COVID-19 support for Disability Support Pension (DSP) recipients

Event

Disability Support Pension (DSP) recipients may soon receive a text message through the Australian Government’s Disability Gateway offering assistance with COVID-19 vaccinations and medicines. 

This is a genuine text message sent by the Australian Government.

Legitimate government SMS communications will not use URLs as a means to update your personal details, or ask you to confirm your personal details.

The text message will provide information on how to access the Disability Gateway to get help booking your booster.

$31 million to boost readiness for educational environments for children with disability or developmental concerns

Media release
The Albanese Labor Government has today announced grants of $16 million under the National Early Childhood Program (NECP) and an additional $15 million under the Information Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC) program.

Read more about: $31 million to boost readiness for educational environments for children with disability or developmental concerns

Assistance Dogs Australia

If you have cerebral palsy, spina bifida, multiple sclerosis or other serious injuries you may be able to access a specially trained dog through the Assistance Dogs Australia 'People with physical disabilities' program.

Assistance Dogs Australia also has programs for training dogs to help with conditions such as autism and posttraumatic stress disorder.

National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

The NDIS can help you modify your house and vehicle to make it easier for you to move around and do the things you want to do.

Protecting people living with disability from the latest COVID-19 wave

Media release
The Albanese Labor Government is committed to protecting people living with disability and their carers from the latest COVID-19 winter wave and will launch a targeted text message campaign to protect their health.

Read more about: Protecting people living with disability from the latest COVID-19 wave

Chair of NDIA Board resigns

Media release

I have received the resignation of The Hon. Dr Denis Napthine AO as Chair of the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Board.

Read more about: Chair of NDIA Board resigns

Improving access to conferences for people with disability

Media release

The Australian Government has today announced 33 conference organisers will share in $315,000 in funding to maximise the inclusion and participation of people with disability.

Each conference organiser will receive a grant of up to $10,000 to support participation at disability-related conferences in 2022-23.

Read more about: Improving access to conferences for people with disability

Calling on recruits for new Winter Relief Workforce to help protect NDIS participants

Media release
The Hon. Bill Shorten MP, Minister for the NDIS and Government Services, is calling on qualified disability support workers to join a register to cover potential workforce shortages and critical shifts over the winter months.

Read more about: Calling on recruits for new Winter Relief Workforce to help protect NDIS participants

A transition plan for Activ support workers with disability

Media release

Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth today announced the Australian Government will provide grant funding of up to $7.8 million to Western Australia disability employment provider, Activ Foundation, to keep its large-scale industrial work sites open for another 18 months to better support the transition of employees into new placements.

Read more about: A transition plan for Activ support workers with disability

Disability reform Ministers' meeting (DRMM) Melbourne - 17 June 2022 - Communique

Event

Commonwealth, State and Territory Disability Ministers met on Friday 17 June 2022 in Melbourne. It was the first meeting chaired by the Hon Bill Shorten MP, Australian Government Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and Minister for Government Services.