th
Staff Newsletter 6 November 2015
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INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES UNDER PRESSURE TO BETTER
ACCOMMODATE TRAVELLERS IN WHEELCHAIRS
By Penny Timms Posted 25 Sep 2015, 7:13pm on ABC online
Read the full article at:
IN THIS ISSUE
http://www.abc.net.au/news/201
5-09-25/airlines-lobbied-tobetter-accommodate-travellersin-wheelchairs/6805960
Kim Jago is lobbying
Australian airlines to
purchase a machine that
will make it easier for
people in wheelchairs to
travel overseas.
 International Airlines under
Pressure
 Ten Commandments of
Communicating
 Children with Autism HomeSchooled
 Queenslander’s with Disability
Network
 Everybody has a Role to Play
 Time Sheets
 The Art of Disability Poetry
 Confidentiality
 2015 Melbourne Cup
 Breaking down Barriers
 The What’s Happening Report
"I don't know how long I'm
going to be here for and I'm
trying the very best to fulfil a
few of my bucket list dreams
and this (trip) was one of
them."
Ms Jago, who has a severe
mobility
disability,
is
preparing for a trip of a
lifetime, but for that to
happen she needs help
getting on a flight in Hong
Kong, so she can return to
Australia.
Qantas,
who
sponsors
Australia's Paralympic team,
told Ms Jago it is unsure if it
can fulfil her request for
special assistance to get her
on her flight home from
Hong Kong next year.
Qantas uses a third party
overseas, so it said it is not
responsible
for
special
assistance equipment there.
Ms Jago spoke to Qantas for
more than an hour today,
trying to get those at the
airline to change their mind
and is optimistic the airline is
now doing all it can.
"After today, I'm definitely a
lot more confident that
Qantas is doing everything,"
she said.
Ms Jago said the airline
offered her a few options to
transport her off the plane,
but she maintains the only
option is the Eagle Lift.
“Everyone with a disability
has the right to fly”
The creator of the Eagle Lift
has offered to fly to Hong
Kong with the machine and
to put Ms Jago on the plane
himself at his own expense.
He is waiting for Qantas to
give him security clearance
to allow that to happen.
Ms Jago said she cannot
understand why airlines
have not made disability
rights a priority on their
international services.
You can't just be put on an
aircraft in Australia but not
get off at the other end. It
has to follow through, and it
needs to be regulated.
"I want this campaign to
continue and I want a
change, not just Qantas but
aviation all over the world,
because everyone with a
disability has the right to
fly," she said.
Qantas is by no means the
only airline at fault, and is
well known for its efforts to
help those with a disability.
The founder of
wheelchairtravel.org John
Morris said disability rights
are often abandoned by
international carriers.
"I would say in the last year,
having taken about 20
international trips, I've seen
those rights violated about
80 per cent of the time," he
said.
"So it's a very significant
issue that attacks the dignity
and at many times the safety
of travellers with disabilities."
He said it is a matter of
money and responsibility.
"It comes down to a financial
decision by the airlines not
willing
to
make
the
investment in what they
perceive to be a very small
market of travellers," he said.
"There are also issues with
airlines using their partner
airline staff or contracted
staff in international airports
- they don't have as much
oversight over these third
party service providers."
Janet Radke
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THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF COMMUNICATING WITH PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES
From: http://www.diversityshop.com/store/10comvid.html
1. Speak directly rather than through
a companion or sign language
interpreter who may be present.
2. Offer to shake hands when
introduced. People with limited hand
use or an artificial limb can usually
shake hands and offering the left
hand is an acceptable greeting.
6. Do not lean against or hang on
someone’s wheelchair. Bear in
mind that people with disabilities
treat their chairs as extensions of
their bodies.
And so do people with guide dogs
and help dogs.
3. Always identify yourself and
others who may be with you when
meeting someone with a visual
disability.
Never distract a work animal from
their job without the owner’s
permission.
When conversing in a group,
remember to identify the person to
whom you are speaking. When
dining with a friend who has a visual
disability, ask if you can describe
what is on his or her plate.
7. Listen attentively when talking
with people who have difficulty
speaking and wait for them to
finish. If necessary, ask short
questions that require short
answers, or a nod of the head.
4. If you offer assistance, wait until
the offer is accepted. Then listen or
ask for instructions.
5. Treat adults as adults. Address
people with disabilities by their first
names only when extending that
same familiarity to all others. Never
patronize people in wheelchairs by
patting them on the head or
shoulder.
Never pretend to understand;
instead repeat what you have
understood and allow the person
to respond.
8. Place yourself at eye level
when speaking with someone in a
wheelchair or on crutches.
9. Tap a person who has a hearing
disability on the shoulder or wave
your hand to get his or her attention.
Look directly at the person and
speak clearly, slowly, and
expressively to establish if the
person can read your lips.
If so, try to face the light source and
keep hands, cigarettes and food
away from your mouth when
speaking.
If a person is wearing a hearing aid,
don’t assume that they have the
ability to discriminate your speaking
voice. Never shout to a person. Just
speak in a normal tone of voice.
10. Relax. Don’t be embarrassed if
you happen to use common
expressions such as “See you later”
or “Did you hear about this?” that
seems to relate to a person’s
disability.
Suzanne Richardson
CHILDREN WITH AUTISM HOME-SCHOOLED BECAUSE OF A LACK OF SCHOOL
PLACES
Adapted from Brennan, B (2015) 'Autistic children home-schooled because of a lack of school
places', PM, ABC Radio National, 20 October, http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2015/s4335356.htm
Children with autism are being refused enrolment at schools because the school cannot meet their
needs. Children have also been placed in cages or seclusion areas.
A Senate committee is currently looking at whether schools are failing to provide support for children
with disabilities in Australian schools. Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie is chairing the enquiry
and reveals: "Parents are taking matters into their own hands and saying, 'well if I cannot find an
inclusive space for my child...', then they're choosing to educate that child at home". Reports say
that some parents feel they have to leave work to be able to do this, and this creates further financial
inequity for people with disabilities.
Geoff Davis
3
QUEENSLANDERS WITH DISABILITY NETWORK
"Nothing about us
without us”
QDN’s mission is:
A State-wide Network of People with Disability Connecting for
Collective and Affirmative Action.
About QDN




disability

Fill out the signup box below.
 QDN is run and managed by people with disability for

There are no fees.

Or join our mailing lists to find out what is
Queensland.
a Board of Directors, who are people with disability.

Pass on our information to people you know.
 QDN is run according to its Rules set out in the constitution

Tell other people about QDN.
– follow this link for a Word version of the Rules.

For more information, please contact us by email,
 QDN provides a mechanism for people with disability to
 QDN is funded by the Queensland State Government
(Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability
Services) to act as an advisory body

happening in your area and in the rest of
 QDN is a Company Limited by Guarantee, governed by
have a say in the issues that affect our lives – to have a voice

To join QDN, or join our mailing list;
 QDN is a Queensland-wide network of people with
people with disability

How do I get involved?
telephone or post.
PLEASE MENTION US TO PEOPLE YOU KNOW
WHO SHARE OUR VALUES AND A POSITIVE
VISION FOR ALL PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY.
For more information or to join please visit:
http://www.qdn.org.au/about-qdn
 QDN networks via a model of networking unanimously
approved by members attending our state-wide gatherings
and meetings

Members are welcome. Membership is free.
EVERYBODY HAS A ROLE TO PLAY
A positive working environment is everyone’s
responsibility. How people within a business support
this culture depends on their role. Regardless of their
job title, all employees have a responsibility to look
after their own mental health.
Keith Hart
TIMESHEETS
All staff are required to complete a timesheet every
time they are utilised within a household. A separate
timesheet is required for every different client and/or
residential that the Support Worker works in for that
specific pay period.
Staff
are
to
have
their
timesheet
on
them throughout the term of the working hours. All
entries are to be printed in a legible format. Should
the worker work with other clients or households
during that pay period, then a separate contact sheet
is required for each client/household (A contact sheet
is a photocopy of the timesheet).
Timesheets are to be started when the worker starts
work for that date and are to be completed at the end
of the hours designated, including the client signature.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ARE TIMESHEETS
TO BE LEFT UNCOMPLETED BY THE END OF THE
WORKERS DESIGNATED HOURS.
Maxine Fleming
4
THE ART OF DISABILITY POETRY
Written on 28/07/2011 by:
Karen Wang
http://www.friendshipcircle.org/blog/2011/07/28/the-art-of-disability-poetry/
Karen Wang is a Friendship Circle parent. You may have seen her sneaking into the volunteer lounge for ice
cream or being pushed into the cheese pit by laughing children. She is a contributing author to the anthology "My
Baby Rides the Short Bus: The Unabashedly Human Experience of Raising Kids With Disabilities"
Below are some of Karen’s poems
1. Poetry does not have to be clever or complicated. In fact, poetry should ideally use the simplest
possible language. Sometimes following a pre-determined structure can help get those creative juices
flowing. I helped my son write some acrostic poems about his observations of the changing seasons. I
had him write the name of the season in a vertical line, then I prompted him to think about his
experiences and produce a phrase that started with the letter on each line.
2. Another simple structure is a haiku, just 3 lines long. The first line has 5 syllables, the second line has
7 syllables and the third line has 5 syllables – no rhyming required, though alliteration and graceful
word flow add a nice flourish. In traditional haiku, objectivity is prized and the main idea is to freeze a
moment in time or a moment of awareness. I jotted down this haiku after my son had a big meltdown;
while I held him in my arms, his mood abruptly changed from weeping to joking.
3. My preferred poetry style is the prose-poem or story-poem. Much of what my son says is scripted
language used metaphorically, but sometimes he says something spontaneous and original that seems
to come from deep inside. I try to write down these comments, and later I form a story around his quote
to capture the context. I do my best to cut back on sentimentality, and I rely on a thesaurus to prune
unnecessary words while highlighting the overall mood. On my son’s most tumultuous days, I treasure
these joyful recollections.
Janet Radke
3.
1.
Fall
First it rains and gets colder
And we put away summer toys
Leaves fall off the trees
Let’s go to the cider mill.
2.
Rolling tears
Rolling tears recall
Recent but forgotten wrongs
Even as he smiles.
The Breeze In My Hair
“I want to feel the breeze in my hair today.”
Refusing to wear his hood in cool weather,
His words delight me, a gift
Unhoped-for in the dark winter of disability.
Excitedly he helps me dress the baby
With mittened hands and a giggle,
Our thoughts flow freely between us
In each glance, in that sweet intangible
breeze.
Studying my smile with wondering eyes,
His tiny brother says, “Oonk,”
Answered by my kiss, scooped up
Into the sunshine of early spring.
5
CONFIDENTIALITY
All staff are reminded of their obligation
around confidentiality of information
pertaining to clients.
It also creates situations where new staff may
become terrified of working with a person as
they have only heard negatives about them.
All too often, staff can be heard talking to
clients or other staff about other clients
including what they are doing, what has
happened etc. This is a breach of
confidentiality. You need to look at these
conversations for what they are. Why are
we talking about this other client? Does
this client know? What is the purpose of
the conversation?
Secondly all clients, and indeed staff, have a
right to confidentiality and privacy. This is a right,
not an option, as dictated by legislation, policy
and just common decency. How many times
have you ever heard a doctor speak to someone
else about a patient in front of others at a
medical centre? Never, because they have
understood and stand by the protocols of
privacy.
There may be times where this
conversation is warranted and can be
explained but at other times it can only be
explained as gossip. This is where the
dilemma occurs, as it causes all types of
unprofessional problems.
Thirdly, what right does anyone have to speak
about others, especially people with disabilities
without their consent that is completely
unrelated to work? There is no right.
Firstly, it creates a situation where gossip
becomes the "norm". Gossip is rarely of a
kind nature, it is usually derogatory and
based on nothing. People then see that
gossip as the way that person is, and go
into a situation expecting that behaviour
or demeanour without understanding the
person as a whole.
If you want to know what to say to people, either
clients or staff, who start conversations about
others it is simply this:
"I do not speak about other clients"
Paul Crowe
2015 MELBOURNE CUP
There has been a lot of media
attention on the Melbourne Cup this
year for a few different reasons. As
you will read, Emma has written a
piece on it for the newsletter.
I want to highlight that a few
commentators
made
mention
about the young strapper with
Down Syndrome! We all know that
this is a wonderful achievement for
any young person involved in a win
at the Melbourne cup ! But due to
the fact that this young man has
Down syndrome the focus has
been on that!
Why?
What's the difference between him
and the thousands of other young
strappers that every day gets up early
trains, cleans and works with riders to
prepare for races!
He is no different to the thousands of
other young strappers that has a
supportive family and assists him in
following his dreams!
He is no different to the thousands of
other young people that choose to
work in this field!
I listened to interviews where some
reporters started with headlines that
included the fact that this man had
Down syndrome ! And!!
He has shown that he can do the job,
obviously he takes pride in what he
does and I'm sure after listening to
other family members if he couldn't
do it he would not be there!
Last years winner of the Melbourne
Cup had a strapper with bright red
hair! Did that get reported on ?
No....
It's rare and as such part of our role
is to break down the barriers that are
there and get people to see that just
because a person has a disability
does not mean they are not
employed, tax paying community
members just like everyone...
Food for thought!
Tara Tippett
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BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS A WIN FOR SOCIETY
Michelle Payne had a historic win in Tuesday’s
Melbourne Cup. Being the first woman to win the
cup in a mostly male dominated sport she has
truly broken down one of society's barriers
towards equality. Equally impressive was the
story of her brother Steven. He has been
gainfully employed in the industry as a strapper
and contributed along with the rest of the team
towards the win.
Steven, who has Down Syndrome, has been
employed at trainer Darren Weir’s Ballarat
stables for close to a decade and his
responsibilities are numerous.
“He can follow the worksheet, he can saddle
them up, he can swim them, hose them, and he’s
got a great rapport with horses,” Weir said
before the race.“They’ve got a great history in
racing,” he added of the family, “and they’re all
terrific horse people and Stevie is no different.”
The two youngest of ten children to a single
father they are from a racing family and have
been associated with horses their whole
lives.The Payne family were desperately poor
when growing up on a farm on the outskirts of
Ballarat in the late 1980s, and Michelle and
Steven were always knocking about together as
kids.
While the older children rode ponies and then
racehorses, the two of them used to play in the
dirt, forging a tight bond following the tragic loss
of their mother when both were still young.
“Stevie can pretty much do anything, and look
after himself when he’s on his own.”
Steven received a massive roar from the
Flemington crowd after giving a brief but uplifting
speech when accepting the Tommy Woodcock
Trophy as the winning strapper.
“Thank you very much, everybody,” he said. “To
all of the crowd today at the races. I hope you
have a great night. Thank you very much.”
Steven’s role in Prince of Penzance’s success
had come earlier than just on race day.
It was Steven who had correctly predicted he’d
draw barrier one for the race, and he had also
been right when he said Prince of Penzance
would be “in front at 200 metres (to go)”.
Jockey Kerrin McEvoy, who is related to
Michelle and Steven through marriage, was
overjoyed at their success.
“It’s an unbelievable thrill for the family, for
Michelle to be the first female to win it,” he
said.“It’s a fairytale story. We’ve got Stevie
(Payne) there working hard in the stable and
drawing the barrier and leading the horse up.
“I’m wrapped for Michelle, and for ‘Weiry’ (trainer
Darren Weir) and it’s great for the Payne family
to be on the list of winning jockeys.”
Emma Reynolds
Michelle said Steven had challenged some of
the stigma that surrounds Down Syndrome.
Stephen Payne poses
with Prince of Penzance
after the race. Source:
Getty Images
“I think it’s great for other people with Down
Syndrome — to see how capable they can be in
normal life,” she said.
Steven Payne is all
smiles as Michelle
Payne lays a kiss
on him. Source:
AAP
Michelle Payne is escorted by
her jubilant brother Steven
Payne. Source: Getty Images
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Pittsworth Lions Market: 15th November 2015 Free
Plenty of parking available. The stalls include home cooking, preserves, fruit and vegetables,
honey, plants, crafts and many ideas for unusual Christmas gifts. Lions provide a BBQ, soft drinks.
Stanthorpe Rocks 2015: 14th - 15th November 2015 Various Prices
This year we have several new initiatives including a restaurant with full table service; roving "Got
a Question, Ask Me" ambassadors; and a Concierge service for all our Corporate Marquee guests.
Arj Barker@ Empire Theatre: 7th November 2015 Various Prices
Arj Barker is arguably Australia’s favourite American comedian. In recent years, he has spent more
time in our country than his own and has come to understand our culture perhaps better than we
understand it ourselves. His stand-up is both insightful and pointed, like a mind-reading thumbtack, if there was one of those.
Food Truck Feast @ Broadwater Parklands: 13th November 2015 Free
Food Truck Feast is on again at Broadwater Parklands with more trucks, more food and more
entertainment. All your favourite Gold Coast food trucks will be there as well as a selection of
Brisbane’s best.
Movies under the Stars Burleigh Heads: 7th November 2015 Free
Bring along a picnic rug and comfy chair, and sit back to watch the movie How to Train Your
Dragon 2. Most events have food, coffee and soft drinks available for purchase on site.
Stand up Comedy at Hope Island Tavern: 13th November 2015 Free
We can't wait for the second of our monthly Friday night comedy shows at Hope Island Tavern! Every
second Friday of the month, Based Comedy brings the best comedians from Queensland and around
Australia to Hope Island Tavern to entertain you - entry is free and we have a fantastic lineup for our first
show!
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Click on the headings to view link for more information on each individual event