People with Disability Australia (PWDA)

PWDA want more people in NSW to have accessible public transport that enables them to participate in daily life. We are actively involved in reform of disability transport standards and on the NSW Accessible Transport Advisory Council. For people in rural and regional NSW there is often little-to-no useable public transport. PWDA recently made two submissions to the NSW Department of Transport relating to: Accessibility of the TrainLink Coach Network in NSW - https://buff.ly/4NGtDF3 The nine Strategic Regional Integrated Transport Plans - https://buff.ly/Tt8oIpL PWDA made recommendations to improve public transport infrastructure. ID: Image of a Transport NSW TrainLink train door.

From 1 January 2025, the government introduced a freeze on the patient co-payment for medicines listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). This means Medicare holders will only pay $31.60 for 2025. Pensioners and Commonwealth concession cardholders will only pay $7.70 until 2030. To check if your prescription medicine is covered by the PBS 1. Ask your doctor or pharmacist 2. Check your prescription for the mark ‘PBS/RPBS’. 3. Search the PBS medicine list https://buff.ly/kmFLcMz ID: Medicare infographic: PBS co-payment freeze What is it and who benefits. States What's the PBS. The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) has provided Australians with low-cost medicines since 1948. What's being frozen. The PBS patient co-payment is the maximum price you can be charged for a PBS medicine. The patient co-payment has been frozen at 2024 rates and will not increase due to annual indexation.

The federal government recently announced $17million to make beaches, National Parks and playgrounds more accessible for people with disability. The initiative will fund all-terrain wheelchairs, sealed paths, and Changing Places bathroom facilities that provide people with high support needs access to suitable, safe, and private bathroom facilities. “People with disability have the same right to be included in our communities, to access the spaces we gather in, and to experience our beautiful natural environment.” says disability advocate Shane Hryorec. This is a step in the right direction with more funding needed to ensure greater access for all. Read more: https://buff.ly/iAjsIAt ID: Image from ABC article shows disability advocate Shane Hryhorec with the beach in the background.

The daily news cycle can be overwhelming. PWDA provides a regular summary of Australian and international disability related news. Don't miss any of the disability news stories that are important to you. Subscribe for free to our weekly media round-up: https://buff.ly/JE0oEiA ID: A laptop and tablet show image of PWDA media round up email on screens. PWDA logo sits in top corner

In the wake of Sydney Mardi Gras Parade, Australia does not have full marriage equality. Signatories of a petition calling for an end to partner income tests to access financial support are waiting on a response from the government. Under current legislation, payments decrease for the recipient when their partner earns over $372 per fortnight and stops entirely if the amount the partner earns, exceeds $1500. The current system can allow a partner to use that information as a source of coercion or control. The petition points to the government’s National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children, highlighting its emphasis on financial independence as “a pathway to safety.” Read more https://lnkd.in/gR-pVY9y Track the petition: https://lnkd.in/grBTEsbV ID: Women holding placards at a march for women's rights.

Have you completed our annual Member Engagement Survey? The member engagement survey will help inform future events, activities and communications for our members. If you are a member and have not received your Member Engagement Survey email, please contact us at pwd@pwd.org.au or call 1800 422 015. If you're not a member, you can join for free at: https://lnkd.in/gmUJzvV6 ID: Graphic shows a variety of emoji faces from, red, orange to yellow then green showing a scale of sad to happy. Text reads We Want Your feedback. PWDA Member Engagement Survey.

"People with disabilities are facing a waiting time on average of 637 days for accessible housing." - PWDA Board Director Steph Travers. While other jurisdictions have signed up to Livable Housing Design Standards and mandated minimum accessibility standards for new buildings, NSW and WA have not. Steph told the ABC that many people with disability across the country were living in houses that did not meet their needs. Like Graham Umbulgurri who has to crawl to the bathroom when he is alone because his government-owned home in Wyndham, WA has corridors and doors too narrow to manoeuvre his wheelchair safely. PWDA is calling for minimum accessibility standards to be mandated nationally. This will make a difference for people living with disability as well as future-proofing housing for our ageing population. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gqjPTvRE ID: Image from ABC article shows Graham Umbulgurri using a wheelchair in a hallway that does not have enough space to manoeuvre.

Fallen trees, damaged roads, and widespread power outages have left thousands grappling with the aftermath of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. PWDA Deputy CEO, Megan Spindler-Smith, told Croakey that people with disability are often disproportionally affected by these events, particularly those who rely on powered medical devices, accessible transport and stable housing. “Right now, the priority must be making sure people with disability have safe and accessible places to stay, access to healthcare and the supports they need to get through this crisis and access critical information. “This includes restoring power or providing alternative energy sources like generators for those who rely on electricity for disability needs.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/gvRDFjnm ID: Image from Croakey article shows a tree that has fallen across a road during a storm.

Restrictive practices limit the rights or movement of a person to change their behaviour. This might mean using medication to influence a person's behaviour or restricting where they can go. The Department of Communities and Justice want to create rules that will reduce the use of restrictive practices and stop them being used where possible. If you or someone you love has experienced restrictive practices they want to hear from you. The survey is open until Friday 14 March. Complete here: https://buff.ly/Gqja5Xo ID: Two people are sitting and holding hands. Only their hands and arms are visible.

As the federal election nears, are we doing enough to ensure all Australians are able to have their say? SBS spoke to PWDA Board Director, Steph Travers who shared "There's a cohort of people with disability who are not voting because it's too hard to access, or they're too ill, or it's too hard to figure out." The Australia Electoral Commission provide a range of options to make voting more accessible for people with disability. However, people with disability still face significant challenges in casting their vote. Not all polling booths are accessible for wheelchair users or people with mobility aids and people with disability are still often excluded from election experiences, like the democracy sausage, that many others take for granted. Statistics are unclear how many of the 5.5 million Australian people with disability are enrolled to vote, as this data is not currently captured when enrolling. "When you enrol, you don't tick a box that says 'I'm a person with a disability. We would hope that the AEC gets on board with capturing the data, because you can't fix a problem unless you know how many people aren't participating." said Steph. Read more: https://buff.ly/wqN4pN3 ID: Image shows a group of people voting in temporary cardboard voting booths.