TasCOSS Newsletter September 2004

On 12 August, the Tasmanian Industr ia l Commission ruled that the Community Services Award be amended, with changes to wages rates in Levels 4 to 7, the inclusion of increments within each of those levels, the addition of a new Level 8, and adjustments to the classification descriptors. The Commission’s ruling was the culmination of a wage campa i gn extending well over two years. C o m m i s s i o n e r McAlpine awarded a 6% wage increase applying to Levels 4-7, effective as at 1 October this year, with further 3% increases applying on 1 October 2005 and 1 October 2006. These increases are separate from, and in addition to, wage increases flowing from Safety Net decisions such as the additional $19 applying from August this year. The new increments will be phased in over the next two years. Details of Commissioner McAlpine’s decision can be found on the Industrial Commission website: www.justice.tas.gov.au/tic/decisions/2004

The ruling follows on from the earlier ruling by TIC Deputy President Watling in January that there had been a significant net addition to the work value of workers in our sector. The Australian Services Union had presented evidence on this issue and employers, represented by the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, had accepted this evidence

w i t h o u t c h a l l e n g e . Following DP Watling’s ruling, the parties had engaged in negotiations about the appropriate wages increase that should arise from this increase in work value. The parties had also approached g o v e r n m e n t representatives signalling t he l i k e l y f un d i n g implications of the wage increases sought. Commissioner McAlpine, in his ruling, stressed that

there was a “compelling argument for an increase in wages”, and congratulated the parties for “their professionalism, effort and stamina” in working cooperatively to achieve the position reached. TasCOSS also congratulates the ASU and the TCCI for their efforts during this negotiation process. In our media response, TasCOSS

sa id that the Commission’s ruling was a long-overdue recognition of the increased demands o n co m m u n i t y service workers. “The Commission acknowledged what we have known for many years – that community service workers are being

asked to apply a greater range of skills in work c o n t e x t s t h a t a r e increasingly demanding. Today’s decision brings Tasmanian community service workers to pay levels comparable with their interstate counterparts, and should help in reducing the loss of valued workers from the sector. It is important to note, however, that workers in non-government organisations are still paid

(Continued on page 7)

October 2004

Volume 5, Issue 3

“Workers in non-government organisations are still paid far less than those doing similar work in government agencies.”

Inside this Issue

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Community Services Award Changes From the Executive Director's Desk ACOSS Annual Congress Farewell to Vince McCormack DHHS Update Consumer Issues Project Update Launch of Medicare Fact Sheet Become a TasCOSS member New Communications Officer HACC Project New Consultative Arrangements with Centrelink Agency Sector Forum Update Foetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder News in Brief Dorothy Pearce Address by Andrew McCallum

David Owen Policy Officer TasCOSS

Community Services Award Changes

Mat Rowelll Executive Director TasCOSS

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From the Executive Director’s Desk

are providing firm policy position recommendations to the full council and to the Board. A new set of Roles and Responsibilities and Policy Development Statements are currently being worked up to guide the direction of the council and its members. Budget Priorities Statement – consultations David and I have been moving around the state conducting our annual state-wide Budget Priorities consultations with members and the broader sector. These consultations have provided a wealth of valuable information and are shaping up our BPS for the next budget cycle to be a more thorough and well consulted document. We will also be using the expertise of our peak bodies across the state, along with the various working parties of the Social Policy Council, to help us to formulate solid recommendations to government for the next budget. A draft BPS for this cycle will be ready for the September Social Policy Council Meeting. Good Governance – TasCOSS improvements At the same time that the Board took the decision to insert the Social Policy Council into the Constitution, a rationalization of our board structure was also decided upon. In light of the Social Policy Council becoming our formal policy development structure, a concerted effort has been made to ensure that this body of 30 members will become the representative structure for the organisation. The Board has decided to recommend to members at the AGM that the Constitution be amended to reduce the number of board positions as well as reduce the complexity of the positions currently contained within. We would thus move to a Board of nine members, with a more focused role on governance rather than policy. Mental Health Review – the Sector’s view You would also be well aware of the statewide review into mental health services. Members of TasCOSS will have seen the invitations to provide me with your concerns regarding mental health services to feed into the review process, through the Review Reference Group. This Group is made up of primarily community sector and consumer representation and has been consulted thoroughly throughout the process. We have also provided the Review Team with a list of seven prioritized areas

for development, and have had acknowledgement from both the Review Team and the Ministers of the ongoing value of the non-government sector in the delivery of, and refinement of, this sector. Once the review is complete the process is likely to become a Strategic Planning process into which our sector will again be invited to participate. Unemployed Workers Network – not the end but the beginning Funding for our Unemployed Workers Network, in which Vince worked tirelessly and quietly with long term unemployed workers across the state, ran out at the end of June. The Just Jobs 2 Conference was a fitting end to this project. It also was the commencement of a new beginning in the focus that TasCOSS needs to have in relation to employment policy and in relation to community enterprise development. The report from the conference has been sent out to participants of the conference and will be available on our website by the time you read this. We have also entered into a new period of increased partnership opportunities with the Department of Economic Development in realizing the projects Vince was working on as well as those which came out of the Just Jobs 2 Conference. TasCOSS Staff Comings and Goings There have been some changes to our team at TasCOSS. Angela Maccalini, our HACC Consumer Consultation Project Officer, has left us and we have advertised for a replacement worker for this role. Mark Pegg has joined us in the dual role of Communications Officer/Community Sector Development Officer, and will be attending to developing our suite of community sector development services available to organisations. Helen Fielder-Gill has also jo ined us in the pos i t ion o f Telecommunications Consumers Project Officer, running a consultation and education project for consumers of telecommunications services in the Huon Valley in particular. We welcome our new team members and farewell Angela. Your contribution to our TasCOSS’s vision is essential. I can be contacted on: E: [email protected] Ph: 0409 214781 or 62 310755

A new financial year, and a new level of activity for TasCOSS in its three key result areas have taken up the last three months. An improved governance model, a new look social policy council, a much deserved pay increase for our sector and increased activity in mental health have been top of the list. Sector – Work Value Claim

You would all be aware by now that the Community Services Award Work Value Claim has been ruled upon, with Commissioner McAlpine delivering his decision on the 7th August. In effect this means a 12% pay increase for all workers employed under the Community Services Award, from levels 4 and up, and the creation of a new Level 8. This is to be effective as of the 1st October, this year, with an immediate increase on this date of 6% with 3% increases for the following two years. We are now working hard as a sector in ensuring that government at both levels provides for the additional funds needed by organisations to meet both their salary increases and their contractual obligations, without a reduction in service delivery. By the time this newsletter goes to print we expexc to have received some indication from the state government on the implementation process for this increase. Affordable Housing at a National Level In the last edition of this newsletter I reported on my attendance at the National Summit on Housing Affordability. Since this summit there has been a local get together with Tasmanian delegates, providing an update on what activity has occurred in each member’s industry in order to progress the Call to Action which resulted from the Summit. A Tasmanian round table, convened by Professor Julian Disney, was held in September as a follow-up to the Summit. We will keep you posted on this process. Social Policy Council of Tasmania – improved social policy development As you know, the Social Policy Council of Tasmania has been running now for over 18 months. A significant review was conducted of the role, function and effectiveness of the council, with a number of recommendations being made to the Board of TasCOSS. These essentially involve the Council being formalised within our constitution, as well as increasing the support provided to the working parties, in order to ensure that they

from the Margins to the Centre

ACOSS Annual Congress

28-29 October 2004 (AGM 27 October 2004) - AIice Springs Convention Centre Bringing issues for marginalised and disadvan-taged people to the forefront of economic and social policy, and Indigenous policy issues into the heart of the mainstream policy agenda.

Some Keynote Speakers Jackie Huggins, Deputy Director, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit, University of Qld. Jackie is co-chair of Reconciliation Australia and was a member of the ATSIC Review panel. She is an author and historian, receiving an AM in 2001 for her work with Indigenous people, par-ticularly literacy, women's issues and social justice. Josephine Karanga, CEO of Te Korowai Aroha o Aotearoa a Maori NGO which provides educa-tion and training that contributes to the decoloni-sation of Maori in Aotearoa. Josie has been ac-tively involved in Maori tribal development for over twenty five years advocating for the rights of Maori people with a focus on the strengthening of the whanau (extended family). Rev Tim Costello, CEO of Australia's largest relief and development agency, World Vision Aus-tralia. Tim is a former Baptist Minister and noted for speaking out on tough domestic issues such as urban poverty, homelessness, problem gambling, reconciliation and substance abuse. Alison Anderson, is currently ATSIC Commis-sioner for Northern Territory Central. She is of Luritja descent and has been a Regional Councillor since 1993. She is fluent in several Aboriginal lan-guages and has spent her life trying to improve the conditions of bush people. Mark Sullivan, head of the Department of Family and Community Services. He is currently respon-sible for coordinating cross portfolio responses to disadvantage in the Northern Territory

Registrations and Program Registrations and draft program available on line at www.hotelnetwork.com.au. ACOSS members receive discounts and there are concession rates for non-waged people. A range of accommodation options are avail-able and can be booked with registration. QANTAS and Virgin fly to Alice Springs - book early to get discount flights. QANTAS offers special conference fare through group on-line booking - follow the prompts on Hotelnetwork website. To express your interest and receive a hard copy of the program write to ACOSS Con-gress, Locked Bag 4777, Strawberry Hills, NSW 2012, or email [email protected] giving your name/organisation, postal and email addresses. Full details also available on ACOSS website - www.acoss.org.au.

So Long, Vince, and thanks for all the Fish.

August 4 marked the last day of Vince McCormack’s work with TasCOSS, after nearly four year’s work establishing the Unemployed Workers Network project. As the longest-surviving TasCOSS employee, it is appropriate that I pen a few words about Vince and his contribution to this organisation. Can I say first that I will miss Vince. Now, when people phone us, admitting that they can’t remember who they last spoke to but that it was “an old, bearded bloke”, everyone in this office will know they mean me. I will miss the possibility that perhaps they meant Vince. Less facetiously, I will miss Vince’s irrepressible optimism. In an organisation with a charter to i n ve s t i g a t e a nd expose t he community’s various dimensions of poverty and disadvantage, it is all too easy for people to become a tad downcast. Having someone around whose response to major social problems was “Well, we’d better fix it!” was important. We will do our best to carry on that tradition of hope and confidence. I would very much like to say something about the way Vince carried out his work. The problem is, I haven’t the faintest idea. Vince would just disappear for a couple of days at a time, doing … stuff. Community development stuff. Network building stuff. Dunno, but it seemed to work. Yes, we would all wonder about some of it. We would check the board that plots staff movements and note that, say, Vince was off to a meeting in New Norfolk. We would ponder why he would elect to go to New Norfolk via Swansea, Scamander, Scottsdale, Smithton and Savage River, but we figured he knew what he was doing, so best not to ask. And sure, we would

conjecture about the fishing rods protruding from the back of the Avis car as he drove off, but again we just assumed that this probably related to some innovative employment-creation idea. We certainly knew that Vince was clocking up the miles, and we were grateful that at least one TasCOSS representative was getting out of the Hobart area. Every Christmas, Avis would send over a case of rather good Scotch for their “best customer”. This created a dilemma for us, as we knew Vince wou ld very l i ke l y fee l compromised by being given such a gift just for doing his job. Rather than risk his embarrassment, I would divert the Scotch, for that after all is what supportive colleagues do, isn’t it? However, even if what Vince actually did remained a mystery, there was never any doubt that it brought about results. There can be no argument that Tasmania’s job-seekers had a most effective advocate and that job-poor communities have benefited from the capacity-building work that Vince contributed. In a range of ways, Vince was able to harvest and convey the l i ved experiences of long-term job-seekers. The “Dead Man’s Shoes” report struck a chord with a very wide range of decision-takers and opinion-makers, not just here in Tasmania but across the co u n t r y . P a r t i c i p a n t s i n t h e consultations around Tasmania knew that in Vince they had found someone who would give them a voice – reliably and passionately. Those job-seekers saw the momentum created by “Dead Man’s Shoes” build further via the Just Jobs Conference, with the result that the Tasmanian Government allocated significant funding for the Partnerships to Jobs program. That momentum fueled a further allocation of over a million dollars to the program this year.

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DHHS Update

Key developments: Much of what is printed below can be found on Housing Tasmania’s part of the DHHS website – www.dhhs.tas.gov.au -- especially in the new Affordable Housing Strategy newsletter. Affordable Housing Strategy implementation: A reminder: Stage 1 of the AHS includes $45 million new money derived from extra stamp duty funds from the recent real estate boom - $30 million to fund capital projects and $15 million for assistance programs. The total capital budget for Stage 1 is $79.8 million - $49.8 million in existing funds and $30 million in new AHS money. Key developments to date include: • A tender to construct 53 units at Windsor Court (Walford Terraces) has been awarded to Hinman Wright and Manser ($16.8 million); • Tenders have been let for the construction of 19 dwellings in the north and north west ($3.2 million); • Construction is nearing completion on three disability group homes statewide ($1.7 million); • Work upgrading a unit complex in South Hobart to accommodate people with disabilities is nearly complete ($1.08 million); • A tender to construct three residences for people with disabilities in the north-west has been awarded ($500,000); • Housing Tasmania has purchased 57 dwellings statewide ($10.5 million) – these include properties under contract and contracts that have settled; • Upgrading of 38 units at Bridgewater and nine units at George Town is complete; • Unit complexes in Launceston (16 units) and Burnie (24 units) are currently being upgraded; and • Orders have been issued to upgrade a ten unit complex in Taroona and 15 stand-alone dwellings statewide.

In addition to this, a number of assistance programs have been announced with significant progress being made on a number of other projects which will be rolled out over the next few months.

Assistance programs in place include:

• The extension of the Private Rental Support Scheme (PRSS) where an additional $4 million over the next two years will help an extra 2,500 people who rent privately; • An increase in the Home Ownership Assistance Program (HOAP) lending limit from $80,000 to $100,000;

This issue focuses on what has been happening in Housing Tasmania division. In our next newsletter we will provide full updates on the Children & Families Division and the Community, Population and Rural Health Division, and thereafter will provide a full agency-wide summary. We will concentrate on summarising staff changes, program milestones and new policy and review processes that are likely to be of interest to members. These updates will not be editorialising – offering opinions about the significance of what DHHS is doing – just relaying the information provided to us by the Department. Please let us know if you find the information useful or otherwise, and we would be especially pleased to receive suggestions on other kinds of information about the Department that you would find helpful.

In each future issue of TasCOSS News, we will be providing basic update information on what is happening in the Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services. We have taken on this role because we are aware that many of our member organisations struggle to keep up with the changes that are occurring in staffing, programs and policies within DHHS. In the past, many organisations were involved in regular Divisional Consultative Forums as part of the Changing Relationships (and later Partnerships) projects. These forums provided an opportunity for each Division to provide updated information. However, in the past year or so, the focus of agency-sector forums has shifted to a more targeted, issue-based approach. This has been a necessary and positive change, but one casualty of the change has been the flow of basic information. We hope these regular updates help fill that gap.


Senior Management:Bresnehan, MerciaDirectorLeisser, DebAssistant DirectorWhite, PeterManager, Portfolio Development & Investment,Strategic Asset ManagementFraser, SkyeArea Manager South EastDownie, MicheleArea Manager South WestFulton, RickArea Manager NorthMoore, GregArea Manager North West

Pennicott, LyndenProject ManagerJackson, KylieEvaluation & ReportingBomford, KimHousing AnalystHousing Strategy InitiativesBullock, JoHousing AnalystHousing Services InitiativesDe Vries, JohnBusiness AnalystAndrewartha, JohnCommunications Officer

6336 4714 [email protected]






6343 6388 /

6421 7824

[email protected]



Housing Tasmania: Who’s who in the zoo?

The Affordable Housing Strategy Team





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activities are also supported through the Small Grants Program (as above). 4) Responses which address Specific or Complex Needs Accessibility for people with mobility problems: A project is underway to identify suitable public housing properties that are able to undergo minor modifications to improve accessibility for people with mobility problems. Targeted properties will include those where older tenants may be assisted to “age in place” if accessibility issues were addressed at that property. Supported Accommodation (Boarding House) Models: On 2 June the Minister for Health and Human Services David Llewellyn announced that Village Life Ltd would provide affordable supported accommodation from the Welcome Inn site at Kingston and further develop the site to provide additional units of affordable housing for Tasmanians with low level support needs. Expression Of Interest Overview The EOI process is nearing an end, with a very positive outcome likely to eventuate from the process. A minute is being prepared, and will be tabled at Cabinet when it meets in August. Once Cabinet has made a decision, an announcement will be made regarding the partnership. The process has now come down to Housing Tasmania looking to enter into a contract with a "Master Partner". The Master Partner will be a private sector corporation that will provide advice regarding the future direction in regards to stock transfer and alternative financing options. The Master Partner will also look to develop master plans for the development of greenfield sites and urban renewal projects. By working together with one Master Partner a long-term approach can be undertaken to ensure that Housing Tasmania can implement a strategic approach to address Tasmania’s affordable housing crisis.

Housing Strategy Initiatives Overview

The following is a brief update on the progress of some of the Housing Strategy Initiatives;

Establishing a statewide consortium of private landlords

• Phase 1 of the initiative will engage a consultant to develop both the model and delivery framework.

• A Working Group meeting was held on 5

July 2004 to discuss the content of the draft Request for Tender and feedback has been received from all members.

• The tender is expected to be advertised in early August 2004.

Determine a method for increasing the level of security of tenant’s money

• A Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) in relation to the establishment of a Bond Board in Tasmania has been prepared by the Department of Justice (DoJ).

• Housing Tasmania has provided comment and will continue to work closely with the DoJ to progress this initiative.

Tenancy support workers within the private rental market

• An inter-agency forum comprising stakeholders with a role in the provision of support services is to be held to establish the common links and issues arising from those links.

• An EOI for the provision of tenancy support services is under development and will ensure that issues from the above-mentioned forum are addressed.

Developing an effective and comprehensive Housing Information Service.

• A consultant is to be engaged undertake research and modelling into an appropriate Housing Information Service has been received from CRC.

• Discussions have been held with the successful consultant in order to negotiate a start date for the project.

Community Managed Communal Living Models (Boarding Houses)

• Submissions have been evaluated and proponents short-listed.

• A request for detailed proposals has been forwarded to short listed proponents.

• Further evaluation will then take place with the selection of the successful proponent to be announced in August.

• Scoping work is underway to identify potential sites/properties suitable for the boarding house model.

• The expansion of the Streets Ahead home purchase incentives program providing access to $6,000 deposit assistance for ex-housing stock; • An Essential Maintenance Package (EMP) to assist purchasers of Housing Tasmania properties in the event of failure of essential major components; • The introduction of a Tenancy Management Framework commencing in the North and then staggered roll-out across the State; and • Funding for the Tenants’ Union of Tasmania to employ a Legal Officer to provide assistance to tenants in dealing with legal issues.

Housing Services Initiatives Overview 1) Long-term, secure and stable public housing tenancies for clients with complex needs:

• Four Housing Support Co-ordinator (HSC) positions will be established to support and enable Customer Services staff to respond efficiently and effectively to clients with complex needs.

• A Tenancy Management Framework will be implemented to help identify clients whose tenancy is at risk and ensure that appropriate intervention is undertaken.

• Links and service co-ordination will be improved.

These strategies will identify public housing clients with complex needs and ensure that a framework for meeting their housing needs forms the basis for a structured and comprehensive approach to the management of these tenancies. 2) Regeneration and Renewal

An Affordable Housing Strategy initiative will provide one-off small grants (see above) for community owned and managed projects related to urban regeneration and renewal. The funding round was advertised in Tasmania’s three daily newspapers on 24 July 2004, and community organisations have been contacted. 3) Community Involvement and Empowerment Managers of Housing Tasmania’s Strategic And Operational Policy Units have been involved in developing an Agency Community Capacity Building Framework. The Tenant’s Union has been supported by the allocation of AHS funds to assist in recruiting a Legal Officer to participate in law reform and policy development activity, and to provide much needed representation for tenants in the legal system and through the courts. Community development

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We’ve been involved in two national lobbying efforts aiming to influence aspects of the reforms. One concerns the establishment of a national electricity consumers’ advocacy body that would represent the interests of small electricity users in the NEM. Currently, large users are well-represented nationally but small domestic users have no national body but are represented in an ad hoc way by (usually) poorly funded groups or short-term projects in each state. Most electricity consumer advocates believe that a national body would play an important role in protecting and advocating for the interests of domestic and small business users. The other project involves an interesting coalition of conservation, community sector and consumer groups lobbying for amendments to the new Nat ional E lectr i c i ty Law. The amendment package focuses on the recognition of issues of efficiency, sustainability and equity in the new law, and includes recognition of the principles of ecologically sustainable development in electricity markets, the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions, as well as recognition of electricity as an essential service which must be supplied affordably, reliably and safely to all. TasCOSS continues to run its program of electricity training for domestic consumers and their advocates. Two training sessions have been held so far this year and the next, which will focus on electricity distribution and retailing in Tasmania, will be held on Wednesday 6 O ctober a nd w i l l f e a t u r e presentations from Aurora Energy staff. Those interested in attending any sessions can contact Kath McLean at TasCOSS (6231 0755 or [email protected] ). We also made a substantial submission to the Tasmanian Energy Regulator in response to his Issues Paper on the Aurora Pay As You Go (APAYG) scheme. Our submission and others are available for public viewing on the Re gu l a to r ’ s we bs i t e – www .energyregulator.tas.gov.au

A Consumer I s sue s Working Group of the Tasmanian Social Pol icy Counci l has now been established. The group will provide a consultative structure within the community services sector, as well as a mechanism for policy development and analysis on consumer issues for TasCOSS. The Group has met once so far and it is envisaged that in the future it will discuss and develop policy positions on various consumer issues affecting low income and disadvantaged Tasmanians, and identify particular strategies to address those issues. Anyone interested in joining the Consumer Issues Working Group can contact Kath at TasCOSS. TasCOSS has been re-appointed for two years as a representative on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s Consumer Consultative Committee (yes, that’s the ACCC CCC!). This is a national body that meets with ACCC senior staff quarterly and discusses issues of concern to consumers. It also initiates and advises on projects with the ACCC, such as the Commission’s Disadvantaged and Vulnerable Consumers Campaign. Other members of the Committee include representatives from: • the Austr a l i an Consumers ’

Association, • the Country Women’s Association

of Australia, • the Consumer Law Centre Victoria, • the Communications Law Centre, • t h e F ed e r a t i o n o f E th n i c

Communities’ Council of Australia, • the Public Interest Advocacy

Centre, • the National Children’s and Youth

Law Centre, • the Australian Financial Counselling

& Credit Reform Association and • the Tangentyere Council in Alice

Springs. Further information about the ACCC’s Disadvantaged & Vulnerable Consumers Campaign is available from the TasCOSS website or from Kath at TasCOSS.

The TasCOSS Consumer Issues project is extending its tentacles into the complex area of telecommunications with the assistance of a Consumer Representation Grant from the federal Department of Communications, Information Technology & the Arts (DCITA). We have received funds to run a short-term pilot information and consultation project with consumers in the Huon Valley and have employed Helen Fielder-Gill to carry out the work. T e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n services and products top the list of consumer complaints and queries at the Austra l i an Compet i t ion & Consumer Commission’s National Infoline, and is an incredibly complex area, as anyone with a mobile phone contract will attest. The telco’ area includes landline and mobile telephone services, line rentals and products, international, long distance and local calls, mobile network coverage, payphones, and internet service provision, including broadband and dial-up access. The aim of our project will be to take a travelling ‘roadshow’ to various centres in the Huon to distribute consumer information about telecommunications, (including information on consumer rights and responsibilities, avenues for dispute resolution, traps for new players, contracts and more) and to hear what telco’ consumers have to say about services, products and contracts available in their region. At the end of the project we will report to DCITA on the state of telco’ issues in the area and make recommendations for future ongoing information provision and consultation mechanisms. With some luck we may get further funding to extend the project to other parts of the state. Things have been busy on the electricity front in recent months with National Electricity Market (NEM) reforms being actively pursued by the Ministerial Council for Energy (all state and federal ministers responsible for energy issues).

Consumer Issues Project Update Kath McLean Policy Officer TasCOSS

Helen Fielder-Gill

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CSA Changes

(Continued from page 1)

far less than those doing similar work in government agencies.” “Community service organisations have been asked to provide a range of services once exclusively the province of government agencies. These non-government organisations are now addressing the increasingly complex needs of low-income and disadvantaged Tasmanian households. At the same time, the accountability requirements imposed by funding agencies have grown dramatically. All of these developments have meant that we need a highly-skilled – and appropriately paid – workforce. Today’s ruling is an important contribution to our capacity to attract and retain such a workforce.”

Where to from here? The challenge now is clearly to ensure that community service organisations are provided with increased funds so that they can fully cover the increased wage costs arising from the Commission judgement. In our media response, we called on the Australian and State Governments to fully compensate funded community service organisations for the additional costs arising from the award change: “Commissioner McAlpine in his ruling stressed that Tasmanian community service organisations would need increased government funding if they are to balance their budgets and avoid service cuts. The Tasmanian and Australian Governments have known for a very long time that these award changes were coming, and we would be surprised and disappointed if funding

Mat Rowell said, “Given Tasmania’s problems with accessing GPs, and a low level of bulk-billing, Medicare needs to be bolstered and GPs given added incentives to bulk bill. The multi-billion dollar bidding war being waged by the major parties during the F e d e r a l e l e c t i o n

campaign ignores the need for urgent action to restore Medicare as the world class, universal health care system it was always intended to be.” For copies of the Fact Sheets, go the TasCOSS website at www.tascoss.org.au or contact the Tasmanian Medicare Action Group on 6231-0755.

Launch of Medicare Fact Sheets Mark Pegg

Communications Officer TasCOSS

The Tasmanian Medicare Action Group launched its Medicare Fact Sheets in Hobart on 14 September. The series of eight Fact Sheets provide Tasmanian voters with important information about Medicare, including why the system matters and why recent Federal policy changes have had a negative impact on the health sector. The Fact Sheets were launched by Mat Rowell from TasCOSS and Lynne Fitzgerald from Unions Tasmania. Lynne Fitzgerald said, “The Fact Sheets explain the history of Medicare, its importance to public health and how Medicare has been undermined under the present government. They provide a much-

needed analysis of recent changes to Medicare including the introduction of a Medicare ‘safety net’.” “More than 40% of Tasmanians are expected to find cash upfront to pay doctors. Out of pocket expenses have risen by 10% in six months under the Government’s Medicare Plus package. How can this be a strengthening of Medicare?”

agencies have not made provision for these additional costs.” TasCOSS has, along with a number of member organisations, vigorously lobbied state and federal funding agencies on this matter. We are confident that there is a very clear understanding on the part of the Tasmanian Government that failure to compensate funded organisations will inevitably lead to a reduction in services. It is not immediately apparent that a similar understanding is held by the Commonwealth Government, but at the time this newsletter was being prepared we had not received a formal response on the funding issue from either level of government. We will of course keep member organisations advised of developments on this important issue.

Would you like to become a mem-ber of TasCOSS? If you answer yes to either of the questions below you are eligible to become a member of TasCOSS. Are you a community service organisation in the non-government sector?

OR Are you a concerned and passionate individ-ual with an interest in social justice, human rights and the injustices of disadvantage? Benefits to TasCOSS members include: * Regular newsletters and updates both printed and email. * Regular invites to TasCOSS events - with planned forums, at a reduced rate for Tas-COSS members, over the coming year. * Regular opportunities to participate in our policy and project work. * Opportunity to provide direct input into consultations, budget priorities statements, submissions. * The ability to keep abreast of latest devel-opments in policy at both a state and na-tional level. Membership fees are based on a sliding scale and an application form can be downloaded from our website or by phoning the office on 0362 310755.

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Mark Pegg started work as TasCOSS Communications Officer on 13 September, replacing Stacey van Dongen who is pursuing family interests. Mark has a background in policy and regulatory d e v e l o p m e n t a n d communications. He has m a n a g e d v a r i o u s c o m m u n i t y s e c t o r projects, and has also worked for the Commonwealth and several State Governments. Mark came to TasCOSS from the Partnership Agreements Program at the Department of Premier and Cabinet. During 2003, he developed and produced the Streetsmart Kit for the Youth Network of Tasmania. Mark will be responsible for internal and external communications at TasCOSS, including the annual report, website and future editions of TasCOSS News. He can be contacted on 6231-0755 or at [email protected]

TasCOSS appoints new Communica-tions Officer

this review would be to analyse the capacity of current funding models to provide equitable service provision to these communities and to propose ways of better addressing consumer need. The access to services, such as home and garden maintenance and spring-cleaning, needs to be improved in these municipalities. This is linked, in part, to information about service provision reaching its target group as well as to the need to increase services across the three municipalities. Many consumers who received domestic assistance found a fortnightly service insufficient to meet their needs and requested a weekly service. This would enable the time for such difficult chores as changing linen and the ability to maintain the household to an acceptable standard. In response to consumers raising the issue of hospital discharges of the frail elderly without community care follow up it was recommended the HACC unit facilitate a reform process with the State Government. The process would involve the development of a statewide protocol for the discharge of HACC consumers that includes a discharge plan and prevention of evening or Friday discharge. The need for a seamless transition for HACC consumers between acute and community care is essential for the maintenance of independent living and is recognized by the community sector as a reform that is long overdue. The implementation of these and other recommendations is largely dependent upon the re-signing of the State/Commonwealth agreement and the outcomes of that process. The issues will continue to be carried forward by the TasCOSS HACC project. Consultations 2004/05 The next round of consultations is being planned with the involvement of consumer peak organizations and the HACC unit. This process includes identifying target groups for consultation including culturally and linguistically diverse groups and younger people with disabilities. The where and how of these consultations is also being considered, taking into consideration the time and resources available. If you would like further information on the project please contact TasCOSS on 03 6231 0755

Home and Community Care (HACC) Consultation Project Angela Maccallini

Project Officer TasCOSS

This project is now coming into its fourth year. Each year the issues raised from consumer consultations across the state, are transcribed and presented in an annual report. The HACC unit utilizes this information in the development of their Annual Plan. This year the report has included a chart to compare the priority areas in the HACC Annual Plan and the Consumer Consultation project since its inception in 2001. Annual Report 2004 The Annual Report was completed and printed in August this year. Advertisements have been placed in local newsletters and regional newspapers promoting the availability of the report for those consumers who participated in the consultations. These consultations took place at various venues in the north and south of the state and in the Kentish, Glamorgan/Spring Bay and Derwent Valley municipalities. Consumers may call a toll free number – 1800 550 255 - to receive a hard copy or download the report from the TasCOSS website. The report contains a l ist of recommendations in response to the issues raised by consumers in the consultations held through out 2003/04. These recommendations include the development of a long term case management model for all consumers with dementia and the availability of carer focused flexible respite options. Suggestions include the provision of meaningful activities for clients with dementia, such as a variety of outdoor pursuits. In relation to community transport issues, it was recommended that sufficient resources be directed from the HACC program to implement the recommendations from the Community Transport Review. More specifically, the project responded to issues raised by consumers concerning the management of vehicles and the responsibilities of volunteer drivers, and recommended a formal training package be developed for the volunteer drivers and coordinators. There were many issues that arose from consultations in the more isolated communities of Wilmot, Maydena and Bicheno that prompted recommendation for a review of funding models to such communities across the state. The focus of

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TasCOSS has been working with Centrelink Management and Customer Service staff to develop some formal consultative mechanisms to operate between Centre l ink and the Community Services Sector.

To this end, we are currently developing a discussion paper which will step out a number of layers for these consultative arrangements, at both a service delivery and policy level.

As a first step, the Southern Customer and Community Partnership Group have invited TasCOSS to bring

forward to their regular meetings agenda items and representatives from our sector to discuss both service delivery issues and policy issues.

We hope in the future to tie down this representation and to formalize some agreements for joint discussions and processes between Centrelink and our sector, given the pure volume of shared clients we have.

The next meeting of the Southern Customer and Community Partnership Group will occur on the 3rd November, 2004.

New Consultative Arrangements

with Centrelink Mat Rowell

Executive Director TasCOSS

this issue for more information on this). Agreement was reached on the establishment of a new working group to focus on improving governance and financial management in funded organi-sations. We will provide more infor-mation on the terms of reference and workplan of this group as they are de-veloped. A second working group was estab-lished to examine the range of evalua-tion and review processes applying to organisations funded by DHHS. This arose from a growing concern within our sector about the proliferation of approaches to service evaluations and program reviews, and the potential value of a coherent agency-wide ap-proach on how such evaluations should be ‘triggered’ and conducted. Again, as this working group develops detailed terms of reference we will provide more information. Members who would like more infor-mation about issues mentioned above are encouraged to contact David Owen at TasCOSS on 6231 0755 or at [email protected] .

Agency Sector Forum Update

David Owen Policy Officer TasCOSS The Agency Sector Forum (ASF) is the

consultative structure that links the Department of Health and Human Ser-vices with representatives of the com-munity services organisations funded by that Department. The ASF focuses on agency-wide issues of interest to the sector, with a particular emphasis on sector-development issues. The ASF is chaired by DHHS Secretary John Ramsay and is attended by Divi-sional Directors and other DHHS sen-ior managers. Community sector rep-resentation is made up of: • TasCOSS; • three peak bodies covering organi-

sations funded by the Community, Population and Rural Health Divi-sion (currently ACROD, the Men-tal Health Council of Tasmania, and the Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Council of Tasmania);

• two peak bodies covering organisa-tions funded by the Children & Families Division (currently YNOT and Tasmanian Association of Community Houses);

• one peak body representing organi-sations funded by Housing Tasma-nia Division (currently Shelter); and

• a representative of large, statewide,

multi-service organisations (to be determined).

The most recent ASF meeting was held on 10 September. At this meet-ing, the parties exchanged information on progress in preparing their respec-tive ‘bids’ for the 2005 state budget. There were also reports on the vari-ous forums and working groups that provide opportunities for agency-sector cooperation. TasCOSS reported briefly on its plans to offer a formal sector development service (see Mat Rowell’s report in

If you haven any issues of concern to raise, or items you would like clarified or discussed with Centrelink, I am happy to have them put on the agenda for this meeting. I am also happy to take a few reps from the sector along with me.

This new arrangement won’t work unless organisations participate, so I urge you to think about agenda items for future meetings.

Please drop me an email at [email protected] or give me a call with items for the next meeting, and we will keep you posted about the future arrangements we hope to put in place.”

"The ASF focuses on agency-wide issues of interest to the sector,

with a particular emphasis on sector

development"

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A special advertising feature from HESTA Can you name your super fund? If you’ve been thinking about making personal contributions to your superannuation, here’s an extra incentive – you may be eligible for a Government co-contribution of up to $1,500. What is the co-contribution to super? From 1 July 2004, the Federal Government will provide a co-contribution of $1.50 for each $1.00 of after-tax contributions made by employees The maximum co-contribution of $1,500 is reduced by 5 cents for each dollar of income over $28,000 (assessable income plus reportable fringe benefits), cutting out at $58,000. The co-contribution only applies to contributions made from after-tax income. Salary sacrifice contributions to super are not eligible for a co-contribution. Previous ly the maximum co-contribution of $1,000 applied to incomes up to $27,000 and phased out at $40,000. Another change i s that the requirement that you must be eligible

to receive super guarantee payments from your employer in order to qualify for a co-contribution has been replaced with a requirement that at least 10% of your income must be earned from eligible employment. How does the co-contribution end up in your super account? The Australian Tax Office (ATO) will work out if you are eligible for a co-contribution using information from your tax return and your super fund. In order for them to do this, you must lodge an income tax return. If you are eligible, the ATO will then pay the co-contribution directly into your super account where it must remain until you retire, although because of the above process this may not happen for some time after the end of the financial year. Although you are not required to give your Tax File Number to your super fund, if you do it will make this process easier. You can get an idea of how much co-contribution you may be eligible for by using the ATO’s online Super Co-

Contributions Calculator at www.ato.gov.au/super/scripts/ContributionCalc.asp How do you make after-tax contributions to your super? Have a chat to your payroll officer or, if you’re a HESTA member, contact HESTA on 1800 813 327. Do you need more information about the co-contribution? You can call the ATO on 13 10 20 or download the Super Co-Contributions – How to give your super a helping hand guide at www.ato.gov.au/super/content.asp?doc=/content/42616.htm HESTA also has information available at www.hesta.com.au This information has been supplied by HESTA Super Fund (H.E.S.T. Australia Limited ACN 006 818 695 AFSL No 235249) and is of a general nature. It is not a substitute for professional advice and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or specific needs so you should look at your own financial position and requirements before making a decision. You may wish to consult an adviser when doing this. Contact HESTA on 1800 813 327 for more information and a copy of the Fund’s Product Disclosure Statement which should be considered when making a decision about HESTA. .

For the past six months the Drug Education Network (DEN) has been undertaking research on Foetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder (FASD), sourcing information overseas. FASD is described as the most preventable cause of mental disability in the Western world and the term describes a spectrum of physical, behavioural and cognitive disorders resulting from alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Simply, Foetal Alcohol Syndrome is diagnosed at birth from the observable presence of physical markers including specific facial abnormalities, poor growth and central nervous system damage. However, the absence of these ‘markers’ does not eliminate the presence of FASD. There is international debate about skilled d iagnosis and treatment, the prevalence of FASD in a given

population and ‘safe’ levels of alcohol consumed during pregnancy. Given the potential life long debilitating effects, there must be a consensus on ‘no alcohol’ prior to or during pregnancy. The prediction is 2.0/1000 FAS prevalence and 8.0/1000 (FAE or Alcohol Related Neurological Disorder ARND) with a cost per lifetime care for each child set at $400522 AUS. (Burd, 2003) In Tasmania, prevalence rates based on 2001 population (ABS) suggest 13 children born with full blown FAS and 50 with partial FAS. DEN is committed to further action research on this important subject and invites interested professionals to comment. DEN aims to: identify and reduce the prenatal alcohol and other drug-related behaviours that create risk for children; to reduce the risk factors that compound the effects of using

alcohol in pregnancy, including family violence, poverty and poor nutrition; to improve and increase early identification of individuals, children and families who have been affected by prenatal alcohol use; to develop and support appropriate intervention and management for women, children and families affected by FAS and other alcohol related developmental disorders; to ensure educational strategies are targeted; to ensure the efficacy of the strategies through evaluation and other research; and, to contribute to the development of supportive environments through public policy that is conducive to good health and encourages healthy children, families and communities. DEN invites your interest and request for further information to Vicki Russell, 03 64423456 or email [email protected]

Vicki Russell Project Development Worker

Drug Education Network

Foetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder

The organisation works mainly in the education sector, and has a substantial resource library available to teachers and members - all enquiries welcome! Contact details remain the same (Centre situated at 4 Battery Square, Battery Point, tel. 6223 1025, fax 6224 8041, email [email protected]), and currently the office is open from 11.00am to 2.00pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Drafts of Second National Hepatitis C Strategy and National HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmissible Infections (STI) Strategy 2005-2008—Released for comment. The Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care have released the Draft Second National Hepatitis C Strategy and the Draft National HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmissible Infections (STI) Strategy 2005-2008 for comment. Comments relating to the draft can be provided up until the 29 October 2004.

The drafts and information about how to make a submission can be found at: http://www.health.gov.au/ United Nations Human Rights Conference in October The theme for the 2004 United Nations Human Rights Conference is “Hands on Human Rights –Community, Advocacy, Justice”. It will concentrate on the provision and defence of human rights at the community level. The Conference will be held at the University of Tasmania between 21 and 23 October 2004. For further information contact Conference Design Pty Ltd on 0362 243773 or at

The energy customer consultative committee The Office of the Tasmanian Energy Regulator produces a quarterly newsletter featuring updates on Energy Customer Consultative Committee meetings and the latest information on electricity and gas issues in Tasmania. TasCOSS members and other individuals and community sector organisations are invited to put their names on the mailing list by phoning Vicki Smith at OTTER on 6233 5990. Pregnancy counselling and support Tasmania AGM The next AGM for Pregnancy Counselling and Support Tas. Inc. is to be held on Wednesday 20th October, 2004, at 7.30 pm, in the ground floor meeting room in the McDougall Building, Ellerslie Road, Battery Point. For further enquiries call (03) 6224 2290. A new name for TASDEC The Tasmanian Development Education Centre (TASDEC) has just undergone a name change! It is now The Tasmanian Centre for Global Learning - educating for a fairer world. The aims of the Tasmanian Centre for G l o b a l L e a r n i n g a r e : (i) to be Tasmania's leading independent centre for the promotion of education on global issues including social justice and h u m a n r i g h t s ; (ii) to promote practical learning experiences for all Tasmanians that demonstrate ways of contributing to positive change both locally and g l o b a l l y ; a n d (ii i) to actively facil itate the i n v o l v e m e n t o f T a s m a n i a n organisations in raising awareness of social justice and human rights issues.

[email protected]. You can also visit the website at www.cdesign.com.au/humanrights. A new co-ordinator for Tasmanians With Disabilities INC Suzanne Cass comes to Tasmanians with Disabilities with a strong background in education, training and business management. Working with an organisation for people with disabilities in NSW she estab l i shed the organisation as a registered training provider and wrote the first course for volunteers working with people with disabilities to be accredited in NSW. Su z anne wa s a l s o w i t h t he Commonwealth Employment Services for nine years – part of which time she had the role of Disabilities Contact Worker. Suzanne moved to Tasmania last year from NSW for a change of lifestyle and lives at Old Beach with her husband Eric, a rescue dog and four battery farm refugees.

Previous Tasmanians with Disabilities Co-ordinator, Helen Fielder-Gill, has taken up a short term position with TasCOSS before moving to Newcastle at the end of the year.

Tasmanian Peace Trust Lecture by Philip Adams Philip Adams will be giving the 14th Annual Tasmanian Peace Trust lecture, titled "Australia Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow", in Hobart on Tuesday 19th October at 7.30 pm at the Stanley Burbury Theatre, University of Tasmania, Churchill Ave Sandy Bay. Entry by donation. For further information call Peter Jones on 6278 2380 or Jennie Herrera on 6228 2727.

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NEWS IN BRIEF

TasCOSS, in conjunction with the Poverty Coalition of Tas-mania, invites you join us for the second annual Dorothy Pearce Address, to be delivered by

Andrew McCallum President, Australian Council of Social Service

At a dinner at the Hobart Function Centre

Elizabeth Street Pier Monday 18 October 2004, 7.00 for 7.30

Cost: $50 (includes three-course meal with wine and pre -dinner drinks)

Poverty in Australia: Whose Problem? Are there Solutions? Whose Responsibility?

Andrew McCallum: Andrew was elected by the ACOSS membership to this position on 24 Octo-ber 2001. He performs the role in a voluntary capacity, combining his respon-sibilities as the full-time CEO of St Luke's Anglicare along with the demanding work of ACOSS President. As President, Andrew chairs both the ACOSS Board of Governors and the ACOSS Execu-tive -- overseeing the work of ACOSS as the peak council of Australia's commu-nity welfare organisations. Deputy Premier and Minister for Health and Human Services the Hon David Llewellyn, MHA will be attending. This event is one of many being organised by community or-ganisations as part of Anti-Poverty Week in 2004. Cheek the national Anti-Poverty Week website on www.antipovertyweek.org.au for information on other events. The Dorothy Pearce Address honours TasCOSS life-member and long-serving Secretary, Dorothy Pearce, as a means of acknowledging and celebrating the contributions of the many honorary office bearers, directors and committee members who are so essential to the operation of our community ser-vices sector.

Please call TasCOSS on 6231 0755 to reserve seats. Payments to TasCOSS, McDougall Bldg, Ellerslie Road,

Battery Point 7004.

TasCOSS thanks HESTA for their sponsorship of this event

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Sally Barker

Layout Maria Grist

With Thanks

TasCOSS would like to thank Hesta, Newprint and Aurora for their ongoing support of our newsletter.

Documents

TasCOSS Newsletter September 2004