Nothing about us without us!
|PO Box 345
Greetings!
Welcome to the Spring 2017 Physical
Disability Australia (PDA) Newsletter! Since
our last publication, a lot has happened at
PDA:
We have made 2 submissions to the
Productivity Commissions Inquiry into
NDIS Costs;
We have provided feedback to the
Department of Social Services (DSS)
on their draft Code of Conduct for
NDIS providers and workers
We have launched our new website;
and
We have been working with our
partner organisations in the Disability
Australia National Peaks Consortium
to develop a joint funding application.
Details about these and other developments
at PDA are in this Newsletter.
Make sure you follow us on Facebook
(@physicaldisabilityau) and Twitter
(@PDA_AU).
If you didnt get this Newsletter by email or
post, the chances are your membership
details are not up to date. Please head to the
PDA website and complete the personal
details form at pda.org.au/membership/
Warm Regards,
Simon Burchill
PDA Manager
Physical Disability Australia
Toowong QLD 4066
T | 1800 PDA ORG (1800 732 674)
E | manager@pda.org.au
| www.pda.org.au
PDA Newsletter
Spring, 2017
#SavePDA
PDA Needs Your Help!
DSS has not increased the funding it makes
available to Disability Representative
Organisations like PDA.
Last year we barely got enough money to
survive, and without a boost to the program,
we are unlikely to get any more this year.
This means PDA may go out of business.
If you value the work we do on your behalf
and on behalf of all Australians with physical
disability, please visit the campaign page on
the PDA website where you will find links to a
letter you can send to your MPs and Senators
in Canberra and a spreadsheet with all their
names and addresses.
If you have problems accessing the PDA
website please call me on 1800 PDA ORG
(1800 732 674) and I will post you pre-
addressed letters for you to sign and
forward to your representatives.
Every Federal politician needs to know there
are PDA members in his or her electorate!
PDAs submissions to the
Productivity Commission (PC)
Inquiry into NDIS Costs
PDA made an initial 18 page submission to
the PC Inquiry into NDIS Costs (you can find
a copy on the PC website: pc.gov.au/__data/
assets/pdf_file/0008/215279/sub0038-ndis-
costs.pdf) in which we argued (amongst other
things) that:
Page 1 Spring 2017 Newsletter
 Participants be allowed to use their NDIS Built on the WordPress platform, the updated
funding to pay those who previously internet presence of PDA is easier to
provided support for free (family navigate, easier to edit and manage, and
members, partners, children, friends, more engaging. It is also device-sensing so it
etc.); looks good on your computer, tablet and/or
The planning process be redesigned so phone.
they are held as face-to-face meetings In coming months we hope to add a blog
where practicable; page that will feature monthly articles from
In-kind agreements which allow the PDA Directors and members around the
states to meet their obligations by country.
keeping people with disability in
institutional care be abolished; and Check it out at www.pda.org.au.
The NDIS be (at least partially) funded by Meet your Directors Fran Vicary
a separate levy. (Qld)
Although we cant claim credit, PDA is
pleased to see the PC recommended
changes similar to those we argued for in its
draft Position Statement.
PDAs feedback on the Draft NDIS
Code of Conduct
In May this year, DSS released a draft NDIS
Code of Conduct for public comment. PDA
made a 13 page submission (you can find a
copy on the DSS Engage website:
engage.dss.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/
2017/07/PDA-Submission-regarding-NDIS-
Code-of-Conduct.pdf ) in which we were
highly critical of the proposed Codes fuzzy
wording, horribly out-of-date scenarios and
overreach into the world of mainstream
service providers.
There is no indication on the Engage website
as to when any revised Code will be released
nor when it will come into force.
Stay tuned!
New PDA website! Introduce yourself:
My name is Fran and Ive been the
PDAs new website is now live! Queensland PDA Director for almost 2 years
now. Im also the Ipswich Area Manager for
the Carers Queensland NDIS Partners in the
Community Program.
What do you like to do to relax?
I listen to Bruce Springsteen recordings, and
read serious books with feminist themes. I
also like going to the Brisbane Powerhouse
to partake in cultural activities and white
wine.

Physical Disability Australia Page 2 Spring 2017 Newsletter

What is your favourite book / movie / music around Australia. Thats about a 17%
recording? response rate.
The Orchard by Drusilla Modjeska Here are some interesting findings that
(http://www.drusillamodjeska.com/my- emerged from the data:
books/the-orchard/). Its a book I can read
over and over again.
Who would you most like to have a
conversation with?
Bruce Springsteen. Hes not just a rock star,
hes into social justice and always ensures
his concerts are accessible.
What is your history in the disability sector?
Ive been involved in the disability sector for
my entire adult life both professionally and in
a voluntary capacity.
As a young woman, I took Australia Post to If the survey is representative of PDAs total
the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity membership then 54% of you are 60 plus
Commission to make the Charters Towers years old.
Post Office wheelchair accessible.
When I moved to Brisbane I joined the
management committees of Queenslanders
with Disability Network (QDN) and Speaking
Up For You (SUFY). Later, I became the
CEO of QDN and the Director of the Victorian
Independent Living Centre with Yooralla.
What do you hope to accomplish with PDA?
I would like to help PDA secure its future in
these uncertain times.
PDAs Needs and Experience
Survey
As part of the Disability Australia National Almost 62% of PDA members live in one of
Peaks Consortiums efforts to understand Australias 8 capital cities or their suburbs.
where people with disability get their This is about the same distribution as for the
information from and what they would like Australian population as a whole.
from their organisations, PDA created a
survey covering these issues and more. It
was distributed by email and post to all active
members in July.
To boost the response rate, we provided
postage-paid envelopes for the return of
paper survey forms and for those members
able to complete their surveys online, we
offered $20 shopping vouchers for the first 3
responses from each state and territory.
We received 160 completed paper and
electronic survey forms from members We are glad that 44% of respondents think
PDA is at least somewhat helpful. Some of

Physical Disability Australia Page 3 Spring 2017 Newsletter

the other answers give us some good ideas
about how we can be more helpful.
Well over half of you want more frequent PDA
Newsletters and 40% of you would like the
PDA website to be regularly updated. There
was also 32% support for more Facebook
and Twitter posts.
As can be seen from this chart, members
want PDA to provide them with more
information about disability related aids and
equipment, Centrelink payments and
pensions, and the NDIS.
A complete analysis of the survey will appear
on the PDA website soon!
Physical Disability Australia
Associate Directors
To help the organisation prepare for the time
when current Directors are looking to retire
from the Board, PDA is looking to recruit 8
Associate Directors one from each State
and Territory.
Whats involved in being an Associate
Director? Really, we are just looking for
people to assist with:
Recommending PDA membership to
people with physical disability your
jurisdiction;
Spreading the word by sharing PDA
posts on your Facebook and Twitter
pages and encouraging other members
to do the same;
Working with your State / Territory
Director to identify local issues for PDA to
act on; and
Attending PDA Board of Directors
meetings (by teleconference) to cover
any absences.
If you are interested in becoming a PDA
Associate Director, please contact Simon
Burchill (manager@pda.org.au) and he will
give you more information.
Proposed Standards for Motorised
Wheelchairs and Mobility Scooters
Due to the hard work of PDAs delegate to the
Standards Australia technical subcommittee
dealing with disability aids and equipment,
the proposed Technical Specification for
motorised wheelchairs and mobility scooters
is being revised into a more equipment-user
friendly document.
Of greatest significance to our members is
that the proposed weight limit for power
wheelchairs has been abandoned.
PDA is now lobbying for the suggested low-
speed switch (that would limit the devices
speed to less than 5kph) to be dropped from
the document.
Stay tuned for further updates!
Page 4 Spring 2017 Newsletter
 Physical Disability Australia Ltd
PO Box 345
Toowong QLD 4066
T | 1800 PDA ORG (1800 732 674)
E | manager@pda.org.au NOTICE TO MEMBERS
| www.pda.org.au ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Thursday 16th November 2017
4:00 6:00 pm Australian Eastern Daylight-Saving Time
Physical Disability Australia (PDA) will hold its 2016 2017 Annual General Meeting (AGM) by
national teleconference.
All members are invited to attend the AGM by dialling into Hot Air Conferencing on 1800 151 624
and entering the code 046 277 195 # when prompted. If you are planning to dial into the AGM,
please notify the PDA Manager, Simon Burchill by close of business (5:00pm AEDT) Friday 10
November so that an accurate attendance list can be made and so that we can forward meeting
related documents to you. PDAs contact details are listed in the header of this letter.
At this years AGM, we are hoping to appoint a Director for Tasmania. In addition to this, the
Directorships of Liz Reid (NT) and Mary Reid (VIC) are reaching the end of their first 3 year terms.
We are also hoping to recruit Associate Directors for each jurisdiction1. Full members wishing to
nominate for any of these roles need to complete and return the Nomination Form (next page) by
close of business on Friday 3 November 2016. Similarly, if you wish to appoint a proxy to vote on
your behalf you need to complete and return the Appointment of Proxy Form (below) by the same
date.
We look forward to hearing from you at the meeting.

Proxy Appointment Form

2016 2017 Physical Disability Australia Ltd AGM
I, __________________________________________________________________________
of (address) _________________________________________________________________
being an individual member of the Physical Disability Australia Ltd (PDA) appoint:
*Ms Liz Reid, President; or
*(other PDA member) ____________________________________________________
of (address) ___________________________________________________________
as my proxy to vote for me on my behalf at the Annual General Meeting to be held on Thursday
16 November 2017 and at any adjournment thereof.
My proxy is authorised to vote *in favour of/*against the following matters:
1. Election of new and/or renominating PDA Directors; and
2. Any other motions and or resolutions put to the quorum.
Signed: ____________________________________________ Date ___/___/___
(Member)
Note: If the member wishes his or her proxy vote to be cast in favour of or against the election of any nominee for
appointment to the PDA Board of Directors, or any other motions and/or resolutions put to the quorum, it is the
appointing members responsibility to communicate these to his or her proxy. Otherwise, the proxy may vote as
he/she thinks fit.

1 Information about what is involved in being an Assistant Director is included in the attached Spring 2017
Newsletter

Physical Disability Australia Page 5 Spring 2017 Newsletter

 Physical Disability Australia Ltd
PO Box 345
Toowong QLD 4066
T | 1800 PDA ORG (1800 732 674)
E | manager@pda.org.au
| www.pda.org.au
Nomination form for Directors / Associate Directors

I, _______________________ of ________________________________ ,
(Full name of Nominee) (Nominees address)

Telephone: _______________Email: ____________________________ ,

Signature of Nominee: __________________________ Date: ___/___/___,

Wish to nominate for the role of Director / Associate Director of Physical

(Delete or circle as appropriate)
Disability Australia Ltd (PDA) for the 3 year term: December 2017 to November
2020.

This nomination is proposed and seconded by the following PDA members:2

Proposer : ________________of _________________________________

(Full name of Proposer) (Proposers address)

Telephone: _______________Email: _____________________________

Signature of Proposer: _________________________ Date: ___/___/___

Seconder: ________________of _________________________________

(Full name of Seconder) (Seconders address)

Telephone: _______________Email: _____________________________

Signature of Seconder: _________________________ Date: ___/___/___

All nominations must be received by the PDA Manager by close of

business Friday 3 November 2016
Mail: PO Box 345, Toowong QLD 4066
Email: manager@pda.org.au

2 If you dont know any other PDA members, please return the form anyway and we will assist you in finding
proposers and seconders.

Physical Disability Australia Page 6 Spring 2017 Newsletter

News and Events
Research participants needed
Do you live in Victoria? Do you have an
invisible disability? Do you use public
libraries? If you answer yes to these
questions, Rebecca Muir, a researcher from
Charles Sturt University would like talk to you
about your experiences accessing and using
public libraries. If you would like to know
more you can contact Rebecca on 0401 250
219 or rmuir@csu.edu.au.
International Day of People with Disability
(IDPWD)
Are you helping to organise or planning to
attend an IDPWD event on Sunday 3
December this year? If so, you may want to
visit the Department of Social Services
helpful site (www.idpwd.com.au/celebrate).
Here you will find resources to help you
register and promote your event and find out
about whats on in your area.
Can I use my taxi subsidy card/vouchers to
access ride-sharing services?
At the moment the answer is no. However,
Transport for NSW (TfNSW) is conducting a
review of the states Taxi Transport Subsidy
Scheme (TTSS) and they are inviting written
submissions from subsidy users and other
interested parties. PDA will be advocating for
the subsidy scheme to be extended and we
encourage you to have your say too. Find out
more at the TfNSW website:
(www.transport.nsw.gov.au/operations/taxis-
and-hire-cars/transport-disability-incentives-
and-subsidies).

Please update your membership details!

Name: __________________________________________________
Address: ________________________________________________
Town/Suburb: _____________________________________________
State: ______________________ Postcode: ____________________
Email: ___________________________________________________
Phone: __________________________________________________
I am a person with a physical disability
I am a supporter (without a physical disability)

Return forms to:

Physical Disability Australia
Or complete the online
PO Box 345
form at www.pda.org.au/
Toowong QLD 4066
membership

Physical Disability Australia Page 7 Spring 2017 Newsletter