RIGHTS IN ACTION INC
Independent advocacy for people with disabilities
NEWSLETTER
STREET ADDRESS: Ground Floor, 88 Abbott St
POSTAL ADDRESS: PO Box 1041N, North Cairns QLD 4870
PHONE: (07) 4031 7377
FACSIMILE: (07) 4031 7383
EMAIL: info@rightsinaction.org
March 2012 – Issue 24
Rights In Action Inc
Staff
ADVOCATE/COORDINATOR
Robyn Renton
ADVOCATES
Monday – Friday
Bob Paten
Tuesday – Friday
Jasmine Cook
Tuesday – Thursday
John Hartigan
ADMINISTRATION OFFICER
Monday – Thursday
Mary Klansek
Management Committee
2011/2012
PRESIDENT
Mark Phillips
VICE PRESIDENT
Lynette Carter
SECRETARY
Marleen Blake
TREASURER
Robert (Bob) Dollery
GENERAL MEMBERS
Lyndell Bourke
Sue Tomasich
Message from the Coordinator…
The first quarter of 2012 is passing quickly and we have received many
calls from people with disability, family, carers and the general
community seeking advocacy, information and links to local services.
So here are some statistics of the number of people we have assisted
since January.
Currently we are providing independent advocacy for 45 people with a
disability. 9 people remain on our waiting list. 27 people have
contacted us as a general enquiry and another 17 people were referred
to other local services.
We are also visiting Mareeba and Atherton on regular bases and look
forward to meeting people at the Community Services Tablelands
Centre, 13A Herberton Road, Atherton on the 1st Wednesday and at
Community Support Services, 212 Walsh Street, Mareeba on the 3rd
Wednesday every month.
Contact us on 40317377 to make an appointment for Atherton - 2nd
May or 6th June OR Mareeba – 21st March, 18th April, 16th May or 20th
June.
Unfortunately RIA, is unable to provide advocacy to everyone, however
we do endeavour to provide information to anyone who contacts us to
address their enquiry. Our systemic advocacy is often identified by
people contacting us raising similar issues that require positive change
to legislation, policy and practices or address barriers and discrimination.
We encourage everyone to provide us feedback, identify important issues
that impact on people with disabilities in our community and let us know
what stories or updates you would like us to address in future
Newsletters.
In this Newsletter, we have included some of the enquiries we have
received that may be useful to our readers…
Update on the Public Advocate E petition.
Link:http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/en/work-of-assembly/petitions/epetitions
In our December Newsletter I alerted readers to the issues raised in the
Weller Report to abolish the function of the Public Advocate and
transfer this role to the Office of the Adult Guardian. At that time 265
people had supported the e-petition.
Currently there are 295
Part of the Australian Network of Disability Advocacy Services Funded by the Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and the
Department of Communities, Disability and Community Care Services
.Page 1 of 4
supporters. Thank you to those people who pledged their support. I
am happy to report that the Bligh government intend retaining the full
independence of the Public Advocate and that the Attorney-General,
Paul Lucas has listened to the concerns of disability and human rights
advocates, the Queensland Law Society and members of the public.
Legal Advocacy
Preparation Time
20 – 80 minutes
Makes 20
Ingredients





Olive oil spray
180g white
chocolate, melted
85g (1 1/4 cups)
shredded coconut
100g multicoloured
glacé cherries, finely
chopped
20 small chocolate
Easter eggs
Method
1. Spray twenty 20ml
(1-tablespoon)
capacity mini muffin
pans with oil.
Combine chocolate
and coconut in a
bowl. Stir in cherries.
Divide among the
prepared pans.
2. Use the end of a
wooden spoon to
press the mixture in
the centre of each
pan to make an
indent. Place in the
fridge for 1 hour or
until set.
3. Remove the nests
from the pans. Place
an egg in each nest.
Cook's tip: In step 2, make sure
each indent is large enough to
hold an egg. Don't press all the
way through.
RIA Advocates are NOT solicitors and we are unable to provide legal
advice. Generally we will refer people to seek assistance from Legal
Services including the Cairns Community Legal Centre – 40317688
(Incorporating: Disability Discrimination Legal Service, Seniors Legal
and Support Service, Family Law Service, & Consumer Law Service),
Queensland Legal Aid – 1300651188, or the NQ Women’s Legal
Service Inc - 4041 0066
OR
Queensland Advocacy Incorporated (QAI), based in Brisbane has a
Human Rights Legal Service and solicitors who can assist with Mental
Health Law. The HRLS can provide telephone advice to assistance to
people with:
 intellectual disability and/or cognitive impairments;
 a dual diagnosis of intellectual disability/cognitive impairment
plus mental illness;
 profound physical disability.
in the following areas of law:
 Restrictive practices (use of seclusion, containment and
restraint);
 Guardianship and administration;
 Forensic orders under the Mental Health Act 2000;
 Health care and life sustaining measures;
 Abuse/neglect and serious injury of people with disabilities.
The HRLS lawyer is available every Thursday. Contact 3844 4200 to
arrange an appointment for the next Thursday.
Voting at the Upcoming Elections
The State Election will be held on Saturday 24 March 2012. Local
Government elections will be held on Saturday 28 April 2012. Voting in
both elections is compulsory for all people registered to vote. You may
be fined if you do not vote. Voting hours are between 8.00am &
6.00pm.
The Electoral Commission Queensland website has excellent
information and quick links such as Information in Auslan, Voting in
Braile and Checking Your Enrolment.
Please visit http://www.ecq.qld.gov.au/
For information and registration forms visit the Australian Electoral
Commission http://www.aec.gov.au/ and outlines eligibility, Information
for people who are homeless or of no fixed address and Queenslanders
who are unable to sign their name due to physical incapacity.
Voters' Helpline 1300 881 665
Part of the Australian Network of Disability Advocacy Services Funded by the Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and the
Department of Communities, Disability and Community Care Services
.Page 2 of 4
Infirm Service has no additional cost to your existing
cleansing charge for your property.
DO YOU KNOW…
Cairns Regional Council
has a new
SERVICE DIRECTORY
Cairns Regional Council provides a service to residents with a physical
disability or a disability that prevents them from being able to place their
wheelie bins on the kerbside and have no other person without a
disability living with them. The waste collection contractor will enter the
property to collect the waste and recycling wheelie bins and return them
after servicing.
Visit their website
www.cairns.qld.gov.au A letter must be supplied to the Council from the resident’s GP,
occupational therapist, health care professional or nursing agent
or
http://cairns.serviceseek advising the Council that the resident requires an infirm service.
er.com.au
Once written notification is received Waste Services will send a request
for the service to begin. They will then contact the resident with the
details of their service e.g.: day of service and will send a letter to the
resident with the relevant information.
CAIRNS REGIONAL COUNCIL CYCLONE PREPAREDNESS RESOURCES
LOOKING FOR
SOME INTERESTING http://www.cairns.qld.gov.au/community-information/cyclone-emergencyinformation
READING?
Caring for People who
sniff petrol or other
volatile substances National Health and
Medical Research
Council, Feb 2012.
This guide is a summary of
consensus-based clinical
practice guideline for the
management of volatile
substance use in Australia.
The council now offers a suite of accessible cyclone information resources,
which will be complete when Daisy (talking book) versions arrive for folks with
vision impairments.
Information can be found in the following versions:
- Auslan (via You Tube, or link through the council website);
- Braille;
- Large print;
- Easy read, for people with complex communication needs;
- Several different languages.
Other information includes the region's storm surge guide and annual cyclone
preparedness guide.
http://apo.org.au/researc The Disaster Management Unit's disaster resilience officer is available to work
h/caring-people-whowith groups and communities on request.
sniff-petrol-or-otherAll the resources can be found on the council's website, or hard copies can be
volatile-substancesobtained from the council's disaster management unit by calling 40443044 or
quick-reference-guidee-mailing disaster@cairns.qld.gov.au
health-wo
Part of the Australian Network of Disability Advocacy Services Funded by the Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and the
Department of Communities, Disability and Community Care Services
.Page 3 of 4
MORE KEY ISSUES…..
The Taxi Transport Subsidy
Scheme was introduced in
Queensland in 1987 but has
not increased in over 20
years, and not kept up with
rising fares. It's time for an
increase.
Queensland Disability Network (QDN) & The
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Disability
Network of Queensland
Vision Statement: Championing the rights of Murris and Torres
Strait Islanders living with a Disability and their Supporters, to
keep strong in Voice, Spirit and Culture.
Position Statement
In Victoria, the taxi transport
subsidy is $60 of a $120
fare. Queensland lags
behind other states with only
$25 of a $50 fare.
TELL YOUR LOCAL
MEMBER – Queenslanders
need a fair go! A review of
the Queensland Taxi
Subsidy Scheme is required
to have equal entitlements
aligned with other states.
IMPORTANT
CONTACT NUMBERS
Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people with a disability have the
right to
 To be respected, valued and Included as a member of their
family and community
 Have their culture acknowledged
 Receive services that respect their culture and disability
 Live in the community of their choice
Aims
1. To build and strengthen an active connected membership of
Aboriginal with Torres Strait Islander people with a disability and
their supporters.
Carers Queensland
40310163
2. To increase awareness and education for Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander communities and organizations and disability
services of the rights and issues facing Aboriginal and Torres
Strait islander people with a disability.
Welfare Rights Centre
1800 358 511
3. To link Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander communities and
organizations with disability services and organizations.
National Abuse & Neglect
Hotline
1800 880 052
4. To collect and document key issues facing Aboriginal and Torres
Strait islander people and lobby for changes.
For further information please contact us on
Disability Services Cairns
4048 9900
Reminder
If you haven’t already done
so, let us know if you do not
want to receive this
Newsletter and whether you
would prefer to receive it (a
Word Document)
by email or post by
contacting
Robyn Renton on
(07) 4031 7377 or email
T/TTY 07 3252 8566
Fax 07 3252 8477
Local Call 1300 363 783
Email atsidnq@qdn.org.au
Web www.qdn.org.au
Byron Albury Network Facilitator
Mobile 0428 628 308
Compliments & Complaints
Rights In Action Inc is committed to providing excellent advocacy
assistance. We welcome your suggestions and are always looking at
ways to change and improve. If you are not happy with our assistance
we would like to hear from you. We will listen to your concerns and try
to resolve any problems. If you are not happy with the way we address
your complaint you can contact the Complaints Resolution and Referral
Service on 1800 880 052.
coordinator@rightsinaction.org
Part of the Australian Network of Disability Advocacy Services Funded by the Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and the
Department of Communities, Disability and Community Care Services
.Page 4 of 4