Thursday 18th February 2016

Universal support for universal design*

Dignity for Disability MLC, Kelly Vincent is pleased that the Upper House has given resounding support to her amendments to the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Bill that will increase accessibility for all.

The amendments received unanimous support, meaning South Australian developers will be required to consider universal design for the benefit of all, including people with differing needs and capabilities.

“This is an Australian first. It’s long overdue, and a walk through city and suburban streets shows why we need to promote best practice in access and inclusion planning,” said Ms Vincent.

“It’s startling how often stairs are an impediment; the access arrangements are not clearly signed, or are blocked. Ramps that are too steep, road crossing ramps that just don’t line up, it’s more than frustrating – it’s dangerous.

“Dignity for Disability has ensured universal design principles are now embedded into planning legislation. That’s good news for the whole community – because everyone wants to move around more easily and safely, and that is what universal design provides.

“Universal design goes beyond existing access standards, so rather than retro-fitting a ramp over a step, for example, universal design ensures that there simply is no step. It is inexpensive to implement; in fact it’s really cost-neutral because greater accessibility of public spaces will enable more people to use them safely. Whether you’re a wheelchair or other mobility device user like me, an adult pushing a pram, someone riding a bicycle, delivering goods on a trolley, using a suitcase with wheels, moving furniture etc., you will find universal design principles increase the amenity of the built environment.

“As well as pushing for new, innovative standards, Dignity for Disability continues to seek increased compliance with existing access standards, by lobbying for measures including mandatory compliance monitoring, similar to food safety or occupational health and safety inspections,” said Ms Vincent.

*For some good examples of Universal Design, see this short video (audio described & captioned): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A88E4DH2asQ

Pam Green: Time now to welcome to 5RPH Dignity for Disability MLC, Kelly Vincent. Hi Kelly.

Kelly Vincent: Hi Pam.

Pam Green: Well first off today, access to the movies for people with disabilities – are there any issues with this?

Kelly Vincent: Certainly there are unfortunately. Of course many of your listeners would probably be aware there hasn’t for a long time been the technology like captioning and audio description to enable access to cinema for people with disabilities with either hearing or vision impairment. Unfortunately these technologies often aren’t used so many people with sensory disabilities still miss out on going to the movies and enjoying the experience fully, because the cinema providers aren’t always aware of what they need to do to activate those technologies.

Pam Green: So what is the impact on people, Kelly?

Kelly Vincent: Well for example if Deaf or hard of hearing people do go to the movies and there are no captions or the captions don’t link properly, maybe not until a quarter or half way through the movie because of technological issues, then they’re missing out on much of the plot line and basically making it pointless to attend the movies in the first place. So it results in social isolation for people not being able to be included in a normal, enjoyable activity alongside family and friends. And the same goes for people with vision impairment if audio description isn’t provided.

Pam Green: So going to the movies at the moment, just isn’t an option for many people with disabilities then, huh?

Kelly Vincent: Absolutely, sometimes it’s a matter of contacting a cinema ahead of time and arranging for the pickup of the headsets for audio description or making sure that captions will be provided, given as I said that some of the technology that is used like CaptiView is very unreliable and sometimes it’s not even provided because cinema providers aren’t aware. In fact I’ve heard stories of a Deaf person requesting a CapitView device only to be given a pair of headphones, which of course for a profoundly Deaf person isn’t all that useful. So it’s all very well and good for the technology to be there but if the cinema staff and providers aren’t aware of how to activate that technology it really doesn’t do much good.

Pam Green: So how can we get better provision of these services for people then?

Kelly Vincent: Well as you would be aware, the industry has had voluntary compliance for some time now, but to date it’s clear that this isn’t good enough because of the lack of awareness around it. So Dignity for Disability, has turned to a legislative remedy to get better quality services in place. So we’ve had a bill drafted to be introduced to parliament in the coming weeks that would require cinema operators to screen a minimum number of movies each week with open captions on the main screen, as well as audio description being provided for a minimum number of screenings as well. So there’s lots to be done and there’s lots of opportunities each week to provide audio description and captions and to reap the economic benefits in terms of allowing more people to come into the cinema and enjoy that experience that they’ve paid for. So we think this is a win-win for cinema providers and people wanting to go to the cinema as well.

Pam Green: That’s great, once again thanks so much for your time today Kelly.

Kelly Vincent: Thanks Pam.

Pam Green: Time now to welcome to 5RPH, Dignity for Disability MLC Kelly Vincent. Hi Kelly.

Kelly Vincent: Hi Pam.

Pam Green: State Government has resumed for 2016. So what’s on your agenda, and what’s on the Government’s agenda?

Kelly Vincent: Well certainly Dignity for Disability is going to continue with our agenda for improving the lives of all South Australian’s and make sure that everyone gets a fair go and access to the services and support they need particularly for people with disabilities and their family carers where appropriate. We’ll also be continuing to advocate for the many hundreds on constituents who contact my office each year about challenges they are facing to do with disability services; health; transport; education; accessing the community; the justice system and so on. We’ll continue to put a fairness and disability rights lens on all legislation that comes to the parliament and mend it where we can as well as introduce our own legislation to get the best outcomes for all in our community.

Pam Green: And that monster Planning Bill has been before the Legislative Council for a few weeks now. It’s a big piece of legislation, are the changes complex and do you have any amendments?

Kelly Vincent: Well it certainly is very complex Pam. This is a once in a generation reform, that the Government were really trying to be hasty and shoving through the upper house before Christmas last year. Given that there are so many stakeholders and organisations with competing agendas and interests and lots of complex matters to worth through, it is disappointing to see it trying to be rushed through. I am pleased to report that Dignity for Disability has been successful in getting unanimous supports for some amendments to give consideration to universal design for access and equality in building and refurbishing buildings and planning here in South Australia.

Pam Green: And finally Kelly, the Merit Awards for 2015 year 12 students were handed out yesterday by the Governor at his residence. There was a new award this year, can you tell us about that?

Kelly Vincent: Sure, after a long time of lobbying the Government to change their discriminatory practice for students with an intellectual disability completing their SACE with a modified SACE certificate, we’ve had further win. Not only have we managed to get the discriminatory wording which differentiated children or students’ doing a modified SACE from the peers who are doing a non-modified SACE, but we now have an award recognising excellence in a modified curriculum for students completing their SACE. So not only are certificates no longer discriminatory thanks to Dignity for Disability’s work, I’m very pleased to say that we are also now seeing students with an intellectual disability getting an award alongside their peers and really being recognised for the hard work that they do put in on the same basis as their peers without disability. So it’s a great step forward and I congratulate the winners of that award for this year.

Pam Green: As always Kelly, thanks so much for taking the time to talk to us today.

Kelly Vincent: Thanks Pam.

Pam Green: Time now to welcome to 5RPH, Dignity for Disability MLC Kelly Vincent to question time. Hi Kelly.

Kelly Vincent: Hi Pam.

Pam Green: Well I understand you took part in a consultation meeting last week about the new accessible playground at the Adelaide Zoo. Can you tell us a bit about the new playground? Are there any challenges with toilets and lifts?

Kelly Vincent: Sure, so this discussion centred around the Nature’s Playground which is the new facility at the Adelaide Zoo. It’s all about trying to get children back to playing around in nature rather than spending time on screens and computer games and all that kind of thing. So it’s a really great concept, but unfortunately there is a lot of room for improvement in terms of disability access. And as you pointed out, the main issue that brought this discussion group together was access to the lift. Because whilst they do have a lift that will take you up to the aerial walk way if you can’t use the stairs, the old aerial walk way being part of the playground. Unfortunately what’s happening is that a lot of the children are using the lift as part of the play equipment. So that’s causing a lot of technical difficulties and also safety concerns, because there is concern that the children could actually get locked in the lift if they play with it enough times to activate the safety mechanism. So we’re trying to find the least restrictive way possible to get people thinking about whether or not they actually need to use the lift and so far the best solution we’ve come up with is that we might look at installing a key pad at the lift and then having the passcode for that key pad printed on the map which everyone gets when they enter into the zoo. Therefore you don’t have to ask for a special key or anything like that, you still have permission to use it at free will but the passcode will hopefully restrict access to the children and also get people thinking about whether or not they really need to use the lift or whether they can take the stairs and leave the lift for the people who really do need to use it.

Pam Green: Right and I believe that there is also some discussion about assistance dogs being allowed in at least some parts of the zoo?

Kelly Vincent: That’s right. The board of the Adelaide Zoo is currently teaming up with Kate Thiele from Guide Dogs, who is actually one of the members of the zoo board, to discuss how the zoo can change its policies around allowing assistance dogs into the Adelaide Zoo. There are unfortunately some concerns around quarantine and also the fact that if a lion for example sees a dog…

Pam Green: Exactly!

Kelly Vincent: It might react in a way that isn’t entirely what we are going for. So they are looking at ways of relaxing that policy a little to allow assistance dogs to enter into some parts of the zoo. So because of the quarantine and other concerns it’s unlikely to be every part of the zoo which is unfortunate but given that we are speaking about some pretty serious animals here that could do a lot of damage, the situation dictates that we need to be a little bit restrictive in terms of where assistance animals can go. But as I said given that they’re currently not allowed anywhere in the zoo this is still a great step forward and allowing greater access to this great tourism aspect and community aspect for people who might use assistance dogs.

Pam Green: Absolutely and the practicalities! Who would have thoughts about those practicalities if it wasn’t for you.

Kelly Vincent: Oh, thank you very much

Pam Green: Once again, thanks so much for your time today Kelly.

Kelly Vincent: Pleasure Pam.

Pam Green: Time to welcome to 5RPH, Dignity for Disability MLC Kelly Vincent. Hi Kelly.

Kelly Vincent: Hi Pam.

Pam Green: Well over the weekend we saw people with disabilities now having access to the actual water’s edge at Seacliff beach. Thanks to a specially designed plastic mat, can you tell us about that?

Kelly Vincent: Sure, well this is really the first of its kind, certainly in South Australia and perhaps even in Australia country wide. This is a rubber mat which has been laid down at Seacliff to give people who are either using wheelchairs or walkers or another type of mobility aid. But this will assist not only people with disabilities but people who might be elderly and have less balance to walk in the sand or even parents with prams can now access the sand and the beach via this 100 metre long rubber mat that’s been laid down at Seacliff beach in the last two days. So it’s a really fantastic step forward for some people, this might even be the first time that they’re able to access the beach in this way and judging from the comments and likes I’ve seen on social media in the last few days, it will certainly be a tourist attraction as well. So it’s about reaping both the social and economic benefits of fully including all people in our community.

Pam Green: How did it come about? Is it a first in South Australia?

Kelly Vincent: Yes I understand that it is. I know that an organisation that I’m involved with, Motivation Australia have previously put a temporary mat down at Aldinga beach for one of their annual fundraising walks. But this is a bit different and it’s a little bit more permanent than that. I think it is a first of its kind. I am pleased to acknowledge the work of my parliamentary colleague, the local MP for the electorate of Bright, David Speirs who coordinated an online fundraising effort to raise the funds for the 100 metre long, $10,000 mat. Local service groups such as the rotary club and local council I believe also chipped in and it was great to see a combination of service providers and community members coming together to recognise why this is so important and this outcome is really wonderful.

Pam Green: So there will be more mats available now?

Kelly Vincent: Well, I’m working on it Pam. Certainly similar mats are already used on beaches interstate and overseas and of course now here at Seacliff beach, but we are yet to see the idea being taken up by other Australian councils. I’m very much looking forward to working on that and improving that. I’m in conversations and contacting several clubs and councils at the moment to find out where there might be the best place to place the next one. So I look forward to keeping you and your listeners updated on that because as I said judging from the reaction in the last few days, there’s a lot of support to see this provided in more beaches.

Pam Green: Have you checked it out yourself yet Kelly?

Kelly Vincent: Look, I haven’t yet, I haven’t yet had the chance to. But I’m very much looking forward to it. As I understand it the mat will need to be rolled out, I think on a daily basis by the volunteers at the Surf Lifesaving Club and at the moment it will only happen on weekends and public holidays until March. Then I think there will be break until November because obviously the weather and conditions at the beach is something to take into account. So obviously it’s not a perfect solution and there’s still some barriers till full inclusion, but as long as we keep campaigning to get these available more permanently and to see them provided at more beaches. So anyone who does use it or wants to use it, contact the council and let them know what days work best and perhaps that will help them to figure out the best move forward and make sure a ramp is more permanently available. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing more people use it and getting down there myself.

Pam Green: I think it’s a great idea. Once again, thanks for your time today Kelly.

Kelly Vincent: Thanks Pam.

Pam Green: Time now to welcome to 5RPH, Dignity for Disability MLC, Kelly Vincent. Hi Kelly, welcome back.

Kelly Vincent: Thanks Pam, good to be with you.

Pam Green: Well you’ve been pretty busy over the holiday period and last week you attended the opening ceremony for the Deaf Games in Adelaide. How did the event go? And did you catch up with any interstate contacts?

Kelly Vincent: Well it’s a fantastic event and fantastic to see the Australian Deaf Games hosted right here in Adelaide as well. So we get to show case South Australia from a tourism perspective as well as promoting the benefits, social and health benefits of Deaf people participating in sport. It’s a great opportunity for Deaf people to get together with other Deaf people and celebrate their primary language, sign language as well as meet people from other countries as well, given that we have countries like Fiji and Vanuatu also participating in every sport in the game, everything from athletics, to beach volleyball, cricket, darts, eight ball, golf, lawn bowls, netball and even ten pin bowling. So a wide range of sports there and great to see a celebration of sport and its role in Deaf culture and the Deaf community.

While I was at the opening ceremony I did have the opportunity to finally meet up with Drisana Levitzke-Gray, who of course was the Young Australian of the Year for 2015 after her work celebrating and promoting Auslan, Australian sign language and Deaf culture. It was great event, a great opportunity to celebrate the Deaf community and Deaf culture and promote our beautiful state of South Australia, which is something I’m very passionate about.

Pam Green: Exactly. And also recently the changes I guess to the Weatherill/Labor Government ministerial line up. I believe we know have a new Minister for Disabilities. Are there any other changes?

Kelly Vincent: Yes there is. Leesa Vlahos of course has been appointed to the disability portfolio, so we will be working more closely with her in the coming years and looking forward to that. As you know Pam, Dignity for Disability is always willing to work constructively alongside whoever we have to, to make the right changes for South Australians, all South Australians but particularly people with disabilities. We’ve also seen Peter Malinauskas, a relatively new Minister, in fact a very new Minister who was sworn into the parliament late last year. He’s become a Minister predominately in the areas of police, corrections and emergency services as well as road safety so some very big responsibilities there for a relatively new Minister. And again, I’ll be working alongside him particularly to make sure that emergency information is accessible to people with disabilities and that correctional facilities and the police force are responsive to the needs of people with disabilities as well. So there are some big changes afoot, those are just a couple of the shake ups but the ones that particularly affect Dignity for Disability’s work. We’ll certainly keep you in the loop as we continue to work constructively alongside these new Ministers too affect important change.

Pam Green: And finally, this Friday I believe your opening the Lord’s Taverners cricket series, Australia versus England. That commences this weekend, can you tell us about that?

Kelly Vincent: That’s right, the opening is happening this week. I’m very much looking forward to having the pleasure of opening the Blind Cricket Series. Blind Cricket I think is a concept that I think it’s fair to say is foreign to quite a few people, the idea of people who are blind or have a vision impairment playing the cricket. But that is exactly why events like this are so important, because they push the envelope so to speak about what people with disabilities can achieve and can participate in and shows that we can participate in any event that any other person can when we’re given the opportunity. So I’m very much looking forward to opening the Lord’s Taverners Blind Cricket Series this week on the 22^nd of January, so the day after tomorrow. It’s at Park 25 in the CBD here in Adelaide and I believe the opening ceremony will kick off at 10.30am, so anyone who would like to I’m sure is welcome to come along and experience what I’m sure will be the excitement of Blind Cricket.

Pam Green: And Vision Australia will have a bit of a presence there too actually.

Kelly Vincent: I did suspect that would be the case and look forward to catching up with you.

Pam Green: Excellent. Well once again thanks for your time and welcome back again.

Kelly Vincent: Thanks Pam, great to be back.

Dignity for Disability MLC Kelly Vincent notes with interest Premier Jay Weatherill’s new cabinet line-up, and looks forward to working with South Australia’s new Disabilities Minister, Leesa Vlahos.

“While the figurehead may have changed, critical unmet need in disability services remain at acutely high levels, and the state government buck-passing to the Feds just doesn’t cut it,” says Kelly Vincent.

“Many people with disabilities and family carers remain in crisis, and politicians blame-shifting doesn’t get people the support they need for regular showers each week, out of home respite care, nor the provision of social access to the community.

“People with disabilities remain locked out of fair access to education, employment, housing and transport in South Australia due to the state government’s lack of planning and poor priority setting.

“Dignity for Disability remain concerned at the low level of people with disabilities employed by the SA government, and want to see a commitment to considering disability in all areas of government policy.

“With the transition to the full roll out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) still more than two years away, it is imperative that the incoming Minister for Disabilities is actively engaged in ensuring the provision of high quality case management and services to South Australians with disability.

“We continue our work with Ministers covering health, education, employment, housing, planning, social inclusion, ageing, women, youth and Aboriginal affairs because across these portfolios, the government fails to effectively include people with disabilities,” said Kelly Vincent.

 

December 31, 2015                                                                            

Dignity for Disability MP Kelly Vincent has today expressed concern about the Federal Health Minister’s likely cuts to the Medicare Benefits Schedule that may negatively impact young Indigenous South Australians with disability. 

“The roll out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme for children and young people in South Australia has already had its fair share of challenges in the past two and a half years; the last thing we need is cuts to the health system that result in further difficulties to our most disadvantaged children in remote communities,” says Kelly Vincent.

“Hearing problems are the most diagnosed disability in Indigenous kids in the APY Lands*, in the north of South Australia. 

“Mooted cuts to ear, nose and throat items on the Medicare Benefits Schedule could devastate the ability of these communities to access adequate services to improve hearing through simple medical procedures. 

“There are multiple challenges faced providing adequate health, education and disability services for young people in these remote communities and we must do everything to ensure that these kids get the same opportunities as their non-Indigenous peers. 

“Students that can’t hear well and without adequate supports, are far more likely to have delayed speech and language skills, and experience learning and behavioural challenges.  

“As reforms to the Medicare item schedule are considered, the impact on these young people must be considered.

“Dignity for Disability call on the Health Minister, Hon Sussan Ley MP, to contemplate the impact these cuts could have in the APY Lands,” said Ms Vincent.

*See this report (Table 1, page 14) for the figures: http://www.ndis.gov.au/ngaanyatjarra-pitjantjatjara-yankunytja

Dignity for Disability MLC Kelly Vincent – Media release

Dignity for Disability MLC, Kelly Vincent says colouring in is now officially passé, and the next big thing is joining the dots.

“I would like to begin with number one, and I challenge Jay Weatherill and the SA government take a leaf out of my dot-to-dot book and do likewise,” says Kelly Vincent.

“If the Premier wants to be on trend in 2016, he might like to adopt some of Dignity for Disability’s ideas,” said Ms Vincent.

1. Implement full accessibility across Adelaide Metro bus fleet.
2. Pay communication experts to provide assistance as part of the Disability Justice Plan (just the way we pay translators).
3. Mandate a demerit point penalty for parking in an accessible carpark without a permit.
4. Extend passenger rail from Tonsley to Flinders University and FMC.
5. Support industry to manufacture and service mobility aids and assistive devices locally, and develop post-market vehicle modifications expertise.
6. Incorporate four key universal design features: step-free entry; wider doorways; reinforced bathroom walls for rails and a toilet on the ground floor, in all new housing.
7. Include epilepsy as a disability in SA definition of disability for state services (such as disability parking permit).
8. Increase accessibility in all SA wineries and other venues to improve safety, and increase ageing and disability tourism.
9. Employ more, not fewer, people with disabilities in the SA public sector workforce.
10. Ensure facilities exist in SA schools for therapy sessions under the NDIS.

Silent Night, Silent Chamber

Dignity for Disability MLC Kelly Vincent is once again stunned by the lack of response from the State Government to questions asked in Parliament.

“Since the new parliamentary term commenced in 2014 we have asked 83 questions without notice, including a number of supplementary questions, of the government,” says Kelly Vincent.

“It remains difficult for us to get substantive answers from Ministers; only 38 of our questions have been answered.

“The community deserves much better from its elected government, especially when they’ve just rewarded themselves a big fat pay rise.

“Dignity for Disability has questioned the Government on a variety of issues ranging from disability, to education, health services, transport services, and equality.

“Even the answers we have received are often lacking in detail, or fail to adequately respond to the issues Dignity for Disability have raised.

“In 2013 Dignity for Disability called for more accountability for the new Parliamentary term, after receiving only 37 responses to 91 questions asked between 2010 and 2013.

“Dignity for Disability continues to demand better from the State Government, and we’ll remain persistent in our plea for this when Parliament resumes in 2016,” said Ms Vincent.