his own journalism, he became the world’s first professional video journalist in 1996. His latest reporting job was as Senior Journalist, Victoria, for ABC TV News, and his video journalism has been broadcast by CNN and the BBC, as well as all Australian and New Zealand Television networks and many others. Jeff is the author of two non-fiction books, and he now works largely as a media consultant for charities and NGOs.

Motor’s running and we’re ready to roll

Until recently, Kirsten was the National Manager of Communications and Engagement at the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations and was a Director in the Information Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC) team at the National Disability Insurance Agency. Before joining the NDIA, she served as the inaugural Executive Director of the National Disability and Carer Alliance and the Deputy Campaign Director of the Every Australian Counts campaign for the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Revving up empowerment in the NDIS

Leah has over 30 years of experience working in community services. Leah has managed the NDIS Appeals and Advocacy Program in the Barwon region for the last 4 years during the trial period and now expanding into other Regions throughout Victoria. Leah also has a ‘lived experience’ of caring for a daughter with a disability and as such has an understanding of the need for advocacy and support for people with disabilities.

Leah van Poppel, Program Manager, youth Disability Advocacy Program (YDAS)

Leah van Poppel has been involved in the campaign for the NDIS since its early days, when she worked at the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations (AFDO). She has since held a range of positions across the disability sector in both government and advocacy. Leah is currently a member of the NDIS Independent Advisory Council.

Motor’s running and we’re ready to roll

Prior to his involvement withAbility Dignity Access Management (ADAM inc.), a Victorian non-profit organisation whose main focus is empowering and supporting people with disabilities, Les was a founding member and Chairman of ‘Chandler Co-operative’, one of 13 disability groups forming the Victorian Parent Advocacy Collective (VPAC). Les continues to share Information and empower others towards self-advocacy in his current role as an administrator with the ‘NDIS Grassroots Discussion Facebook Group.

Liz Wright, Disability Access Officer

Liz Wright stepped in as a last minute replacement due to Trevor Carroll being to unwell to attend. Apart from her work as the Disability Access Officer at Maribynong City Council, Liz is probably better known as the host on Are you looking at me? radio program on 3CR.

Llewellyn Reynders, Policy Manager, VCOSS

Llewellyn was called in at the last minute to facilitate this panel in place of Leah van Poppel who succumbed to the dreaded flu.

Opening address: Tracking the Victorian transition to the NDIS

Having previously worked in the public housing sector, community development and in protecting the rights of working people, Mr Foley is excited by the challenge of transformational reform for people with disability through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Mr Foley is a member of the St Kilda Football Club and hopes to see a premiership in his lifetime. He is a cricket tragic, destined to be stranded on a single century after too many innings.

GPS needed for the road ahead

Mary is the CEO of Disability Advocacy Network Australia (DANA) based in Canberra, the national peak body for independent disability advocacy in Australia. DANA supports organisations in every state and...

Welcome

Melissa has a passion for disability advocacy and to see bridges built where barriers once were. Professionally, Melissa came to DARU after five years managing Deaf Victoria, where she, in conjunction with the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, was a major contributor to the Auslan Interpreting in Public Hospital inquiry. She also coordinated a national conference to discuss and create a plan of action for barriers of accessing Mental Health support for Deaf and hard of hearing people.

GPS needed for the road ahead

As Deputy Commissioner at Disability Services Commissioner, Miranda takes a leading role in promoting the rights of people with disability, oversight of critical incidents reported by disability service providers and the resolution of complaints about Victorian disability services. She is committed to improving the lives of those who use disability services, and in particular, ensuring that people with a disability are heard and protected from abuse and neglect.

GPS needed for the road ahead

In Peter's current role he is focusing on key areas of Scheme Design and Approach which recognise the shift from the current program based systems to an Insurance scheme based on markets that need to be developed and supported so that best practice can be enabled and continuous improvement encouraged. Driven by a passion to see the Australian commitment to rights of people with a disability and the rights of children realised, he recognises the possibilities of the NDIS as the game changer.

Defiant Lives

Sarah's first documentary 'Untold Desires' (SBS 1994) dealt frankly with the topic of sexuality and disability and was followed by 'A Wing and A Prayer' (SBS 2000) and the long running series 'No Limits' (2003). Sarah has gained recognition by winning numerous industry and community awards. In 2010 Sarah was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to travel to England and America to research her documentary about the disability rights movement which has evolved into 'Defiant Lives'.

Revving up empowerment in the NDIS

completed her Master of Public Policy and Management in 2013, and before that she was at the Victorian Law Reform Commission where she worked on the review of the Guardianship and Administration Act 1986 (Vic). Tess has been involved in the disability sector for the past 8 years in both personal and professional roles. Tess is keenly interested in social inclusion, law reform and decision-making arrangements for people with cognitive impairment and mental ill health, particularly in relation to NDIS matters.

Trevor Carroll, Executive Officer, Disability Justice Advocacy

Trevor is passionate about protecting and enhancing the human rights of people with disabilities having had first hand personal experience of disability discrimination in Australia on many occasions. He uses his lived experience in his current role, leading a team of 9 disability advocates to protect the rights of people with disability on a range of issues. Trevor is a man wearing many hats and holds several positions including Chairperson of Disabled People’s International (DPI) Asia Pacific Region and member of the DPI World Executive, Chairperson and President of the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations (AFDO), the peak body representing people with disability in Australia and is a current member of the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission's Disability Reference Group after previously serving 4 years as the Co-

Venue

National Australia Bank have created a hub in Melbourne’s CBD with a range of meeting rooms and technologies available to NAB customers in a modern, architecturally interesting building.

The building design incorporates access features including talking lifts with tactile buttons, multiple accessible toilets on the same level as The Hall and safe taxi drop off and pick up point. Being located right next to Southern Cross station with entrance directly from the Bourke Street concourse further adds to the access credentials.

These facilities are offered to NAB not-for-profit customers free of charge. DARU is pleased to take advantage of this offer and we look forward to welcoming you here in September.

Getting There

The Hall is located on level 3. There are two main entrances:

Bourke Street concourse (the pedestrian bridge extension of Bourke Street) – level 2
Taxi drop off – level P1 (see taxi information below for details)

Look our for the volunteers wearing our striking, bright red conference vests – hard to miss them! They are helping out with ushering, registration and general assistance so please approach them if you need anything.

Train

Southern Cross Station is the nearest station which is very convenient as most metropolitan lines, and all regional lines, go through Southern Cross.

Coming from a train platform at Southern Cross Station:

Head to the northern end of the platform (the Etihad stadium end).
Take the lift up to the Bourke Street concourse.
Once you reach the concourse, turn left.

You should see the NAB building almost immediately as it is the first building on the right over the tracks. Once inside the very impressive atrium, take the escalator directly in front of you, or the lift on the right, up one level to The Hall.

Tram

Trams that stop at Southern Cross station include:

Spencer Street routes – 12, 48, 75, 96, 109 & City Circle
Collins Street routes – 11, 12, 42 & 109
Bourke Street routes – 86 & 96

Taxi

NAB 700 has a taxi drop off point at 700 Bourke Street which is located opposite the Channel Nine studios. The taxi rank located outside Platform 28 night club can also be used as a drop off point. The Platform 23 rank is recommended as the pick up point when booking taxis for return journeys home.

Getting to NAB from the Platform 23 rank:

Cross at the pedestrian lights.
Turn right and follow the footpath to the NAB entrance. You have arrived at level P1.
Go to level 3 using either the lift or escalator.
On level 3, The Hall is located to the right of the escalator.

Taxi drop off point

Parking

Etihad Stadium’s car park provides 24-hour security and surveillance seven days a week. The fully covered and underground facility is located only a short walking distance from NAB.

Delegates can take advantage of the $18 early bird rate on 2 September (enter before 9:30am and exit between 1:30pm & 8pm). Visit the website for more rate information or to book your space in advance online:
http://etihadstadium.com.au/car-park-options/

Note: the event is only applicable for events held at the stadium.

Tickets

Prices

Ticket type:
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Access Information

This conference is fully inclusive and we are committed to meeting all access requirements for participants with disability. There will be Auslan platform interpreters for all sessions. The registration form has an access requirement section where you can let us know what you need including:

Attendant care
Tactile Auslan interpreters
Alternative formats
Wheelchair access
Live captioning

Note: If you do require attendant care, register yourself and then contact DARU and we will manually process a ticket for your support person or can arrange one for you.

To make changes to a purchased ticket or to arrange attendant care needs, contact Natasha Brake at DARU:
T: (03) 9639 5807
E: [email protected]

Tickets

Tickets go on sale Monday 15 May 2017 and close Tuesday 12 September 2017.

Ticket inclusions

The ticket for the pre-conference screening of Defiant Lives on Thursday 14 September includes morning tea.

The ticket for the full day conference program on Friday 15 September includes:

entry to all sessions
lunch
morning tea and afternoon tea
tea and coffee all day

Tickets are inclusive of GST and Eventbrite fees and are non-refundable. Purchased tickets can, however, be transferred to another person by contacting the event organiser.