Victor Perton

The Community Affairs Legislation Committee has just published the joint submission I have co-authored with my friend and NDIA co-design colleague, Uli Cartwright, on the NDIS Bill. Our submission addresses: - The lack of co-design for major changes to the primary legislation according to Article 4(3) of the UNCRPD - Destruction of the golden thread between funding, goals and aspirations for a life worth living on an equal basis with others - Parallels with Robodebt culture in the participant experience and the further risks this Bill imposes - Legislating NDIA accountability to participants - Legislating NDIA, DSS and Government accountability in co-design - Our vision for the co-design commitment we need This submission was made independently of our roles as NDIA Participant Reference Group members. However, in light of the following statement published on the DSS website last night regarding NDIA co-design, we wish to set the record straight: “Since the Government introduced proposed changes to the NDIS Act, the NDIA has been working closely with Disability Representative and Carer Organisations (DRCOs), our Independent Advisory Council (IAC) and Participant Reference Group (PRG) to improve their approach and confirm the next set of priority topics for co-design.” We do not know who drafted this FAQ, but we do not believe “working closely” with the PRG is a fair or accurate representation of a one hour briefing the day after the Bill was tabled, a two hour Q&A for us to give our feedback on the proposed legislative changes, and a two hour meeting on the NDIA’s already-formed, already-drafted co-design approach and proposed topics. At this meeting, we asked the NDIA to ask us what we can contribute and how much work we can take on, not to assume we are not up to the task. We go much further in our submission: We ask the Government, DSS and the NDIA to “assume that we can” contribute much more, and to invite people with disability to lead these reforms, including drafting of amendments (or indeed, re-drafting) of this Bill.

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TAKEOVER BY STEALTH - Dr Muriel Newman. In 2019, under the guise of implementing the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Jacinda Ardern’s Labour Government adopted “Vision 2040” – the blueprint of radical Maori to replace democracy with tribal rule by 2040. Drafted by a panel appointed by then Maori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta, He Puapua was so explosive that Labour kept it hidden from their Coalition Partner New Zealand First – and also from voters – in the run up to the 2020 election. Once Labour won an outright majority, He Puapua was bulldozed out by Labour’s Office for Maori Crown Relations – an agency of over 200 staff that worked in collaboration with iwi leaders. The outrage that followed He Puapua’s discovery did not stop Jacinda Ardern from forcing illegitimate co-governance and Treaty partnership arrangements across the State Sector and beyond. Those actions played a key role in Labour’s downfall. Once the new National-led Government was established, it was heartening to find “Stop all work on He Puapua” was one of their policy commitments. And while the Coalition’s main focus has been on reversing key He Puapua measures including repealing Three Waters and the Maori Health Authority, the tribal push for power has now switched to a new target – local government. He Puapua outlined a strategy for the tribal takeover of local government. The measures included: expanding Treaty obligations to local government, transferring Council Resource Management Act consenting powers to iwi and accrediting tribal Hearing Commissioners, increasing the number of Maori Seats to 50:50, giving tribes effective control of freshwater along with royalties for water usage, and exempting Maori freehold land from rates. Maori wards have created the pathway to achieve a number of these goals – at speed...... https://lnkd.in/g7AihCWZ

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I share a panel at The Labour Party conference, hosted by Policy Exchange. Our topic: The Building Beautiful Agenda – is less beauty the price we have to pay for more homes? I argue we must have both more, and more beautiful homes, adding the need for some clarity in the semantics about this dabate: ‘Beauty’. Many, if not most of us applauded the recommendations of ‘Living with Beauty’, the report of the Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission. I think the key is right there – Building Better as well as Beautifully. In my own practice, we subscribe to four key principles, Order, Humanity, Sustainability and, yes Beauty. And of course Vitruvius prescribed firmitas, utilitas, and venustas (beauty) as the three indispensable virtues of architecture. Beauty, on its own, was never enough to convey all we need for human wellbeing and it is quite right that it should have been dropped from the highest level of desired outcomes in the National Planning Policy Framework. Other than that, there was a pretty good level of agreement between panellists Ike Ijeh, Nicholas Boys Smith, Margaret Mullane MP, Jack Shaw. Many thanks to Georgie Krone for convening.

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Navigating the Future of Disability Services . In this video, Christine Bigby takes a deep dive into the ongoing transformation of the NDIS and its future direction. Over the past year, she has been part of an extensive independent review process, which has led to a comprehensive report and a roadmap for the next five years. The transition from a state-funded model to a hybrid system combining both state/territory and Commonwealth funding has brought about significant changes. Join us as she explore these crucial issues, offering insights and a personal perspective on the future of disability support in Australia. Let’s look at how we can ensure the NDIS evolves in a way that truly benefits everyone. For more information https://lnkd.in/gfXDaEhn Register now and help us build a better future for the care economy! https://lnkd.in/geAKqqaS Secure your spot today! https://lnkd.in/gitGUFkZ International Women's Day 2025 (Register Now) https://lnkd.in/gxuVa3vm #Australia #perth #devsingh #devsinghperth #devsinghaus #IWD2025 #InternationalWomenDay2025 #NDIS #DisabilityServices #NDISReview #DisabilityInclusion #FundingForDisability #InclusiveServices #DisabilityPolicy #MainstreamServices #DisabilityAdvocacy #SocialInvestment #DisabilitySupport #FutureOfDisabilityCare #NationalDisabilityScheme #DisabilityRights #InclusiveAustralia

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“People with disability are too often seen as problems to be solved, rather than the problem-solvers with agency to act.” What a powerful statement — and all the more reason why everyone should give this piece a read. The Priorities Project is an initiative by — and for — people with disabilities. The Project highlights six priority areas the Federal government needs to focus on to build a truly inclusive community. For instance, affordable and accessible housing is still a significant challenge for people with disabilities. Currently, it is nearly impossible to get home modifications outside the NDIS — but 88% of Australians with disability are not on the scheme. It’s clear that moving forward, we need to hear from the people who need these changes most. Advocating for people with disabilities is only possible when we are listened to wholeheartedly. #2024DisabilityEmpowerment #Disability #Accessibility #Housing

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🍻 Pub Testing the NDIS Bill Part 5 of 6: When the Government says they consulted, show them this (a.k.a. “A brief tangent to rant about inaccessible consultation timeframes for things that could cost lives”) 🍻 ⚠️🚨Content Warning🚨 This video series discusses scenarios potentially leading to the preventable deaths of people with disabilities, including by suicide. Viewer discretion is advised. The Government is encouraged to respond meaningfully to our concerns.⚠️ This unscripted discussion addresses some of the things keeping disability advocates Uli Cartwright and Cat Walker up at night, and some of the concerns we covered in our submissions to the two Senate inquiries on the NDIS Bill which have not yet been addressed at the time of publication. After a very long day, we started from the difficulty government officials seem to have understanding that debts against NDIS participants cannot exist unless somebody makes a subjective judgement that they have misspent their funds. Previous clips questioned the double standards around integrity and the impact on participants; review rights and why they matter in the context of compliance; changes to the definition of funded supports; and compliance without harm. All topics must be considered in the context of the potentially devastating consequences of vulnerable individuals receiving debt notices (as our submission co-author Kath Madgwick knows all too well), and the huge duty of care on government agencies even when someone has done the wrong thing or made a mistake. But when it comes to WHAT we can access with our funds and how NDIS support is defined, there are also risks of other adverse outcomes – including death – if we cannot access supports we genuinely need, when we need them. And don't forget: Debts can still be raised on the 'in' list items. This short tangent is a rant about how unfair the timeframes for consultation have been. While the timeframe for DSS consultation on the draft supports list has been extended by a week, that's still only 13 days after the delay in publication of the Easy Read versions, which do not include the full lists. Let's call it what it is: Systemic ableism. And potentially deadly, if it denies critical supports (I think our alternative take on Section 10 is WAY safer). And like the NDIS Bill, I don't think it stacks up against Article 4(3) of the UNCRPD. Natalie Wade's Rego Taskforce was the exception. Be like Natalie, everybody! We hope Bill Shorten is listening. We hope the wider community is, too. Anthony Albanese Australian Labor Party Department of Social Services (DSS) Daniel White Uli Cartwright Ellen Gould Naomi Colville Kath Madgwick David Pocock Jacqui Lambie Dr George Taleporos (GAICD, PhD) Rosemary Kayess Sam Paior JP, MAICD Corri McKenzie Chris Coombes Annie Crowe ♿️♾️ ⭐️ Marayke Jonkers PLY (MAICD ) William Ward-Boas Helen Dickinson Jess Harper Samantha Connor Mark Pietsch El Gibbs Jenny Karavolos Sophie Cusworth AFDO Admin

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There are many resources that can help you find grants. These include: - Australian Government's GrantConnect - State Government grant databases - Local Council and regional initiative websites - Funder websites, newsletters and social media - Subscription-based services (e.g. The Grants Hub, GEMS, The Funding Centre, GrantGuru). Want to get the best value for your needs? I'm happy to share what I've learned over the years and feedback we've heard from others. Whichever methods you use, you also need a strategy to be proactive and assess grants effectively. Getting a bunch of daily updates is pointless unless you have an actionable plan for filtering opportunities and prioritising resources. If you want to save time and search smarter, get in touch. #findgrants #governmentgrants #philanthropy #australiangrants #purposeplus by Tender Plus

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𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫-𝟏𝟔𝐬!!! [Hot off the press] I know that this is most likely inspired by Jonathan Haidt's "Anxious Generation" proposals - : "four foundational reforms are: No smartphones before high school; No social media before 16; Phone-free schools; Far more unsupervised play and childhood independence. (p 261.)" "The ban - which will not take effect for at least 12 months - could see tech companies fined up to A$50m ($32.5m; £25.7m) if they don't comply". "Gaming and messaging platforms are exempt, as are sites that can be accessed without an account, meaning YouTube, for instance, is likely to be spared." Thoughts? This is hot off the press, details are scant at the moment, so here are my initial impressions, in no particular order of importance, but love to hear your thoughts: - This feels equivalent to banning the TV in the 1940s, banning the internet in the 1990s. - Have governments thought of increasing funding to equip parents on parenting t(w)eens? We as parents are accountable for our children and often we feel ill-equipped. - Have governments thought of implementing penalties on parents who do not implement digital protection / wellbeing software on their children's devices? Or perhaps funding the purchase of this software? These software filter much of the inappropriate content on social media and you can enforce the reasonable use of social media apps. - What is the Australian Govt going to provide for teens under-16 to do as alternatives? Will there be more funding for non-screen use activities? - Given (allegedly) gaming and messaging apps are exempt, do we think the usage on those platforms will increase, resulting in greater digital addiction? - A lot of risky/predatory behaviour happens through messaging apps. If those aren't in scope, then it may increase the risk on those platforms. - Will this be retrospectively applied to under-16s who already have access to social media? - "The brain finishes developing and maturing in the mid-to-late 20s". - NIMH (US National Institute of Mental Health). So, should the ban be eventually extended to young adults well into their mid-late 20s? What is the actual root cause of the concerns around Teens + Social Media? How can we help parents be able to equip their teens to grow and make wiser decisions as they grow into adults? What are your thoughts on this? #Genz #ParentingTeens #Aotearoa #NewZealand

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Want to make a complaint about the Hobson's Pledge ad in the NZ Herald with the Advertising Standards Authority? Here are the details: https://lnkd.in/gE2_gzYg First page you need to click "Yes, Proceed" four times before you get the "Next" button and can actually start your complaint. Advertiser is Hobson's Pledge, publication is NZ Hearld. You will need a copy of the page (attached). You will need to put in details of why this fails to meet the standards? Having gone through the standards here are a few of my suggestions of principles it goes against: - Rule 1(c) Decency and Offensiveness - Rule 1(f) Violence and anti-social behaviour - Rule 1(g) Fear and Distress - Against Principle 2: Truthful Presentation You will need to put your details in then you can submit the details. Also InternetNZ | Ipurangi Aotearoa and DNCL talk about disinformation and misinformation but seem to have no ethics when it comes to holding to account people on our domain names that spew hate about us? Why is this .nz domain still even running? How do we complain? Or is this just showing us how that Systemic racism report is coming along?

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How do we improve independent scrutiny during policy reform? Independent scrutiny is critical to sound public policy governance, but how do we get the most out of it? 1️⃣ Who commissions the review matters! 2️⃣ Choose truly independent consultants. 3️⃣ Ensure a direct line to decision-makers. 4️⃣ Protect confidentiality. ➡️ Learn how to fix your reviews for better policy-making in my latest article: https://lnkd.in/gGzy-4Xm #PublicPolicy #Governance #PolicyReview

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Those who attended the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) National Homelessness Conference in Adelaide this year would be no stranger to the quality presentations and content at this year's conference. One such presentation, in the Innovation in Partnerships category, was the Young Parent Program, an example from Far North Queensland. Unfortunately, my colleague Fiona Oates was unable to deliver this presentation on the day, so I got the call up at short notice. Whilst I did my best to carry the content I had at the time. It warrants another plug here. 👩‍👦‍👦 Young Parent Coordinated Care Project 🫶 Youth homelessness in Cairns is an acute problem. Young people who are parenting are disproportionately represented in referrals to youth and homelessness services. With a tight and expensive rental market, no supported accommodation options and limited availability of social and affordable housing, young parents in Cairns have extremely limited options. In addition, many young parents seeking accommodation support present with significant complexities including the experience of domestic, family and sexual violence, contact with statutory child protection services, and complex trauma.   🤝 This pilot project formed under the name of 'Young Parents Coordinated Care Project (YPCCP)' and is a collaboration between five organisations - The Women’s Centre, Youthlink, St Margaret’s, Q Shelter and the Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works. The pilot was initiated in response to the growing number of young parents seeking accommodation support and the lack of sustainable housing and support options available to them. When the pilot was established, it was unfunded and relied on existing support service resources, used in a way that was more responsive to the identified need. 📊 Regional data demonstrated the need for more intentional support, getting the pilot established, and the ongoing evaluation of the project, including the results achieved for the families referred in.   💡 We hope that other regional towns in Australia that may lack funded services to support young parents could use this collaborative process, between services, industry and government, and apply it to their own locational context. If you'd like more information on the pilot, please contact my colleague, Fiona Oates, in beautiful Cairns. #YoungParents #Families #Housing #PartnershipSupport #BetterTogether #HomeMatters #Queensland #Cairns

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This is new & exciting - Check out the link in Emily Gillmartin bio - #ReflectivePractice #generalpractitioners #burnoutprevention #professionalgrowth #medicalpractitioner

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Thanks to Ciara Sterling, CEO of Thriving Communities Australia (TCA), who talked with the Essential Services Commission team about our Safety by Design Partnership Project this week. This project is developing better practice guides for energy and water businesses to support customers experiencing family violence. The guides will use a Safety by Design approach, to help businesses identify risks and harms in their systems and processes. We heard from Ciara that business products, services and processes can be weaponised by perpetrators against women and others experiencing family violence. Businesses do not intend this but play a critical role in protecting against misuse of their products and services, including through technology. Following this internal event, Commissioners and staff joined business and community representatives in the annual Walk Against Family Violence to stand in solidarity with victim survivors. Thank you to all who joined us to reflect on the impact of violence against women. We stand for a community where all people are safe, equal and respected. More info about the Safety by Design project is on our website: https://lnkd.in/gMSmT7_a

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Terminology is relevant. Understanding the lingo of community development is both a point of access to information and a timesaver that helps you sift the wheat (future forward good ideas) from the chaff (backward looking worn out ideas).

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Here it is! Purpose Capital’s 2024 Impact Report. So why take some of your precious time to read it? ✅ See the cool NZ companies and projects we’ve invested in. ✅ See how we use best practice to measure social and environmental impact. ✅ See how that it’s possible to drive social and environmental change and financial return. Highlights include: ✨ Cool Group’s significant GHG emissions avoided since our investment (3,834 tonnes CO2e) and its massive 100,000 tonnes CO2e potential. ✨ Lodestone Energy’s solar electricity generation to date (16.8GWh), along with estimated total energy generation capacity of their phase one and two projects, 320GWh p.a. and 486GWh p.a. respectively. ✨Q & A with company leaders about their big, audacious impact goals. View the full report on our website: https://lnkd.in/g9iSKD4b For more updates, subscribe to our newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/gNfSYSb3 #ImpactInvesting #ImpactReporting #IMM

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Politicians and Corporations’ deception #AustralianPolitics, #CorporateDeception, #EthicalGovernance, #TransparencyMatters   Uncover how Australian politicians and corporations deceive citizens. Learn the impacts and solutions for a more ethical system.   https://lnkd.in/g4RqvMxm

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