It is with great sadness that PDCV has been informed of the passing away on 14th June 2009 of our founding President, Arthur Beale OAM

Arthur was indeed a loyal supporter and advocate for all people with Disability, particularly the physical disability sector. He had a long standing involvement with Disabled Motorists Victoria and was a Board Member and later Chairman of the Board of Para Quad for several terms.

Please refer to the Newsletter section of this website to read a letter of condolence from the current President of the PDCV, Mary Reid OAM.

The Australian Disability Enterprises Excellence Awards recognise, encourage and promote the significant contribution that Australian Disability Enterprises make in improving the lives of people with disability.

The inaugural Australian Disability Excellence Awards were held in Brisbane as part of the National Disability Services (NDS) Employment Conference 2008. These Awards were highly successful and well received by the sector. The Australian Disability Enterprises Excellence Awards 2009 will be presented to finalists at this year's NDS conference to be held on 7-9 September 2009 at the Hilton Hotel, Sydney. If you know of an Australian Disability Enterprise that has made a significant contribution to ensuring that people with disability are encouraged to participate to their full potential in employment, tell us about it by nominating them for the Australian Disability Enterprises Excellence Awards 2009. Nominations are now open and close on 20 July 2009.

To nominate an Australian Disability Enterprise for an Award, or to make an enquiry about the Awards:

• Australian Disability Enterprises Excellence Awards 2009 Guidelines
• Email Australian Disability Enterprises Excellence Awards 2009
• Phone: 1800 108 196

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In a HREOC Media Release of June 5th 2009, the Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Mr Graham Innes, has congratulated the Minister for Education, Employment and Workplace Relations and her Department on the preparation of a fact sheet on the interaction of proposed new Disability (Access to Premises - Buildings) Standards (Premises Standards) and the Building the Education Revolution (BER) Program.

The BER program will provide infrastructure funding to more than 9000 schools throughout Australia over the next three years, providing education service providers with an opportunity to inprove access for all students, staff and parents who have a disability.

More information about the new Access to Premises Standards, Premises Standards and BER is provided in the Discussion Papers section of this website and the Australian Human Rights Commission website.

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The PDCV is now a member of the Victorian Universal Housing Alliance (VUHA), which has been established to advocate for State regulation to increase Victoria's stock of universal housing - housing which is designed to be used by all people to the greatest extent possible.

This alliance is auspiced by the Victorian Council of Social Services(VCOSS), the Victorian Local Governance Association(VLGA), Council on the Aging (COTA),the Chronic Illness Alliance and the Housing Resource and Support Service.

More information about the VUHA is provided in the Newsletter section of this website and the VUHA website.

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The Disability Disaster Advocacy Group [DDAG] was formed amidst the recent bushfire period in Victoria. People with disabilities are often ignored or missing from disaster response operations. People with disabilities and seniors have additional disadvantages and requirements.

The DDAG has representation from people with disabilities, Council on the Aging, advocates, disability sector, mental health and community health sector, case managers, researchers, Municipal Association Victoria, metro, rural and deaf access workers. The DDAG is an active voice and resource willing to advise and assist the respective authorities and services working together with bushfire affected communities, the reconstruction and community redevelopment, the federal emergency response systems inititative, and research and policy writing to ensure that people with disabilities and seniors are considered and heard.

Whilst the current focus of the DDAG is on the 2009 Victorian Bushfires, the group has a broader application to disaster management planning, recovery and reconstruction.

For more information on DDAG contact the Project Co-ordinator, Susan Stork-Finlay, or the Executive Officer, Action for Community Living Inc., David Craig .

• TTY: 03 9489 1179
• Fax: 03 9489 2988
• Country Callers: 1300 727 017

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People who have a severe and permanent disability and can travel independently on public transport will have access to a new travel pass.

Victorian Public Transport Minister, Lynne Kosky said "there have always been a small percentage of public transport users who have always been unable to use ticketing machines and the new pass would give them piece of mind. "

"The Brumby Labor Government is taking action to stand up for vulnerable Victorians and to give them access to public transport services and this pass will be made available to a small group of people who have a severe and permanent disability," Ms Kosky said. "This includes people who are in a wheelchair and have limited fine hand movement, which stops them from being able to reach a ticketing machine or barrier, as well as some people who have an intellectual disability."

"Following consultation with a number of special interest groups we have decided to close this gap by introducing the new Access Travel Pass. This new pass will be used in the same way that people currently use the Vision Impaired Travel Pass. Pass holders will need to carry it when ever they use public transport and it will entitle them to free travel."

The application process for the Access Travel Pass will include a number of steps:

• A registered health professional will need to certify that the applicant can travel independently but cannot use tickets; and
• All applications will be reviewed by an independent panel.

Ms Kosky said the introduction of the Access Travel Pass would be timed to coincide closely with the rollout of myki in Melbourne. Application forms will be administered by the MetLink Central Pass Office and be available from this office or online in September.

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