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Victorian Charter of Human Rights
The Victorian Charter of Human Rights & Responsibilities Act 2006 (Vic) is an Act of Parliament that sets out our rights, freedoms and responsibilities. Rights protected under Charter include recognition and equality before the law, and privacy. The Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Commission brochure (“Your right to rights”) says that the Charter is “a form of insurance to ensure that human rights are a priority for governments when making decisions and providing services such as healthcare, education and law enforcement. Most of us will not notice the operation of the Charter unless some attempt is made to remove or undermine a human right.”
To find out more about the Victorian Charter of Human Rights & Responsibilities, visit the Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Commission website. The direct link to the Charter information is very long and complicated, so instead click on the site’s own s earch facility and type in “Victorian Charter of Human Rights”.
Victorian Disability Services Commissioner website
It's OK to complain!!
Do you need some assistance to resolve a complaint with a disability service or service provider? The Disability Services Commissioner can provide a free and confidential service to assist you.
Are you a service provider interested to know about your obligations for complaints processes or what might happen if someone makes a complaint about you?
The Disability Services Commissioner (the Commissioner) can provide you with information about the legislation and the Commissioner's independent and accessible complaints process.
Visit the Victorian Disability Services Commissioner website to learn more.
Conference: Communities in Control - 16-17 June, 2008
At this year's conference, we will explore the challenge of building political, environmental, social & economic pathways towards true social inclusion.
Keynote speakers include 2007 Australian of the Year Tim Flannery, Executive Deputy Secretary-General of Amnesty International in London Kate Gilmore, leading international health expert Fran Baum, "mouseclick campaigner" Brett Solomon (GetUp!), CEO of National Indigenous TV Australia Pat Turner, and more of Australia's top thinkers and speakers.
Become a member of the Communities in Control movement - then take your knowledge and enthusiasm back home to your own communities to analyse, create and develop local solutions to some of the most challenging questions of our time:
- In the face of such enormous global challenges, and in the shadow of such formidable global powers, how do we begin to imagine the world we want to create? How do we take our vision to the global stage? Does it really matter to the world at large what we do in our own backyards?
- How do we harness the power of modern communications to bring the wisdom of global knowledge into play locally, and carry our stories to the world? How can we transfer our own experiences effectively without imposing or patronising?
- How do we overcome the pressures of the "I want, I want" society and move towards the development of altruistic, safe, just, borderless, inclusive communities? How do we move beyond tolerance to true diversity? Where do we start?
- What do we need to do now, today, to become the modern, dynamic, flexible organisations we need to be in order to respond to local and global pressures? How do we become greener, more creative, more responsive, more responsible, more outward-looking, more inclusive without compromising our core mission?
- How do we take full advantage of all that globalisation offers and insulate against all that globalisation threatens to take away?
This year's conference also features a pre-conference special skills day on Working with Government, as well as community entertainment, a networking event and a special guest Community Idol presenter.
The Conference itself is on Monday and Tuesday, June 16th and 17th 2008, with the pre-conference skills day on Sunday June 15th.
Visit the Our Community website for more information, or contact Lisa on 9320 6800
Access to Premises Campaign Kit
The Access to Premises Campaign Kit addresses the issues of up to 4 Million Australians who are unable to access their own communities. The Kit provides information and tools to people with a disability that will help them speak out about the lack of access to businesses and services that they face in their local communities.
The campaign's key messages are that:
- People with a disability want access to the same buildings as everyone else.
- People with a disability want to be able to work, shop and experience cultural and leisure activities just like everyone else.
- Anything less than that is discrimination.
Visit the website to download the kit and for more information.
YouTube Video Clip: In my language
This eight minute clip has been developed by Scope to highlight some of the barriers facing people with different communication needs. It features a woman interacting with the world around her and then a translation of what her actions mean. The clip has captions.
Strength Together! - A voice for non-government school parents
All parents in each state/territory are encouraged to tell / write their story describing their experiences and issues in seeking a supported placement in a non-government school for their child with a disability. We need as many people as possible to support this area of Advocacy to make necessary and fair change ensuring full inclusion is available for all students with a disability in non-government / private schools. For more information contact the Victorian Parents' Council, "A voice for non-government school parents"; Suite 4A, 681 Burke Road Camberwell; P O Box 647 Hawthorn 3122; Tel 03 9804 0906 Fax 03 9804 0892
Website: The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC)
The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) website now boasts a new visual design, improved menu and accessibility features set to make information-finding easier and faster for all.
Youthlaw: Individual Advocacy at the Youth DisabilityAdvocacy Service
The Youth Disability Advocacy Service (YDAS) has commenced providing individual advocacy for young people with disabilities between the ages of 12 and 25 throughout Victoria. Michelle Bowler is the Individual Advocate for YDAS. Michelle can support young people to access their rights in a range of areas including employment, education, housing and social security benefits, disability services and discrimination and with a wide range of access and equity issues. Michelle works on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays and is available to support young people with their individual advocacy needs.
For more information about this service, please contact Michelle Bowler, phone: 03 9267 3733 or 1300 727 176 (toll free).
Advocacy opportunity: Hobsons Bay City Council Disability
Action Plan Survey
Hobsons Bay City Council is developing a Disability Action Plan, and is calling on
residents to complete a survey to help
guide the future of services and facilities
for people with disabilities by providing
feedback. For more information contact
Megan Salisbury on (03) 9932 1000 or
visit the Hobsons Bay City Council web site.
Calling for Community Consultants!
Are you living with a genetic condition? Interested in health provision and policy? If you’ve answered yes to these questions, the GSNV would love your help in a new project to improve consumer representation in healthcare. In 2005-2006, our Advocacy Worker, Claire, trained 17 ‘Community Consultants’ to represent themselves and their peers on health policy and provision committees. Now, the GSNV is seeking volunteers to act as ‘emergency consultants’ for occasions when our Community Consultants are unable to help out due to illness or short notice – but when community representation is still needed. If you are living with a genetic condition – either your own, or as the carer of someone with a genetic condition – are interested in advocacy, and would available to attend occasional meetings (generally during the day, but sometimes on evenings and weekends), we’d love to hear from you. Training in advocacy is preferred, but not essential – our priority is to have a list of people to call on in emergency situations. Email Leah or call her on 8341 6315 to learn more.
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