Grabbing Life by the Horns - Spinal Cord Injuries Australia

Winter 2012 

Grabbing Life 

by the Horns

PROBLEM MANAGEMENT ENGINEERING LOGO 

CMYK Blue = 100c 70m

Contents Winter 2012 Issue Number 37 

page 4 

page 6 

page 10 

2 From the CEO 

3 From the President 

4 Grabbing Life by the Horns 

6 Countdown to London 

10 Walk On 

12 35 Years On ... Jo Marnie 

13 Day Tripper 

14 Computer Mailbox 

16 Publications, Goods and Services, Diary 

18 CHOICES 

20 The Squeaky Wheel 

22 Hot Topics 

23 Risk Specialist Network Ride 2012 

27 Round-up 

32 Soap Box 

Have you got a 

Patron Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia 

Editor Lauren Allsop 

Printer JA Wales Printing Pty Ltd, Alexandria NSW 

Submissions We encourage readers to contribute suitable work for consideration by the Editor. All correspondence of this nature should be directed to 

The Editor, Accord, PO Box 397, Matraville NSW 2036 Email: accordcontent@scia.org.au Phone: 02 9661 8855 

Accord is a publication of Spinal Cord Injuries Australia ACN 001 263 734 Incorporated in NSW. Head Office 1 Jennifer Street, Little Bay NSW 2036 

Tel: 02 9661 8855, Tel: 1800 819 775 (for consumers outside Sydney) Fax: 02 9661 9598, Email: office@scia.org.au Web: www.scia.org.au 

City Office Suite 302, Level 3, Westfield Towers, 100 William Street, East Sydney NSW 2011 Tel: 02 9356 8201 

Wollongong Office 5/208-210 Corrimal Street, Wollongong NSW 2500 Tel: 02 4225 1366, Fax: 02 4225 1933 

ISSN 1448-4145 Estimated Readership: 19,000 (based on Accord reader survey 2006 and website download statistics). The opinions expressed in Accord are not necessarily those 

of Spinal Cord Injuries Australia or of the Editor. They are published to create a forum for debate on issues related to people with disabilities. Original material in Accord can be 

reproduced only with permission from the Editor. Donations towards production costs are greatly appreciated. Information in Accord is furnished solely as a guide to the existence 

and availability of goods or services. Accord has neither the staff nor the facilities for testing and evaluating any of the services or items and therefore can assume no responsibility 

for the effectiveness, safety or quality of any such items or service. Accord is funded by the Commonwealth Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous 

Affairs and the New South Wales Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care. 

accordcontent@scia.org.au, 1800 819 775 Accord Winter 2012 1 

story ry 

’d 

r to tell? We’d 

love to hear your 

stories of hobbies, 

holidays or personal 

—a 

achievements—a 

’ 

— nything 

that might interest or 

inspire others! 

Email 

accord rd 

content@ r 

scia.org.au or 

write to Accord 

rd r , PO 

ra 

Box 397, Matra 

NSW 2036. 

ville r

From the CEO 

Peter Perry 

By the time you read this, the 

federal Budget will have been 

brought down. At the time of 

writing (just before the Budget), 

there are high hopes that the federal 

government will commit to funding a 

National Disability Insurance 

Scheme (NDIS) and its lesser known 

sibling, the National Injury Insurance 

Scheme (NIIS). The NIIS is designed 

to provide NDIS-like services to people who experience 

traumatic injury, but will only apply to new injuries from 

the date of its commencement. Those people living with 

a spinal cord injury prior to commencement of the NIIS 

will be covered by the NDIS. 

Confused? So am I. The reason for having two schemes 

has never been satisfactorily explained to us, despite 

having asked the question in many different forums, and 

of many different people. We are already burdened with 

the inequalities and complexity of a two-tier system in 

some states, where those who are injured at work or in a 

car accident are better off than others who fall on the 

wrong side of this arbitrary division of humanity, which 

was no doubt decided to suit the needs of those 

administering the scheme, rather than those of its users. 

I fear we are going down the same path again. Why 

can’t we learn from the lessons of the past? 

In related developments, the NSW Government has 

been talking a lot recently about person-centred 

planning and individualised funding. The idea behind 

these notions is that, instead of service providers having 

a one size fits all approach to the services they offer, and 

force everyone to fit into the types of services they have, 

individuals will be able to choose the types of services 

they want, and will have a pot of money to pay for them. 

In this free market way of thinking, the power of the 

dollar rules, and it will have a couple of impacts on the 

service system. Firstly, if people aren’t getting the types 

and quality of services they want, they can move to 

another service provider; in many cases, this is not 

currently an option. Secondly, if people want a particular 

type of service that doesn’t exist, the power of the 

market and their willingness to pay will mean that service 

providers will respond and offer the required services in 

the locations they are needed. 

We support these directions and, although there are 

risks, on balance we believe that the risks are 

outweighed by the benefits. Self-determination, 

empowerment, independence and control are priceless; 

we have always believed this. In all of our services, 

whether it be our Regional Services, Peer Support, 

Policy and Advocacy, Information, Employment, 

Emergency Service, Walk On, Transition Services or 

Respite, the first question we ask is, “What do you want 

to achieve?” 

If the NDIS, NIIS and state government initiatives are to 

be truly person-centred, as they all insist, they need to 

do what they say, which is to put people and their 

families at the centre of decisions about their lives. I fear 

that we are at risk of moving from one set of paternalistic 

services to another. It is the bureaucratic way. 

To counter this, we have been emphasising the 

philosophy that individuals are best placed to know what 

works for them, and what they need in their lives, far 

more than a disinterested assessor whose life would be 

much easier if everyone is made to fit into a few 

predetermined boxes. We’re saying that if individualised 

funding is to be truly person-centred, people should not 

have to go through complicated application and 

assessment processes, but should simply be funded if 

they meet some basic criteria and be allowed to get on 

with their lives (with an appropriate audit system in place 

to deter the small faction of bad apples). Imagine being 

able to go to a range of providers, either physically or 

online, and select whatever you need to live your life the 

way you need to, without having to convince someone 

else of your need, and without delay. That’s a true 

transformation of the system! 

When people say that this won’t work, that it’s too open 

ended and too risky, we simply point to the taxation 

system, which used to be based on annual assessment 

for all, but moved to a self-assessment system decades 

ago, with government effort being focused on audits to 

catch out the cheats. If we can do this for the tax 

system, why not for disability, where the mission is 

nobler and the incentive to cheat the system much 

lower? 

2 Accord Winter 2012 News & views, bouquets & brickbats to

From the President 

Antony Varrall 

As this year races on there are 

lots of things happening and it 

is great to see SCIA involved 

in so many of them. It was wonderful 

to see everyone who attended our 

Independence Expo back in March. 

The event was a fabulous success 

with plenty of people in attendance 

and lots of exhibitors, and I 

congratulate everyone involved. It is 

always important and worthwhile to have an event like 

this so that people can come and see the services, 

programs and equipment that might assist them in their 

lives. 

We get lots of positive feedback about our Occasional 

and Emergency Community Services which are available 

to residents in the eastern suburbs area and how great it 

would be if members in other regions were able to 

receive such a service as it certainly assists people to 

live independently in the community. In response to this, 

it is worthwhile to note some of the other services we 

offer. The Flexible Respite Program offers up to $2,000 

for in- and out-of-home respite. So whether you use it to 

give family members a break at home or you decide to 

use it to assist with your care on a holiday, it is a great 

resource to take advantage of. 

Also available to SCIA members is Transitional Funding 

of up to $1,500 per person to help with the various 

costs associated with a transition period. For example 

the funding can be used for the purchase of computers, 

equipment, tools and aids. 

The Client Skills Development Funding pilot program of 

$3,000 per person aims to assist members to pursue 

learning opportunities. For example, driving lessons, 

assistive technology assessments and training or any 

other formal learning opportunity (TAFE, community 

college, attend a seminar etc). 

Directors 2012 

Antony Varrall* 

Director and Acting President 

David Brawn 

Chairman 

David O’Brien* 

Director 

David Brice* 

Director 

Richard Klinger* 

Director 

Margaret Noonan 

Director 

Michelle Adair 

Director 

Brad O’Hara 

Director 

* denotes a person with a disability 

02 9402 7351 

tavarrall@optusnet.com.au 

0419 295 400 

davidwbrawn@gmail.com 

02 9349 8121 

david.o’brien@audit.nsw.gov.au 

dbri7667@bigpond.net.au 

02 9314 2759 

richardk3@ibigpond.com 

02 9799 9964 0429 990 960 

Margaret.Noonan@rmhrandwick.org.au 

red1962@optusnet.com.au 

brad_ohara@bigpond.org.au 

To apply for these programs, you need to be a member 

of Spinal Cord Injuries Australia, have a spinal cord injury, 

and not be covered by any insurance scheme due to 

your injury. See page 19 of this issue or visit our website 

www.scia.org.au to find out more about the services. 

Finally, anyone with a significant physical disability will 

know the problems that pressure areas or pressure 

ulcers can cause. Our Policy and Advocacy Team have 

been involved in a steering committee involving all state 

services that assist in the area of spinal cord injury, to 

coordinate and develop a Model of Care for the 

Prevention and Management of Pressure Ulcers in 

People with a Spinal Cord Injury. It is being administered 

by the Agency for Clinical Innovation State Spinal Cord 

Injury Service and involves consumers, clinicians, the 

spinal injury units, regional services and the Department 

of Ageing, Disability and Home Care. 

Between 2005 and 2010, 21 per cent of admissions 

within the spinal units were due to pressure ulcers. This 

is a significant problem and cost. The steering 

committee is looking at all aspects that affect people’s 

lives when they have a pressure ulcer, from education 

and prevention, methods of treatment, support available, 

and the physical and emotional stress it causes. So it is 

hoped that down the track there will be better 

coordination of services, recognition, and support for 

people, especially those living out in the community. 

Network 

New South Wales 

Sydney Little Bay 02 9661 8855 

Illawarra Wollongong 02 4225 1366 

Central West Craig Lees 02 6372 1892 

New England Glenda Hodges 0427 257 471 

Northern Rivers Lee Clark 02 6689 5935 

Interstate 

ACT Trevor Robinson trobinson@scia.org.au 

Victoria Nazim Erdem 03 9489 0777 

accordcontent@scia.org.au, 1800 819 775 Accord Winter 2012 3

Grabbing Life by the Horns 

Margaret Doak 

I 

am a 50 year old wife, mum, and farm manager and 

live on a property in the beautiful New England 

Tablelands. My husband and I run Angus cattle, 

Merino sheep for wool, a few fat lambs, and a small 

Merino stud. I love living on the land and love to feel free. 

The peace and open space of the country is really 

important to me, I struggle if I feel hemmed in. 

I have always craved to spread my wings, and travel has 

always been a huge part of my life; my husband used to 

say that I would just get home from one holiday and 

would be planning the next! I have travelled to England, 

Europe, New Zealand, Singapore, Egypt and around 

most of Australia, and spent an amazing month camping 

in Africa. Closer to home, my favourite hobby was 

gardening. I have a large country garden which I started 

when my children were small. 

But my greatest love is working on the land. My farm 

work ranged from stock work, which is mustering sheep 

and cattle, to calf and lamb marking, drenching and 

weaning. Shearing has always been a significant event, 

whether it be wool rolling, picking up fleeces, penning up 

sheep ready for the shearers, stamping wool in bins, or 

just making a cuppa for the boys. In drought years, I 

would be feeding stock every day, shovelling cotton 

seed into feed bins and putting hay and corn out. 

Everything changed in August 2010 when two top 

square hay bales, each weighing 500 kg, fell on me from 

the hay stack. My world was turned upside down, I went 

from being a very busy and independent person— 

involved in charity work, the local community sports club 

and school, and looking after my family, home and 

garden—to being reliant on my family and friends. I felt 

like I was dying from the inside out. 

I am a very proud and stubborn person and I can 

remember saying when I first had my accident that I 

would get back on the quad bike. I knew that if I could 

do this, I would be able to get around the property and 

muster the stock. I just wanted to be useful again. I 

would lie in the hospital bed trying to work out ways I 

could do things when I got home. The trouble was 

everything on the land is so physical, once you leave the 

house you do not have the cement jungle to push the 

chair on. It was hard to get my head around the fact that 

life would never be the same again. 

But it’s now seventeen months since my injury and I’m 

back working on the farm. There have been many 

challenges but, with the help of SCIA Workforce, I have 

been able to access funds to purchase a quad bike with 

hand controls and independent suspension. I have learnt 

to get on and off of the quad bike independently, then to 

stay on it across the rugged terrain. Chasing cattle with 


very little balance, only one good arm and no use of my 

legs has been challenging but also a lot of fun! Driving 

from A to B has been difficult to negotiate, I couldn’t get 

off the quad bike to open and close gates, but 

JobAccess funding has also paid for a lane in the hilly 

country which has allowed me to work longer and feel 

much safer. The lane has also given me more 

independence as I’m able to take stock back to the 

paddocks by myself, leaving my husband and son free 

to do the yard work. 

The funds have also part-funded an extension to our 

shearing shed which has allowed me to take part in the 

shearing and crutching which is a very busy time for us. I 

also have a ride on lawn mower which has helped me 

get back into my garden, through gates, and over the 

ramps and cattle grids. 

My accident has made me realise what is really 

important in life. It was the love and support of family 

and friends that got me through my stay in hospital and 

the rehabilitation centre. My daughter was 15 years old 

at the time and said my accident made her grow up 

overnight. She took on the role of mum in our family; 

doing the washing, ironing, cooking, cleaning, and 

helping out of the farm, all whilst completing year nine at 

school. My 12 year old son had to take over my jobs on 

the farm; helping his dad with mustering, drenching, and 

lamb and calf marking to name just a few. It was my 

family that gave me a reason to get up out of bed to face 

each day, and now my work is another reason. 

Returning to work has meant the world to me. I think 

everyone needs to have an ambition and purpose in life 

so they can keep moving forwards and I have achieved 

this. With the support of SCIA Workforce I have been 

able to understand my options, negotiate some difficult 

programs and funding options, and make some 

wonderful contacts to help make life easier. If I can return 

to work, then so can many other people. 


Countdown to London! 

AQA Victoria’s Nazim Erdem is aiming to compete in 

his fourth consecutive Paralympics if selected for 

this year’s summer games in London. Here Naz 

tells us all about his involvement in Australian wheelchair 

rugby, his drive for the currently elusive gold medal, and 

Australia’s chances of winning. 

I first became involved in wheelchair rugby while doing my 

rehab at the Austin Hospital—a leisure worker came in 

and told me about it so I went to watch a match. I was 

most impressed with what the game had to offer and 

really liked the contact part of the game—the crashing 

and bashing—which is a major part of the sport. Also the 

guys had so much fun and I really wanted to be a part of 

it. 

By observing the guys and starting to play, I knew I had to 

get stronger and fitter. I learned skills from the other 

players like how best to transfer, and so gained 

confidence and independence transferring in and out of 

my car. I see rugby even now as an extension of my 

rehab, you never stop learning and improving. 

The game has changed a fair bit since I’ve been playing 

international wheelchair rugby. It’s a lot faster and tactics 

play a major part. The chairs have also changed a lot, we 

used to play in day chairs with anti-tip bars but they are 

nothing like that now. I’ve been forced to adapt to those 

changes and improve my overall game. My experience 

allows me to read the game well and envisage where I 

need to position myself next. My skill and strength also 

means I can use and manoeuvre my uniquely designed 

chair in a way that other players similar to my level can’t. 

I have been to so many countries playing wheelchair 

rugby, including New Zealand, Japan, Sweden, Greece, 

Canada, the USA, China, and South Africa. Each country 

has its challenges and although some players don’t need 

any help, a lot do. With the help of the support staff we all 

manage rather well. My most memorable moment would 

be the Sydney Paralympic Games—the Australian public 

really got behind us. We played in front of huge crowds 

and most of our games were sold out. Not all of the 

sports had the support we had. The adrenalin rush I got 

when rolling into the stadium was an unbelievable feeling. 

I believe that Australia’s chances of winning gold are very 

good—we’re desperate to improve on our silver medals 

from the Sydney and Beijing games. We have a very fit 

and balanced unit, with strong second and third combos. 

We’re able to rest important players during the game 

because our depth is better than in previous years, which 

is important when coming down the home stretch in tight 

games. Ryley Batt is an exceptional player, he’s very 

strong, quick, and extremely agile. He can have three 

players locking him down and in a couple of seconds he’ll 

break free. He’s always in the thick of the action and when 

he hits people they stay hit! Not many can get out of his 

way and often end up on the floor or with a damaged 

chair. He is like two players, we’re very lucky to have him. 

We also have a new player from Queensland, Chris Bond, 

who is nearly as good as Ryley. We hope this makes the 

team unbeatable. 

The USA will be tough to beat as always but we are 

confident that we have Canada’s measure even though 

they play dirty, grabbing the back of our chairs with their 


hands and making contact after the whistles have gone. 

New Zealand seems to have dropped off the pace a little 

but surprisingly Belgium is becoming a strong team. I 

think there are five teams that have a chance of winning 

gold. 

We had a six week break after the Asia/Oceania qualifying 

tournament held in Korea late last year but now I’m 

thoroughly enjoying being back in training. Every month 

we’ve either got a training camp or a tournament, 

including a trip to London and an important trip to 

Canada with all the leading teams competing. We are 

training six days a week at the moment. 

My motto is to stay as fit as I can, maintain my 

independence, and win that elusive gold medal! I think the 

longer I play, the better I’ll be as a person. I like the social 

aspect of the game, and I hope I can motivate others 

along the way. At the moment I feel very fit and healthy. At 

the Beijing Paralympic games, there was a Canadian 

player who was aged 46 … if I push on to Rio in four 

years time I will be the same age. During the training 

camps I am posting personal best times, so I am better 

than I was four years ago. At the moment I feel really 

good and that I deserve my spot in the team. When I 

don’t feel I deserve my place then I will retire. 

TWIST ZZ2 

Growable kid’s chair Aero Z2, ZRA2 

& ZR2 available 

TiLite offers the ultimate ride, handcrafted precision finish & more. 

For further information, call or email info@seatingdynamics.com.au 

www.seatingdynamics.com.au 

Harmony of Performance & Style 

Designed by wheelchair users for wheelchair users 

or call 02 9620 7839 for a list 

of TiLite Resellers in your area 

accordcontent@scia.org.au, 1800 819 775 Accord Winter 2012 7 

ZR 

TR 

TTT 

G G G G G G G G G XXX XX 

XX 

TT X

Spinal Cord Injuries Australia’s 

ndependence 

Rebecca Konstatzky, Events and Fundraising Coordinator 

Sheree Hurley, Project Manager, Client Services 

The first event of its kind for people with SCI and the first event of its kind for 

SCIA! 

The Spinal Cord Injuries Australia Independence Expo was held on Saturday 17 

March at Sydney’s Olympic Park. It was a unique one-day event aimed at giving 

people living with spinal cord injury (and similar physical disability), their family 

and friends access to an extensive range of the most current products, services and 

resources all under one roof. 

The response to the Expo from both the exhibiting organisations and the general 

public was phenomenal! Over 250 visitors and 44 exhibitors registered and attended 

from all over NSW and Australia, despite the rainy weather. SCIA, with the assistance 

of the Australian Government, Department of Families, Housing, Community 

Services and Indigenous Affairs, was pleased to offer an Attendance Support 

Scheme to its members, reimbursing travel expenses associated with their 

attendance at the event. 

The Independence Expo was a showcase of who’s who in the industry, with a 

myriad of organisations helping SCIA to share invaluable information with its 

members, clients and the wider community. Whether visiting the exhibitor booths, 

attending a workshop, watching demonstrations or joining in activities, it was 

fantastic to see so many people connecting with new possibilities. 

Specialists in their field conducted a series of short topical workshops throughout 

the day. Participants acquired new information on vocation, travel, legal issues, 

technology and rehabilitation services. The workshops can be viewed on SCIA’s 

YouTube page www.youtube.com/SpinalCordInjuriesAu. 

An abundance of activities were on offer during the Expo to test skills, promote new 

interests and demonstrate the latest equipment. Visitors were busy trialling assistive 

technology products, viewing fitness DVDs and participating in wheelchair sports. 

Visitors had the opportunity to access the latest products and services specifically 

catering to their needs. A broad range of exhibitor categories was represented: 

mobility, transport, recreation, fitness and sport, daily living equipment, information 

and travel services and much more. 

Feedback on the day and since the Expo has been positively overwhelming. Visitors 

and exhibitors have gained a wealth of information and expanded their networks 

immensely. 

SCIA extends a very sincere thank you to all of the visitors who attended the 

Expo, to the specialists who conducted workshop presentations, and to the 

organisations that exhibited their products and services. Without your 

support, the Expo would not have been possible. 

Visit SCIA’s Facebook page to see more photos from the day, 

www.facebook.com/spinalcordinjuriesaustralia. 

Hope to see you again at the next Independence Expo! 

expo

The iPad winner is announced! 

SCIA member Marlene Hutton was the lucky winner of the iPad2 

at this year’s SCIA Independence Expo. 

Marlene and her husband Bob attended the Expo to find out 

about all the latest services, equipment and programs on 

offer for their 19 year-old son Scott (pictured with his mum and 

their iPad2). Scott has recently begun a course in structural and 

civil engineering at TAFE after completing high school, so it’s an 

exciting time for him; increasing his independence and thinking 

about his future career, and SCIA hopes the iPad2 will help him 

along the way! 

Marlene said, “We’re always interested to see what’s out there 

to support Scott, especially as he makes the transition into 

adulthood and ventures into the big wide world. We thought the 

Expo was wonderful, but I never expected to win the iPad! I can’t 

wait to start using it … once Scott has shown me how!” 

Congratulations to the Hutton family!

My time at Walk On Brisbane 

Michael Boere 

On 26 September 2009 I was playing a game of 

football with mates in my backyard in Adelaide 

when I went into a tackle but landed on the 

ground. Unfortunately another friend landed on top of 

me crushing me under his weight and leaving me with a 

fractured and dislocated spine at the T12/L1 level. 

The morning after surgery I woke in the spinal unit at the 

Royal Adelaide Hospital and was told there was 

significant damage to my spinal cord and I was classified 

as a complete paraplegic—I had no movement or feeling 

from the waist down—and the doctors told me that 

there was very little chance, if any, I would walk again. 

I was moved from hospital to the Hampstead 

Rehabilitation Centre to complete my rehab. During this 

time I began to get a small amount of muscle movement 

in my legs. It started with just flickers in the quad 

muscles and soon spread to my hamstrings. I kept 

working at it, completing hours of rehab, until the 

muscles were strong enough to move my legs against 

gravity. I also began to get some feeling back in each 

leg. 

During my time at Hampstead I was told by one of the 

other patients about Walk On, an intensive activity-based 

rehabilitation program, specially designed for patients 

like us with spinal cord injuries. After doing some 

research on the program on the internet, reading articles, 

and seeing segments of television shows such as 60 

minutes, I decided that it was something that I would like 

to be involved in. I filled out the paperwork and joined 

the long list of patients waiting to get into Walk On in 

Brisbane. 

I was on the waiting list for nearly a year when I got a call 

from the Walk On team telling me to begin to make plans 

to move up to Brisbane. I stayed in contact with the team 

who kept me up-to-date with my progress on the waiting 

list. When I found out I had a place there was suddenly a 

lot to do within a short period of time. My girlfriend was 

coming with me and it meant leaving our families and 

friends, her leaving work and us finding appropriate 

accommodation in Brisbane. It was a very costly exercise 

moving our lives to Brisbane but fortunately the Flinders 

Park Football Club held a fundraiser after my injury and 

raised enough money for me to participate in Walk On for 

approximately six months. The most expensive part of 

the process was finding appropriate wheelchair 

accessible accommodation. 

Before beginning the program I had progressed with my 

rehab to the point where I could stand on my left leg and 

take a few unstable steps before the muscles would 

fatigue and I needed to rest. Starting the Walk On 

program I was instantly impressed with the knowledge 

and professionalism of the trainers. The number of 

different exercise machines and pieces of equipment 

meant that I could get the most out of my body that the 

injury would allow. 

The sessions at Walk On were spread out amongst all 

the trainers. At first I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy this, but 

the communication between them was obviously well 

established as each knew what exercises I had 

completed in the days before. Swapping trainers also 

allowed me to gain more insights and knowledge from 

each of them about my injury. 

The aim of the program was to get the most out of my 

body that the injury would allow. I was never promised 

any goals that were not achievable but it was clearly 

explained that the program was all about giving my body 

every chance to improve. 

At the beginning I set myself the goals of walking with 

crutches safely, confidently and for longer periods of 

time. The trainers at Walk On worked with me to achieve 

these goals and at the end of my time at Walk On, I was 

able to achieve these goals and more. I am now able to 

confidently and safely stand and walk for short periods 

of time which is useful for everyday situations. 

Cupboards and other high to reach places, which six 

months ago were impossible, are now reachable, and 

being able to stand and walk will be helpful in my chosen 

profession as a primary school teacher. Being able to 

stand and write on the whiteboard or even hang 

students’ work up around the room will make the world 

of difference to me. 

Walk On is not a cure for a spinal cord injury but it helps 

to minimise the impact as much as possible. It has given 

me a lot more independence and helped to get my life 

back on track and I am very happy that I decided to 

participate in the program. If a Walk On was to open in 

Adelaide in the near future, I would be the first person to 

sign up! 

Walk On now has facilities in Brisbane, Sydney, Perth 

and Melbourne. For more information contact the team 

on 02 9661 8855; walkon@scia.org.au or visit 

www.scia.org.au. 



35 Years On… 

Jenny Marchionni, Donor Relations Manager 

It was a real pleasure to meet with ex-AQA (now SCIA) 

board member Jo Marnie, whose interest in, and 

support of, those with a disability still resonates as 

fiercely now as when she joined the organisation in the 

1970s. It was great to reconnect with Jo and gain her 

insights into the changes over the past 35 years, many of 

which she played a part in achieving. 

With a nursing background and, as Jo put it, “a real feeling 

for children with a disability, in particular”, it came naturally 

to her to put her tremendous energy into issues such as 

transport and footpath accessibility for all those with 

mobility problems. 

These inequalities were high on her agenda and whilst 

advocating for these issues on her local council, she also 

extended her talents to include AQA as a board member. 

One of the ground-breaking achievements that she was 

instrumental in initiating was the then relatively 

revolutionary concept of ‘attendant care’. Whilst away in 

the USA, Jo was able to undertake a fact finding mission 

at Berkeley, accessing the best information and most 

up-to-date data available at the time. 

The upshot of Jo’s report articulated just how important 

independence is and how this should be continually aimed 

for. By the time of The International Year of Disabled 

Persons in 1981, the concerns Jo had helped identify 

were well and truly on the national and international stage. 

Now with a few mobility issues of her own, I hope Jo takes 

pride in knowing that she helped along the way as she 

zooms along the street, without always worrying about the 

pavements and stairs, and knowing that public transport is 

much more accommodating. 

Spinal Cord Injuries Australia (SCIA) presented to 

Slater & Gordon Lawyers in NSW at the Motor 

Vehicle Accidents (MVA) practice group’s business 

development meeting. There were 30 lawyers from across 

NSW who attended, appreciative of the opportunity to 

gain a greater insight into living with spinal cord injury. 

Sheree Hurley and Rhys Baxter from SCIA’s Peer Support 

and Education Team presented at the meeting and 

covered topics including an explanation of spinal cord 

injury, the health implications, and what the lawyers should 

consider when representing clients with such injuries. 

Slater & Gordon Lawyers MVA team were also advised on 

etiquette as to how they should behave around people 

Jo Marnie pictured with Leila Mitchell, SCIA’s Head of 

Marketing and Fundraising 

Jo’s wish for the future is that “true integration and 

independence will happen sooner rather than later”, and, 

with that in mind, she knows that SCIA’s services are 

working towards the same ends. 

Chatting to Jo made me realise just how much has 

changed in access, transport, employment and so much 

more that I have taken for granted throughout my life. It 

made me grateful that people such as Jo were on the 

case! Thank you Jo, for all your work and input. It was an 

absolutely delightful privilege to spend the afternoon with 

you. Your commitment, love of life, yet amazing modesty, 

made my day. 

Slater & Gordon MVA Lawyers Gain 

Greater Insight into Living with 

Spinal Cord Injury 

Lucia Lee, Corporate Partnerships Manager 

with recently acquired traumatic injuries, and the 

importance of looking at the situation from a client’s 

perspective. 

The message that resonated with the group was that 

many people who have just sustained a traumatic spinal 

cord injury perceive lawyers in a positive light. After 

receiving much bad news at the time of their treatment for 

injuries, they see lawyers as offering a glimmer of hope on 

how they can get their lives back together. 

The interactive education workshop was such a success 

that Slater & Gordon Lawyers is now looking at offering 

similar opportunities for their staff to learn and exchange 

ideas with SCIA in regional areas around the state. 


Day Tripper: Woy Woy 

David Stern, Information Officer 

You can travel a long way to take in memorable 

sights from the seat of a train: the Gotthard Pass 

through the snow-capped Swiss Alps, entering 

Venice over Ponte Della Liberta and seeing the floating 

city for the first time, and Kruger National Park from the 

‘Pride of Africa’. Closer to home the Ghan and the Indian 

Pacific rank among the world’s top journeys. 

But you don’t have to pack your suitcases to enjoy the 

picturesque views of the Hawkesbury River and Brisbane 

Waters on CityRail’s Newcastle run via Woy Woy and 

Gosford. 

On weekends the service runs every half an hour during 

the day from Central Station and heads west to Strathfield 

before turning north. After Hornsby the landscape 

changes from suburban backyards and industrial sites, 

opening out to the expansive bushland of Ku-rin-gai 

National Park. 

The bush becomes thicker and the view appears and 

disappears as the train goes through cuttings and tunnels 

in the sandstone. Approaching Berowra station, the first 

glimpse of water appears in the distance down the 

mountain. The train picks up speed as it descends 

through the gullies to Hawkesbury River station where as 

if magically the broad river opens up before your eyes. 

The next section of the journey is a breathtaking 

panorama of bays, inlets, jetties and oyster leases, and 

steep eucalypt-covered hills rising from shore. The track 

drops to the riverbank and it feels as if you could reach 

out and run your hand through the water. 

Accord disembarked at Woy Woy to find a sleepy village 

just right for a long lunch and relaxing wander along the 

river. The town on Easter Monday was perhaps a little too 

sleepy, with the fish co-op and every café closed and only 

one take-away shop open. 

The footpath that runs along the river is level and made an 

easy push past anglers on the water’s edge and shaded 

patches of grass where ducks pecked at the ground. 

Pelicans glided in and landed and other waterbirds 

dipped in and out of the mangroves on the opposite 

bank. After a kilometre we arrived at Lion Park and rested 

gazing over the bay. Judging that the return would be 

enough to burn off the lunch calories we headed back to 

the station. 

This time we knew what to expect and positioned 

ourselves for the best angle to see the views from the 

opposite direction. 

Woy Woy is a perfect location for a relaxing train ride, a 

quiet lunch and a stroll around the area’s beautiful 

waterways. However the Central Coast is also abound 

with tourist attractions and activities, festivals, markets, 

exhibitions and concerts. For some ideas on your next 

day trip, visit www.visitcentralcoast.com.au. 

Note: Cityrail uses Oscar carriages on the Central Coast 

line, which have two spacious wheelchair positions in 

each carriage, and in one there is an accessible toilet. 

One leg of Accord’s two visits to Woy Woy was in a 

standard inter city train that cannot be recommended for 

passengers who must remain in their wheelchairs, due to 

the choice between a very tight space or riding in the 

vestibule, as well as the lack of accessible toilet. Call the 

station on 9379 1777 to find out when the Oscar is 

running. 


Computer Mailbox 

Graeme Smith, Ability Technology 

Ability Technology’s Graeme 

Smith answers readers’ 

questions on computer 

technology related subjects. To 

contact Graeme see the Ability 

Technology advertisement. 

Goodbye X-10 

I have been using X-10 to control 

my lights and some appliances for many years. I use a 

GEWA PROG on my wheelchair. However lately I have 

had problems with several modules and the IR mini 

controller in particular. Is there an alternative for 

controlling lights and appliances? I am keen to keep 

using my PROG. 

Many factors can affect the reliability of X-10 modules, 

including power surges, interference from other 

appliances and ‘noise’ on the lines, to name a few. 

However we share your experience that X-10 modules 

have become less reliable of late. As a result we have 

been researching options for appliance control that use 

infrared (which is the method the PROG uses to control 

appliances like TVs directly and to control X-10 

appliances via the IR Mini Controller). We have come up 

with these so far: 

• Wall Lights: HPM XL770/2RX 

• Lamps: IR Globe LED E27 from 

www.worldofthought.com.au 

• Fans: Martec CFW124CR 

• Other appliances: Watts Easy-Off Sockets ES- 

AUS2105 

These items will take you a long way towards using your 

PROG for direct control of the main home appliances 

without having to use X-10. We are searching and 

testing others as well at our research facility at Seaforth. 

But remember, with infrared you need line of sight to 

your appliance, whereas with X-10 you can control a 

device in another room. However you can get infrared 

extenders (wired or wireless) to relay infrared signals 

from your PROG to another part of your house. 

Controlling a Tablet with a Mouse? 

I am very interested in purchasing a tablet device, but I 

won’t be able to use my fingers to operate it. Is it 

possible to use a mouse to control these devices? I 

currently use a trackball on my computer and would like 

to be able to use it with a tablet. 

There is good news and bad news. For the iPad, the 

only option for external control is via Bluetooth. There is 

no USB port. You can connect a Bluetooth keyboard. 

You can also connect Bluetooth switch interfaces and 

use a switch in a small number of apps. But at this 

stage you are unable to use a mouse device, such as 

your trackball or a QuadJoy. That’s the bad news. 

The good news is that you can connect a mouse device 

such as a trackball or QuadJoy to many Android tablets. 

We have tested a number of trackballs, mice and the 

QuadJoy with our Sony S Tablet and they work fine. We 

did need to get a cable, called a Micro USB Host Cable 

(OTG Cable), to make the connection. We believe that 

USB mouse devices and keyboards will work with many 

Android tablets, if the following three conditions are met: 

1. the USB device does not require special drivers; 

2. the Android device has a USB Host port (typically 

micro USB A/B); and 

3. you have a Micro USB Host Cable (as described 

above). 

However I recommend you do your own testing if you 

wish to proceed down this path. We hope to test more 

devices in the near future, which will give us more 

confidence in recommending this option. 

Eye Gaze 

I have a high level spinal injury and am looking for 

options for mouse functions on a computer. I have tried 

the SmartNav but I cannot move my head sufficiently to 

use this device. The QuadJoy was better, but still I could 

not move my head sufficiently. Recently I tested the 

IntegraMouse, and I could move it up and down with my 

lips, but I could not move it side to side without 

enormous effort. I have almost given up. Is there any 

technology available for someone like me? 


It sounds to me like you should be thinking about eye 

gaze as an option. This means you just have to move 

your eyes in order to move the cursor on the screen; to 

click, you blink. Commercial systems are available, 

including EyeGaze Edge (www.novitatech.org.au), 

Intelligaze IG-30 (www.zyteq.com.au), Eye Tracker TM4 

(www.tecsol.com.au) and Tobii PCEye 

(www.linkassistive.com). Others have been developed 

for use with communication systems, such as the 

DynaVox EyeMax to work with the Vmax, and ECOpoint 

to work with the Liberator ECO2. See some useful 

background information at www.cerebralpalsy.org. 

au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/6376/2011-TechnoTalk- 

AprilNewsletter.pdf. 

NEWS 

Ability Newsletter 

We have had a great response to our revitalised Ability 

Newsletter. It contains lots of information about 

technology developments and products for people with 

a disability. Send an email to info@ability.org.au if you 

would like to be on our email list. 

ARATA conference 

Another reminder that the Australian Rehabilitation and 

Assistive Technology Association (ARATA) national 

conference is in Sydney this year from 22–24 August. It 

is only held in Sydney every 10–12 years, so don’t miss 

out! It includes lots of practical workshops on technology 

options, plus discussions on policy (such as the National 

Disability Insurance Scheme). Register at 

www.arata.org.au. 

Environmental 

control 

Increasing your 

Independence 

at home 

Visiting People in the Country 

We often get requests to visit people in country areas. 

Obviously it is expensive to send a therapist on a trip to 

a regional centre for a single client. But there are some 

other options: 

1. We do visit country areas quite frequently, but often at 

short notice. If you would like to register your interest 

with us, then we can notify you when a trip to your 

area arises. It may be that our travel costs will already 

be met by another organisation. 

2. If you could find some other people who would like 

our expert assistance, then maybe the costs could be 

shared among a few people. 

3. Sometimes we can offer assistance via a video link 

(such as Skype), at least to the point of suggesting 

equipment for trial. 

4. Other Sydney-based technology services (such as 

Northcott Society CATS and Cerebral Palsy Alliance 

TASC) make regular trips to the country. 

Please free to talk over your needs and options with us. 

Lights, lamps, TV, music, 

fans, doors, curtains, 

a/c, DVD, telephone, 

security... 

• Independent advice 

• Expert assessments 

• Detailed reports 

29 Frenchs Forest Rd 

Seaforth NSW 2092 

Phone: 02-99079736 

Fax: 02-99079599 

Email: info@ability.org.au 

Web: www.ability.org.au 


Publications 

Tragedy On The Mountain by Brent 

Poppen reveals how a sports accident at age 

sixteen left the author a quadriplegic, but did 

not paralyse his athletic dream. Poppen 

competed in two consecutive Paralympics in 

wheelchair rugby and tennis, earning a 

bronze medal in wheelchair rugby and numerous gold 

medals and world titles in both sports. This book is a 

riveting read, a true story of courage in the face of 

adversity, of triumph over tragedy. Brent’s road to 

recovery was riddled with potholes, but in the end he 

was victorious. www.amazon.com/Tragedy-The- 

Mountain-Quadriplegics-Paralympics/dp/1475035187. 

RRP US$11.99. 

What We Have Done: An Oral History of 

the Disability Rights Movement by Fred 

Pelka presents the voices of disability rights 

activists who, in the period from 1950 to 

1990, transformed how society views people 

with disabilities, and recounts how the 

various streams of the movement came together to push 

through the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the 

most sweeping civil rights legislation since passage of 

the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Beginning with the stories of 

those who grew up with disabilities in the 1940s and 

50s, the book traces how disability came to be seen as 

a political issue, and how people with disabilities, often 

isolated, institutionalised, and marginalised, forged a 

movement analogous to the civil rights, women’s rights, 

and gay rights movements, and fought for full and equal 

participation in American society. www.amazon.com/ 

What-We-Have-Done-Disability/dp/1558499199. RRP 

US$29.95. 

Diary 

11–13 June 2012 Universal Design Conference 2012, 

Oslo, Norway. The strategy of universal design aims at 

dismantling physical and social barriers. For more 

information visit www.ud2012.no. 

13–14 June 2012 Disability Inclusive Research 

Collaboration Conference (DIRCC) - ‘Research Rights: 

Disability Inclusion Change’, University of Sydney. For 

more information visit www.communitynet.tricomm.org. 

au/index.php/events/conferences-a-seminars/57878disability-inclusive-research-collaboration-conferencedircc-13-14-jun-2012-sydney. 

Walk, Don’t Run: One Woman’s Battle 

with Quadriplegia, A Memoir of Hope and 

Healing by Pamela Henline chronicles the 

author’s journey to start her life again after an 

automobile accident which left her paralysed 

from the chest down. Information about her 

treatment, recoveries and mental state is shared. 

Difficulties seemed insurmountable and because she 

lived alone, with no close relatives, caregivers were 

problematic. But she found there are still many positive 

things in life and many people became part of her 

recovery. Within a few years, her life emerged quite 

differently than she could have imagined, including her 

health, abilities, relationships and love. Her story is an 

inspiration to others who struggle with physical 

disabilities. She hopes that some of the details can 

inspire readers to work hard toward what seems an 

impossible goal. www.amazon.com/Walk-Dont-Run- 

Quadriplegia-Healing/dp/1470026953. RRP US$12.99. 

Kerb Crawling by Glenn Bryant has been 

attracting praise for its dark humour and 

perceptive insight. The novel charts the 

adventures of a 32-year-old blonde heroine 

and her glamorous best friend. But this is 

no conventional ‘chick lit’ as Kerb Crawling 

offers a glimpse into the world of disability. Central 

character Jas has lost the use of her legs in a car 

accident as a teenager and faces obstacles every day— 

barriers put in her path by the ignorance of others. While 

the plot is fiction, many incidents in the book have been 

culled from Glenn Bryant’s wife who is a wheelchair user. 

www.amazon.com/Kerb-Crawling-Glenn-Bryant/ 

dp/1470163446. RRP US$6.49. 

21 June 2012 AIHW, Australian Institute of Health and 

Welfare, Australia’s Health 2012. National Convention 

Centre, Canberra City, ACT. For more information visit 

www.cvent.com/events/australia-s-health-2012conference/event-summary-1f2b8c3bd0f949cdb9e5aadb 

bc9668b5.aspx. 

13 August 2012 Connections 2012, Bayside Grand 

Hall, Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre. 

Connections 2012 brings together researchers, 

clinicians, decision makers and the community in a 

single interactive forum to discuss the future of spinal 

cord injury research Down Under. For more information 

visit www.connections2012.org. 


Goods and Services 

ADOW (Advertising On Wheelchairs), the brainchild of 

wheelchair-user Othman Hamadi, is a way for wheelchair 

users to make money from their chair by attaching ads 

to it. Join his team by visiting 

www.adowworldwide.com. 

The Paralympic Games will be run from 29 August to 9 

September. Follow the Australian team’s achievements 

on the official website 

www.london2012.com/paralympics. 

Power2Go turns the industry-standard three prong 

charging socket on any power wheelchair or scooter into 

a USB charge point for your phone or other portable 

device. For more information visit the mobile accessories 

page at the online store www.disabledonline.com where 

you will find this and many other useful gadgets. 

The NPS Medicines List iPhone app helps you to 

store the names, details and instructions of all your 

medicines. It also allows you to update them quickly if 

there are any changes. This makes it easy to have an 

up-to-date medicines list on hand all the time. Other 

useful features include: 

• set reminders to take your medication; 

• keep notes on any side-effects to discuss with your 

doctor; 

• record your emergency contact person and any 

allergies; 

• record the contact details of all your health 

professionals; and 

• store questions you want to ask your next 

appointment. 

To download the app visit 

www.nps.org.au/iphonemedicineslist. 

22–24 August 2012 Australian Rehabilitation & Assistive 

Technology Association (ARATA) National Conference, 

‘Bridging the AT Gap’, Sydney Masonic Function Centre. 

For more information visit www.arata.org.au/conf.php. 

29 August–9 September 2012 14th Paralympic 

Summer Games, London, UK. For more information visit 

www.paralympic.org.au. 

3–5 September 2012 ISCOS International Spinal Cord 

Society, Westminster, London, UK. For more information 

visit www2.kenes.com/iscos2012/Pages/Home.aspx. 

11–13 September 2012 Disability Studies Conference, 

Lancaster University, UK. For more information visit 

www.lancs.ac.uk/disabilityconference. 

The Indohan 4L urine 

drainage bottle and 

connector tubing went 

off the market with no 

adequate replacement 

product being available. 

SCIA’s Greg Killeen sought 

a solution and gives the 

following advice: 

An identical replacement four litre drainage bottle is 

manufactured in Perth and is available from 

www.perthmediawa.com/4litrebottles.html. 

However there is currently no exact replacement for the 

Indohan connector tubing. I made my own tubing by 

purchasing a drainage tube and plastic bag combination 

and cutting the tubing from the bag. It is the Urias Drain 

Bag Non-Sterile SE2/120, product code 16312 from 

Brightsky costing just 81 cents. 

I drilled a hole in the cap and stuck tap washers to both 

sides through which the tubing is placed and held firmly. 

Alternatively, a sharp knife could be used to cut an X in 

the top of the cap to enable the tube to be forced 

through. 

This is an extremely economical solution as the original 

Indohan connector tubing used to cost around $6 each. 

The only issue is that the tubing is shorter (approximately 

116 cm) after the bag has been removed. 

Note that if the new botte cap does not have a vent that 

you will need to drill a small hole to allow air to escape 

as the bottle fills. 

17–21 September 2012 TRANSED 2012. 13th 

International Conference on Mobility and Transport for 

Elderly and Disabled Persons, New Delhi, India. For 

more information visit www.transed2012.in. 

24–26 October 2012 Australian & New Zealand Spinal 

Cord Society 2012 Annual Scientific Meeting - “SCI - 

New Approaches and Challenges”, Sofitel Melbourne on 

Collins - Melbourne, Victoria. For more information visit 

www.dcconferences.com.au/anzscos2012. 

30–31 Oct 2012 Arts Activated National Conference, 

‘Desire and Destination’, The Concourse, 409 Victoria 

Ave, Chatswood. For more information visit 

www.aarts.net.au/arts-activated-2012. 


CHOICES Accommodation – 

A Great Choice for Honeymooners 

Sheree Hurley, Resource Development Coordinator 

On a day that jokers at large were serving tradition 

by unleashing a litany of April Fools’ pranks, the 

spinal unit at Royal Rehabilitation Centre Sydney 

(RRCS) was buzzing with excitement at the impending 

nuptials between Neville French and his beautiful bride, 

Daphne. “The most amazing thing is that we’ve been 

together for 15 years and she still wants to marry me!” 

remarked Neville. 

Fifty family members, close friends and Royal Rehab 

staff gathered for the ceremony which took place around 

the lovely on-site gardens. Neville and Daphne beamed 

with pride and delight as they exchanged their vows and 

wedding rings. 

The afternoon reception was catered by family, with 

RRCS kindly providing wait staff. Daphne exclaimed 

gratefully, “Everyone has given 

us so much loving support and 

assistance to celebrate our big 

day.” 

SCIA is thrilled that Neville and 

Daphne chose to stay at SCIA’s 

CHOICES apartment in 

Breakfast Point, Sydney, for 

their honeymoon. During his 

rehabilitation period following a 

recent spinal cord injury, Neville 

was pleased to have the 

opportunity to stay at an 

apartment which provided his 

equipment and attendant care 

needs. When asked to reflect 

on his relaxing week, Neville 

quickly summed up, “It’s a 

wonderful apartment in a terrific 

area. After being in rehab for 

months it was really good for us 

to finally spend some time alone 

for a few days.” 

On a practical note, Daphne 

and Neville found the CHOICES 

apartment to be a “Huge 

positive learning experience”. 

The opportunity to direct and 

manage personal care routines 

for the first time was most 

worthwhile for Neville, and 

Daphne had a glimpse into the 

realities of planning a weekend 

away. The happy couple 

particularly enjoyed searching 

through the vast range of trial 

equipment, assistive 

technologies and product 

information to determine a few 

future purchases of their own. 

Relaxing on the large balcony prompted Neville and 

Daphne to plan a return visit to the apartment. “We’re 

definitely coming back again,” they agreed, “this time to 

have Mum stay with us and to try the ferry from Cabarita 

wharf at the end of the street.” 

SCIA’s CHOICES apartment at Breakfast Point is 

available to our members who are currently undergoing 

inpatient rehabilitation within a registered medical facility, 

for periods of up to seven days, following approval from 

their medical specialist and allied health team. 

Enquiries regarding the CHOICES apartment should be 

directed to Jenni Thompson (0422 001 659) or any of 

the Education Officers in our Education and Peer 

Support Team. 


SCIA Transitional Services 

Nicole Bechaz, General Manager, Transitional Services 

SCIA is pleased to offer our members access to a 

number of different funding programs to help with 

the financing of tools, equipment and activities to 

empower them and their families. The three programs 

currently on offer are Transitional Funding and Respite 

Funding, which have now been available for three years, 

and, a recent addition, Client Skills Development 

Funding. 

The Transitional Funding Program can provide eligible 

applicants financial assistance of up to $1,500 to help 

transition through various stages of life post-injury. For 

example, the assistance can be used to purchase a 

computer or iPad to help stay in contact with family and 

friends during inpatient rehabilitation, to purchase a 

piece of equipment to help maintain or increase 

independence, to cover costs incurred in the transition 

back home after rehabilitation, or even transition to a 

new job, house, location or social situation. We 

recognise that transition can occur at any time, even 

many years after sustaining a spinal cord injury. 

The Flexible Respite Funding, of up to $2,000 per eligible 

applicant annually (subject to availability), can be used 

by members for their own respite or for their primary 

carer. Respite funding has been used previously for 

contributions towards holiday costs (eg accommodation, 

cruises, flights, care costs, equipment hire costs and 

fuel), gym membership, and travel costs to and from 

social activities (eg theatres, ballet, football finals). The 

program provides funding for events that people cannot 

normally afford on top of their day-to-day living costs. 

The Client Skills Development Program commenced 

recently as a pilot program. The aim is to provide funding 

to assist eligible members to pursue formal learning 

opportunities that will assist them to gain new skills and/ 

or adapt current skills following their spinal cord injury. 

Some examples of formal learning that can be funded 

include driving lessons for hand-controlled cars and 

sitting licence assessments, IT courses, attending 

seminars, or even training in the latest assistive 

technologies. The funding packages are up to $3,000 

per applicant and as the program is being piloted at the 

current level of funding only until 30 June 2012, we 

encourage members to submit their applications as 

soon as possible. 

Visit our website www.scia.org.au for further information 

on our funding packages or to access the application 

forms. 


The Squeaky Wheel 

Policy Team 

NSW 

The NSW Taxi Transport Subsidy Scheme (TTSS) 

SCIA Policy is continuing with its campaign to seek an 

increase in the NSW taxi fare subsidy, both in the 

percentage and/or the dollar value. 

A delegation met with Chelsea Perry, adviser to the Hon. 

Gladys Berejiklian MP, NSW Transport Minister, to 

highlight the ongoing negative impact on wheelchair 

users of increasing taxi fares, particularly for people 

whose only form of accessible transport is the 

wheelchair accessible taxi service. 

A major concern was that SCIA Policy received a letter 

from the Minister prior to the meeting which stated that 

the average subsidy was a little over $12 per trip. 

Previously, in 2008, the NSW Transport Department 

stated that the average subsidy was $15. As taxi fares 

have increased annually, SCIA Policy is keen to know 

how the Minister’s figure was derived. 

The current IPART Taxi Fare Review has recommended 

fare increases of four per cent in rural areas and 3.4 per 

cent in Sydney. Unfortunately IPART does not currently 

have the power to recommend amendments to the 

NSW TTSS but SCIA Policy is advocating for it to have 

that ability to ensure that the TTSS is effective, including 

the possibility of annual indexing. 

NSW Public Transport 

SCIA is one of the many disability sector stakeholders on 

the Transport for NSW (TforNSW) Accessible Transport 

Advisory Committee (ATAC) that reconvened in mid– 

2011. ATAC members have been invited to provide input 

to the TforNSW Disability Action Plan currently under 

review. The ATAC meeting is chaired by Gail le Bransky 

and she is currently focusing on the Department’s 

Transport Disability Action Plan (TDAP). 

Also, TforNSW released the NSW Long-Term Transport 

Masterplan seeking submissions from all stakeholders 

by 27 April 2012. The Masterplan includes all modes of 

public transport, including taxis. Numerous consultations 

took place around NSW, giving all stakeholders the 

opportunity to provide feedback and comment, with 

further opportunities after the draft report is released 

later this year. The final report is due to be released in 

November 2012. 

Areas that the Masterplan will prioritise include disability 

and ageing, other patronage issues, safety and 

infrastructure. 

The NSW Government has committed an additional $60 

million over the next four years to boost the Easy Access 

Program (train station infrastructure), an increase of over 

50 per cent on what was previously proposed to be 

spent over that period. This year alone the NSW 

Government is reported to have committed $30 million 

to Easy Access upgrades. 

Further information about the Long-Term Transport 

Masterplan is available from 

www.transportmasterplan.nsw.gov.au. 

NSW Public Transport Smartcards 

TforNSW created the Public Transport Ticketing 

Corporation (PTTC) to introduce the Opal smartcard 

system. Earlier this year the PTTC was renamed the 

Electronic Ticketing Service (ETS). Opal cards will be 

usable on all public transport modes except taxis. It will 

be rolled out from June this year and is to be operational 

by the end of the year. 

Opal card categories will include adults, concessions, 

children, students, and Centrelink benefit recipients. 

TforNSW is providing disability awareness training for all 

staff in relation to the Opal system and assisting people 

with disability. The ETS has been very keen to get 

feedback/comments from the disability sector to develop 

the best system possible and to ensure it is compliant 

with the DDA minimum requirements. 

Further information about the Opal card is available from 

www.transport.nsw.gov.au/news/opal-gem-publictransport. 

If you have a physical disability and have an individual 

public transport access issue or an idea to address a 

service or systemic problem please contact the SCIA 

Policy Team on 02 9661 8855; policyteam@scia.org.au. 

NSW Disability Support Services 

Although the National Disability Insurance Scheme 

(NDIS) is being mooted as the much anticipated, and 

long-awaited, answer to addressing Australia’s 

underfunded disability support services and programs, 

the NSW Government continues planning to implement 

disability and community support services and programs 

that are ‘person-centred’. 

The NSW Government’s aim is to provide people with 

disability, their family and carers, with funding options, 

including direct funding packages, service brokerage 

and/or to maintain the status quo of services and 

programs being provided or funded by ADHC. The 

changes to person-centred services will start to roll out 

from 2014 and be fully implemented by 2018. 


The campaign for this type of disability and community 

service delivery commenced with the ‘Living Life My 

Way’ two-day forum in July 2011. It was preceded by 

numerous consultations throughout NSW and the 

collection of feedback, comments and submissions from 

over 3,000 people. 

On 24 April this year, 470 people accepted invitations to 

attend a ‘Living Life My Way’ forum to get an update, 

where they heard a keynote address by the Hon. 

Andrew Constance, NSW Minister for Disability Services. 

There was a panel discussion, titled ‘Person-centred 

approaches in practice’, with people with disability and/ 

or their family members providing personal experiences 

of accessing ‘person-centred’ services. 

The panel included Sara Chesterman, who has 

quadriplegia and is self-managing an Attendant Care 

Package. Sara’s presentation of her experiences gave a 

good insight into the pros and cons of self-managing. 

She said that it requires a steep learning curve and that 

she would have benefited from being supported in the 

initial stages on how to manage what is essentially a 

small business. 

Sara also said that it is crucial for people with disability 

living in the community to have access to an out-ofhours 

emergency back-up service as the Attendant Care 

Package has a maximum 35 hours per week. She 

referenced SCIA’s Occasional and Emergency 

Community Service which, for almost 20 years, has 

been supporting people living in the Randwick and 

Botany local government areas, suggesting that it needs 

to be expanded to cover all of Australia. It is a service 

that would benefit many more people with disability and 

their carers and which is hoped will be a part of the 

National Disability Insurance Scheme. 

National 

Disability Standards for Accessible Public 

Transport (DSAPT) 2012 Review 

It is the tenth anniversary of the DSAPT that were 

implemented in 2002. It is a requirement for the DSAPT 

to be reviewed every five years to measure its 

effectiveness and efficiency but the 2007 review report 

wasn’t released by the federal Transport Minister or 

Attorney-General until December 2010. The DSAPT 

report contained 15 recommendations, however the 

delay would have reduced the time to plan and 

implement any and/or all of them. 

At the time of writing this article there was no 

government notification as to when the 2012 DSAPT 

review will commence and which independent 

consultant will be undertaking it. SCIA Policy believes it 

is extremely important for people with disability and their 

representative organisations to engage in the review 

process and make submissions. Keep checking the 

SCIA website 

www.scia.org.au for news on the commencement of the 

2012 DSAPT review. 

Details about the 2007 DSAPT Review, its 

recommendations and the federal government’s 

response are available from www.infrastructure.gov.au/ 

transport/disabilities/review/index.aspx. 

National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) 

Update and State Agreed Principles Documents 

Released 

After the Council of Australian Governments meeting on 

13 April 2012 a set of agreed principles between the 

federal government and state governments on the NDIS 

were released. The principles laid out ‘must haves’ of the 

scheme and sought to enshrine certain requirements. 

These principles assist us with seeing potential 

directions for the NDIS now that it will be progressing 

towards the first round of launch sites in 2013. It also 

allows us to see potential changes that may occur 

between the Productivity Commission’s final report and 

the state delivered reality of an operational NDIS www. 

coag.gov.au/coag_meeting_outcomes/2012-04-13/docs/ 

NDIS_high_level_principles.doc. 

In addition to the release of the principles and to start 

the process of keeping stakeholders (all Australians) 

informed on how the work of developing the NDIS is 

going, a progress report has been released www.coag. 

gov.au/coag_meeting_outcomes/2012-04-13/docs/ 

NDIS_progress_report.doc. 

NDIS Launch Site Funding Provided in the 2012–13 

Federal Budget 

Prime Minister Julia Gillard, in an address to an Every 

Australian Counts rally in Sydney, confirmed that funding 

for an NDIS would be allocated in the 2012–13 federal 

Budget. In doing so she alleviated the concerns of many 

people with a disability over just how serious the 

government is to get an NDIS off the ground. The 

funding is specifically to assist with four launch sites to 

be chosen across Australia. In year one 10,000 people 

are expected to start their involvement with an NDIS and 

in year two this will double. Obviously with any testing 

there are likely to be glitches and problems that occur, 

however this will all assist with the eventual roll-out of a 

full national scheme. 


SCInfo, our information service, receives inquiries 

from people with disabilities, professionals, 

students … anyone. When interesting or regular 

questions are asked, you’ll get to know the answers too. 

Remember, any time you want to know what, where, 

how or why, ask SCInfo by calling 02 9661 8855 or 

1800 819 774 (for callers outside Sydney) or email 

information@sica.org.au. 

I hibernate in winter, tucking myself away in a cosy 

corner with the heater cranked up, ugg boots dusted off, 

beanie permanently affixed ... and I’m still freezing. Is 

there anything else I can do to ward off the cold? 

Many people with spinal cord injury at or above the fifth 

thoracic vertebra cannot regulate their body temperature 

as the sympathetic nerves which send signals to the 

hypothalamus in the brain are affected by the injury. The 

inability to sweat and shiver normally, coupled with 

decreased circulation and mobility, means that people 

with this degree of paralysis are more susceptible to 

environmental extremes. 

If keeping warm always seems an ambitious 

undertaking, try some of the following tried and tested 

solutions: 

Layer and Accessorise 

• Dress in multiple thin, warm layers, and not just on the 

torso. Trapped air between layers of clothing acts as 

vital insulation. 

• Cover all of your skin and eliminate escaped air. Wrap 

a scarf around your neck and tuck it into your jacket, 

wear clothing with bands at the wrists and ankles. The 

head, feet and hands lose heat the quickest so be 

sure to keep these covered. 

• Invest in some essential winter wear from specialty 

shops which stock apparel designed for cold climates. 

Camping and hiking stores prepare people for holidays 

in cold climates so check out their thermal underwear, 

wind-proof jackets, neck gaiters and earmuffs. 

Keep Hydrated 

• Hydration is critical in winter weather. When the body 

gets dehydrated the effects of cooler temperatures set 

in more easily. 

• If making hot drinks independently is a little difficult, try 

using a small urn with a simple lever activation or the 

new express boil machines, both available from the 

small appliance section at department stores and 

home retailers. 

Control the Surrounding Temperature 

• Maintain your indoor room temperature by blocking 

draughts around your home, keeping the windows 

covered over with curtains and blinds, and closing off 

unused rooms. 

• Is your heat source as energy and cost effective as it 

could be for your location? Consumer guides to 

heaters, heating options and energy saving tips can 

be found at www.choice.com.au. 

• Have you applied for the Medical Energy Rebate? The 

$200 annual rebate is for eligible customers who have 

an inability to self-regulate their body temperature. 

More information, including the Medical Energy 

Rebate Application Form, can be obtained from your 

electricity supplier or www.trade.nsw.gov.au. 

Gadgets and Gimmicks 

• Electric throws, available where electric blankets are 

sold, are a godsend. Sit close to a power point and 

keep one draped around you! 

• Microwavable heat packs include wheat bags, gel 

pads and disposable hand warmers (available from 

outdoor and sporting stores). Be careful not to 

overheat them though to avoid burns. 

• If a truly heavy duty solution is required slip into a 

padded foot and leg bag from www.rollimoden.de. 

Back on Track 

2nd edition 

The second edition of Back 

on Track is now available, 

with: 

• more answers to your most 

pressing questions; 

• an updated list of important 

contacts; and 

• a new and unique outings guide to 

the best accessible activities that 

Sydney has to offer. 

For your copy contact SCIA on 

02 9661 8855 or 

information@scia.org.au or visit 

www.scia.org.au/publications 


By Rebecca Konstatzky, 

Fundraising Coordinator 

Carl Wilkin, State Manager SA/NT for MLC Advice 

Solutions, is one of the architects of the annual 

event, which brings together colleagues to help 

make a difference. Mr Wilkin said, “Funds raised 

this year will be donated to the extensive 

rehabilitation programs developed by Spinal Cord 

Injuries Australia”. He said the organisation was 

“… doing some amazing work in getting people back 

on their feet and moving again.” This work includes 

SCIA’s activity based rehabilitation program, Walk 

On, which helps people who have sustained a spinal 

cord injury to maximise their functional recovery. 

Twenty-three financial advisers and their industry 

colleagues recently participated in the 2012 

MLC Risk Ride, raising an amazing $49,311.55 for 

SCIA. The MLC felt that there were strong links 

between the principles of the Australian life insurance 

industry and Spinal Cord Injuries Australia 

and therefore chose to fundraise on behalf of the 

organisation and its Walk On program. 

The Risk Ride is held each year to coincide with the 

annual MLC Risk Specialist Network Risk Retreat. 

This year’s event required its cyclists to ride 620 km 

in five days, from Perth to the Risk Retreat venue 

at Bunker Bay in WA’s Margaret River region. The 

cyclists definitely earned the funds they raised 

during the five day event, where their longest day 

saw them cover more than 160 km! 

SCIA would like to give a BIG thank you to 

all those involved in the organisation and 

participation of the 2012 MLC Risk Ride. 

We look forward to giving the team a warm Walk 

On Sydney welcome on 20 June 2012, where 

participants will meet some of the clients and 

therapists involved in the program and see how 

their fundraising will help to make a difference. 


Save Money on your Medicines 

National Prescribing Service Ltd 

It seems there is more and more pressure on 

household budgets every day. When things get tight, it 

might be tempting to consider cutting down on your 

medicines. 

Before making any changes to your medicines, it’s 

important to talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Be open 

about your situation. Together, you may be able to come 

up with some solutions that will save you money. Some 

of the things you might be able to do are outlined below. 

Ask about medicine brand choices 

Some medicines with the same active ingredient (the 

chemical in the medicine that makes it work) are sold 

under different brand names. These different brands are 

often referred to as ‘generic medicines’. Sometimes they 

are slightly cheaper, so buying a different brand could 

save you money. 

Ask your pharmacist if there is a cheaper version of your 

medicine. The cheaper brand will always have the same 

active ingredient as the medicine on your prescription or 

the one you usually take. 

Ask about a different strength medicine 

A lot of medicines come in different strengths. You may 

be able to save money by using a different strength of 

medicine. For example, if you normally take two 100 mg 

tablets and a 200 mg tablet is available, you might be 

able to take one 200 mg tablet instead. This may mean 

that you use fewer prescriptions, saving you money. 

Ask about medicines on prescription 

In some cases, you can save money by obtaining 

medicines on a prescription rather than over the counter. 

This situation is more likely to apply to you if you are a 

concession card holder. 

For example, people using paracetamol for chronic pain 

may save money by buying it on a prescription rather 

than over the counter. 

Buying medicines on prescription will also help you to 

reach the Safety Net threshold sooner. If you need to 

use an over-the-counter medicine regularly, ask your 

doctor if it’s available on prescription. 

Ask about an authority prescription 

Doctors can sometimes prescribe more medicine than is 

normally allowed under a Pharmaceutical Benefits 

Scheme (PBS) prescription by using a special 

prescription known as an authority prescription. 

For example, if you’ve been prescribed double the 

normal dose of a medicine, your doctor may be able to 

obtain permission to prescribe that dose for you on a 

single prescription by using an authority prescription. 

This would mean that you can buy twice the amount 

normally allowed for the cost of a single prescription. 

This would save you money, because you will use fewer 

prescriptions, and you may not have to visit the doctor 

as often to obtain repeat prescriptions. 

If this situation applies to you, ask your doctor if an 

authority prescription might be appropriate. 

Ask about a medicines review 

Regular reviews of your medicines are good for your 

health as well as your budget. Ask your doctor or 

pharmacist to review your medicines, including all your 

prescription and non-prescription medicines. You may 

find that changes can be made that save you money. 

Ask about the Safety Net 

The Government subsidises the cost of prescription 

medicines through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme 

(PBS). If you or your family use a lot of medicines, the 

PBS Safety Net may help to reduce the cost of your 

medicines. Under the Scheme, once you or your family 

have spent a certain amount — known as the Safety Net 

threshold — on prescription medicines in a calendar 

year, you can apply for a PBS Safety Net card. 

With this card, your PBS medicines will be less 

expensive or free for the rest of the calendar year. To 

receive a PBS Safety Net card, you need to keep a 

record of your PBS medicines on a Prescription Record 

Form, which is available from your pharmacy. Each time 

you have PBS medicine dispensed, give the form to your 

pharmacist so the medicine can be recorded. Your 

pharmacist can keep the record on their computer, but if 

you visit different pharmacies, it’s best to keep your own 

record. 

2012 PBS medicine costs 

Cost of PBS prescription medicines 

Concession card holders $5.80 

Others Up to $35.40 

PBS Safety Net threshold 

The threshold is the amount that must be spent 

before being eligible for a Safety Net Card 

Concession card holders $ 348.00 

Others $1363.30 

Cost of PBS prescription medicines with a Safety 

Net Card 

Concession card holders Free 

Others $5.80 

(www.pbs.gov.au) 


Ask about non-medicine options 

In some cases, there may be different ways to manage 

your health, in addition to or instead of using medicines. 

Depending on your condition and the type of medicines 

you take, strategies such as eating well, keeping 

physically active, quitting smoking and using therapies 

like physiotherapy, acupuncture or massage may mean 

the medicines you use could be reduced or even 

stopped. 

Get a concession card 

Some concession cards allow you to get Pharmaceutical 

Benefits Scheme (PBS) prescriptions at a lower price. 

In most cases, if you receive a pension or similar 

allowance from Centrelink or Department of Veterans 

Affairs, you will also receive a Pensioner Concession 

Card or Repatriation Health Card, which entitles you to 

medicines at the concession rate. 

However, these are not the only types of eligible 

concession cards. For example, people on low incomes 

or Austudy and people caring for a foster child may be 

eligible for a Health Care Card. 

CAN’T WORK BECAUSE OF SICKNESS OR 

ACCIDENT 

& YOUR INSURER OR SUPER FUND WON’T PAY? 

Don’t take NO for an answer! 

Ring FIRTHS and we’ll MAKE THEM PAY in all 

• Sickness & Accident claims; 

• Income Protection claims; 

• Total & Permanent Disability claims; 

• Superannuation claims; 

• Critical Illness/Trauma claims; 

• Motor Accident damage claims 

Free Call – 1800 631 888 

* Specialising in spinal cord injuries 

* If we don’t win you don’t pay us anything 

* 99% success rate 

www.firths.com.au 

info@firths.com.au 

Similarly, older people who don’t receive an age pension 

may be eligible for a Commonwealth Seniors Health 

Card. 

To find out more, contact Centrelink on 132 300, or visit 

the Concession Card section of the Centrelink website 

(www.centrelink.gov.au). 

Get a tax offset 

Tax offsets (sometimes also referred to as rebates) 

reduce the amount of tax you pay. They are not the 

same as tax deductions. 

You can claim 20% of the net medical expenses spent 

above a certain amount in a financial year. In 2011–12, 

the amount is $2,060. You need proof that you’ve spent 

the required amount, so you must keep all your medical 

and pharmacy receipts. Net medical expenses are the 

eligible medical expenses you have paid after any 

refunds from Medicare or your private health insurance 

fund. For more information, visit the Australian Tax Office 

website at www.ato.gov.au or ring them on 132 861, or 

talk to your tax advisor. 

Reproduced with permission, National Prescribing 

Service Ltd, MedicinesTalk, March 2012. 


Thanks to The Creative Zoo! 

Special thanks to our wonderful friends at The 

Creative Zoo—Stuart, Paloma and Estefania—for 

all the amazing work they have done transforming 

the SCIA logo and marketing materials to help staff in 

service delivery and fundraising! 

Stuart Gibb-Cumming, Creative Director at The Creative 

Zoo sustained a serious back injury many years ago and 

spent an anxious time in hospital recovering. Stuart 

knows he is one of the lucky ones and when he found 

out SCIA were in need of some marketing help he 

jumped at the chance to pitch in. 

Leila Mitchell, SCIA’s Head of Marketing and Fundraising, 

noted, “we’re so fortunate to have the support of Stuart 

and the other artistic minds at The Creative Zoo – no job 

is too hard and no deadline too tight for them to work 

their miracles.” 

Having the new materials available to staff will help them 

in promoting the work of SCIA to people with spinal cord 

injuries and assist in raising SCIA’s profile to the wider 

Thanks Dooley’s Lidcombe Catholic Club! 

A big thanks to Dooley’s Lidcombe 

Catholic Club for their generous gift of 

$5,180 through the Auburn City Council 

Community Development Support 

Expenditure (CDSE) Scheme. 

This gift allowed Walk On to purchase 

vital equipment and enhance techniques 

and tools used by the therapists, by 

providing a fun and challenging mode of 

balance rehabilitation, as well as 

increasing the variety of therapy services 

that Walk On Sydney offers. 

Photo: Walk On Sydney Therapist Claudia James assists a client 

usingthe Nintendo Wii and the LG LCD LED Flatscreen television, 

just one of the items purchased through the CDSE grant 

public and hopefully in turn raise more funds so even 

more people can benefit across Australia. 


Round-up 

I recently joined SCIA as the Regional Officer in the 

Illawarra region. I am very excited to be part of the team 

and look forward to meeting many of our clients in the 

near future. 

My employment history includes three and-a-half years 

with UnitingCare Burnside as a caseworker, where I 

gained valuable experience supporting young people 

with a disability and their families/carers. Having a 

physical disability myself (above knee amputee), I am 

aware of some of the concerns people with a physical 

disability may encounter. 

My first few weeks with SCIA have been busy, 

interesting, educational and enjoyable! I have attended 

several community, government and organisational 

meetings as I attempt to capture the bigger picture of 

my role and how best to support our clients. I have also 

been fortunate to meet some wonderful and dedicated 

people during this time. 

Social Group 

South Coast and Southern Highlands 

Leah Ogden, Regional Officer 

5/208-210 Corrimal St Wollongong 2500 

Ph 4225 1366 

logden@scia.org.au 

I have had the opportunity to meet some of our clients 

through our social group which, for those who may not 

be aware, meets in our Wollongong premises on 

Thursdays between 9.30 am and 3.30 pm. Everyone is 

welcome to attend and stay for as long or as little as you 

like. Lunch can be purchased on the day or you may 

prefer to bring your own. Assistance is available with 

transport (taxi rebate) and I would encourage anyone 

requiring further information to call or email me. The 

group is planning an outing one day per month and a 

guest speaker/presentation one day per month. Ideas 

for both are always welcome. 

NSW Government Person-Centred Approaches – 

Living Life My Way – Final Consultation Stage 

Launch 

I attended the launch of the Final Consultation Stage 

recently held at Homebush. I would encourage anyone 

wanting to gain further information or to participate in the 

consultation process to visit the website 

www.adhc.nsw.gov.au/pca where you can register for 

upcoming community consultations for people with a 

disability, family and carers. Consultations will be held 

across our region during May and June in Goulburn, 

Mittagong, Wollongong, Bomaderry and Moruya. 

I look forward to keeping you updated via this column on 

what is happening within our region and welcome your 

feedback. 

Spinal Talk 

Central West 

Craig Lees, Regional Officer 

PO Box 1140 Mudgee 2850 

Ph 6372 1892 Mob 0413 367 523 

centralwest@scia.org.au 

Many of you may be aware of ‘Spinal Talk’, the free 

teleconference forum to provide mutual support for 

people with SCI from around the state, organised by Dr 

Robert Manga. 

I was recently informed that the program has received 

recurrent funding and so should be available for a few 

more years yet. The benefits of becoming involved with 

‘Spinal Talk’ vary according to the needs of the 

individual, but if you are battling any form of isolation due 

to your injury, or need information on sensitive topics, 

then it is a great place to get support. How much you 

participate in discussions is up to you. The focus is on 

anything of importance or interest to you. The 

atmosphere is that of an informal chat. 


Many of my clients who are involved have found it to be 

incredibly beneficial. One from Dubbo has found it to be 

great—she likes the opportunity to “get answers to 

embarrassing questions” and “with Robert being a 

doctor, it is particularly helpful with things of a clinical 

nature”. The types of topics discussed cover “anything 

and everything” according to Barbara, “money, health, 

relationships; whatever…” There seems to be just as 

many women as men participating and so there’s really 

no reason to ever feel shy. 

If you would like to give ‘Spinal Talk’ a go then getting 

involved is easy. There is no registration requirement, 

simply phone 1800 857 029 and enter the conference 

code 54716774#. At present, discussions are held from 

4 pm every Tuesday and Friday. For any other 

information, Dr Robert Manga can be contacted on 

0433 169 192 or email him at 

rmanga@med.usyd.edu.au. 

Carer Training 

It is no secret to both consumers and care services in 

the Centralwest, that carer training specific to the needs 

of people with SCI is very difficult to come by. Most 

carers learn on the job with a couple of ‘buddy shifts’ 

with another more experienced carer. While better than 

nothing, there are some concerns with this arrangement 

and questions that need to be asked include: How much 

experience does the training carer have? What sort of a 

teacher is the training carer? Is the consumer 

themselves up-to-speed with current best practice in 

care? With the current arrangement, it is easy to see 

how misinformation and poor care habits can be passed 

on and perpetuated. Many local carers themselves have 

expressed that they sometimes feel poorly equipped to 

deal with the multitude of different issues a consumer 

can face from time-to-time. Ultimately, it is the health 

and well-being of the consumer that will suffer in the 

long run. 

The ideal solution, in my opinion, would be to create a 

local training resource that is available to be utilised by 

any consumer or service as required. How could such a 

concept be implemented that is both sufficient to 

address the issue, while remaining economically 

sustainable for all stakeholders? To help quantify and 

address these questions, a meeting was organised in 

late April in Mudgee that included Sue Johnston (Spinal 

Outreach), Lonie Foote (Education and Training Manager, 

ParaQuad), Bernadine Dowell (Training Manager, Rural 

Nursing Services) and me. 

The discussion identified several possibilities. One was 

to develop a condensed training module that could be 

tailored to the needs of the consumer, then delivered 

and assessed by the Rural Nursing Service. Obviously 

such a program would involve a fair commitment of time 

and resources to develop, so it is important that it would 

be sufficiently utilised to make it viable for all involved. 

Expressions of interest are being sought from all 

consumers, carers and Attendant Care service providers 

operating in the region. What are your thoughts and how 

likely would you be to utilise a carer training resource 

such as the one described? Please phone me on 

02 6372 1892 or email centralwest@scia.org.au with 

your feedback. 

Northern Rivers 

Lee Clark, Regional Officer 

Suite 6A, 27 Oliver Ave Goonellabah 2480 

Ph 6689 5935 Mob 0421 055 992 

northernrivers@scia.org.au 

NSW Long-Term Transport Master Plan 

There has been some great work done by the Northern 

Rivers Social Development Council Project Officer, Kate 

Geary, in conjunction with the Northern Rivers Disability 

Transport Taskforce, in preparing and submitting a 

supporting document regarding upgrading accessible 

public transport options across the Far North Coast. 

SCIA have assisted in the process by providing 

information and references for the paper. 

The opening statement is: “The Northern Rivers Disability 

Transport Taskforce (NRDTT) welcomes this opportunity 

to contribute to the NSW Long-Term Transport Master 

Plan. We would like to imagine a future in which 

transport was no longer a barrier for people with a 

disability to live meaningful, healthy and connected lives. 

While there remains a range of issues for people with a 

disability in relation to transport access, this submission 

will focus on how the Taxi Transport Subsidy Scheme 

(TTSS) could be improved.” 

A booklet has also been developed regarding all 

accessible public transport options across the region, 

and is available from www.goingplaces.org.au as a free 

download. This is a valuable tool and in great demand. 

This document will support the efforts our SCIA Policy 

and Advocacy Team who continue to lobby the 

government for better public transport options for 

people with mobility issues. 

Community Transport Medical Service to Brisbane 

The North Coast Shuttle service is a 17 seater 

wheelchair accessible bus that departs from Ballina (with 

one stop in Tweed Shire), travelling to Brisbane three 

times a week for medical appointments at Princess 

Alexandra, Mater and Royal Brisbane Hospitals with 

other nearby specialist destinations considered. This is a 

new initiative by Community Transport and will assist 

anyone who needs to go to Brisbane for appointments 

but finds it hard to find and pay for private trips. 


Bookings and assessments for the shuttle are taken at 

Northern Rivers Community Transport (02 6628 0337), 

Tweed/Byron/Ballina Community Transport (02 6685 

8324) and Clarence Valley Community Transport (02 

6645 3200). 

Regional Services Now Extend to Mid North Coast 

I am now providing regional services to those living with 

spinal cord injury who live across the Mid North Coast. I 

welcome all who live with spinal cord injury in this region 

to contact me on 0415 055 992 so I can make an 

appointment to chat with you when I am in the area. I 

am looking forward to engaging with everyone and am 

planning forums and information sessions for the near 

future. If you have any ideas about what you would like 

to see provided in your area, please do not hesitate to 

contact me—it is your service so I need your help to 

make it relevant. You can also contact Jim Wicks at 

SCIA’s Coffs Harbour House for more information on the 

SCIA network on 02 6651 1201. 

New England 

Glenda Hodges, Regional Officer 

20 Murray Street Tamworth NSW 2340 

Ph 02 6766 6422 Mob 0427 257 471 

newengland@scia.org.au 

The first topic of discussion from the New England 

region this quarter is to congratulate all of those people 

involved with the production and running of SCIA’s 

Independence Expo held in Sydney in March. Those 

who attended have been really excited about the 

accommodation, travel and respite information they 

picked up during the day. The responses and feedback 

from those who attended from this region have been 

nothing but positive with the general consensus being … 

“can’t wait for the next one!” So, congratulations again 

from the New England and Northwest regions for a great 

SCIA event. 

The New England region has, during the past quarter, 

started another approach to ‘get the info out there’. We 

are adopting an early intervention approach and have 

started to talk to young people about the need to be 

careful and to encourage safe living in their communities. 

We began this approach following an interagency 

meeting that involved local indigenous community 

members who spoke about the lack of connection with 

young people. This information instigated interest from 

regional worker, Les Morriss, who then set up a visit to 

the Walhallow Indigenous School near Werris Creek. 

Here’s how Les saw the visit and the information given 

were received. 

I was given the privilege of being allowed to talk to some 

young people aged 4 to 12 at Walhallow School (just 

outside Caroona) and was greeted very warmly by Mary 

Slater (Community Program Officer), staff and school 

pupils. I spoke to about 20 pupils and gave them a 

description of what had happened to me, what I could 

and could not do, how I was not able to do some of the 

things that most of us take for granted, and some of the 

things I had done before my injury. After about 30 

minutes of talking I asked the youngsters for any 

questions they may have and I was very pleasantly 

surprised as the questions asked showed a maturity well 

beyond their years. The real beauty was that there was 

no embarrassment noted regarding the personal 

questions asked. It was interesting also to note that the 

staff also asked a number of questions. I left information 

for the students and the staff giving advice regarding 

spinal cord injuries and the support services and 

assistance that is available to those who require it. 

Future information sessions directed towards early 

intervention from a spinal cord injury viewpoint will be 

conducted with primary, high school and TAFE students 

in this region, and appointments are being arranged for 

throughout this year. 

The other method of getting our information out has 

been through our newsletter, Nuts & Bolts, which has 

been successfully growing with each issue. It has taken 

on a life of its own since it was first published in October 

last year and has proven to be a great method of 

promoting the programs that are available through SCIA. 

One major program promoted through the newsletter 

has been the Flexible Respite program which has been 

taken up by a number of people in this region. A few 

people have taken cruises around the top of Australia, 

others to visit family members who live some distance 

away, whilst some have attended football games of their 

favourite team. From all the responses received the 

respite funding has been really appreciated and all have 

enjoyed their experiences. 

Finally, I thank Denise Brown for her work as peer 

support worker since the Murray Street Tamworth office 

opened. Denise has helped with arranging guest 

speakers for the Tamworth Discussion and Forum 

groups which have been very successful during the past 

two years. She has now decided to focus on getting 

herself ‘back out there’ and therefore has resigned as 

the Tamworth peer support worker. Thank you again, 

Denise for a job well done. 


Victoria 

Nazim Erdem, AQA Victoria 

Ph 03 9489 0777 

nazimerdem@aqavic.org.au 

All Abilities Accessible Fishing Platforms 

For all of those who enjoy fishing we have recently come 

across some new wheelchair accessible fishing 

platforms to check out throughout provincial Victoria. It’s 

great to see the Department of Primary Industries 

working closely with local councils to improve access for 

anglers of all abilities. 

We were recently informed about the much improved 

wheelchair access in Mallacoota thanks to a two 

kilometre boardwalk along the shoreline of the inlet, 

three newly installed fishing platforms, and the 

reconstruction of the fisheries jetty. The accessible 

boardwalk winds its way from the town along the bottom 

lake towards the narrows and connects all four fishing 

platforms. The platforms have been strategically 

positioned where they provide easy casting distance to 

the deep water channel and have all been fitted with 

lighting, rod holders, bait boards and fish cleaning 

facilities. 

Whilst researching the Mallacoota boardwalk/fishing 

platforms we also came across these accessible fishing 

platforms in popular and productive fishing areas 

throughout Victoria: 

Eildon Pondage, Eildon: the purpose built pier provides 

safe and easy fishing access for wheelchair users and 

there is also an all-abilities access path and three 

designated wheelchair areas on Riverside Drive with 

parking, toilets, electric BBQs and picnic shelters 

available nearby. 

Lilydale Lake, Lilydale: there are two fully accessible 

fishing platforms located near the Olinda Creek inlet and 

at the western end of the lake. Facilities also include 

parking, toilets, electric BBQs and picnic shelters. 

Jubilee Lake, Daylesford: two new fishing platforms and 

a pathway have been constructed with all-abilities 

access on the southern shoreline of the lake with BBQs, 

picnic tables and toilets facilities in close proximity to the 

platforms. 

Kennington Reservoir, Bendigo: two wheelchair 

accessible fishing platforms have been constructed on 

the eastern shoreline of the lake. An all-abilities 1.36 km 

sealed walking track encircles the reservoir with BBQs, 

picnic tables and toilet facilities in close proximity to the 

platforms. 

Lake Hyland, Churchill: five fishing platforms with 

all-abilities access have been constructed around the 

lake. The fishing platforms are only a short distance from 

the car park and other facilities include a walking track 

which encircles the lake, picnic shelter with electric 

barbeques and toilet block. 

Loddon River, Bridgewater: the all-access pier has been 

constructed at a popular fishing spot, which prior to the 

construction of the pier, had been inaccessible to people 

with disabilities. There is also a walking track leading to 

the pier. 

Bemm River Fishing Platform: the Bemm River fishing 

platform provides access for all abilities and also features 

seating and boardwalk lighting. 

Mitchell River Fishing Platform: the accessible fishing 

platform on the Mitchell River downstream of Wy Yung 

bridge, Bairnsdale provides wheelchair access to 

anglers. 

Curdies River Fishing Platform: a new timber footbridge 

and fishing platform has been built on Curdies River at 

Curdievale. This has significantly improved access for 

anglers of all abilities. 

For more information on the fishing platforms and other 

accessible fishing spots around Victoria visit www. 

aqavic.org.au/information_accessible_fishing.html. 

Home Visiting Doctor Service 

The Home Visiting Doctor Service offers primary medical 

care to patients after hours at home on behalf of 

principal GPs when they are not available, in the greater 

Melbourne metropolitan area and Geelong region. 

The service operates overnight Monday to Friday from 4 

pm until 8 am. On weekends the service operates from 

10 am on Saturday to 8 am on Monday, and on public 

holidays it operates 24 hours. The call centre is open 24 

hours and can be contacted every day of the week, 

including weekends and public holidays. 

All the doctors are fully qualified and registered. They 

have full medical cover and have been trained in 

Australia. The home visiting doctors will provide the 

same quality of care as you would expect from your local 

GP and are fully equipped to treat urgent problems in 

the home, arrange hospital admission if required, 

network with hospital doctors and peers, and provide a 

clinical report to your nominated GP. 

For more information visit 

www.homevisitingdoctor.com.au or call 03 9429 5677. 


ACT 

Trevor Robinson 

trobinson@scia.org.au 

Recently I had the opportunity to visit SCIA’s Wollongong 

office and see how the regional offices operate. Alex and his 

team, together with those who attended the community 

day, displayed genuine hospitality that’s indicative of the 

spinal cord community everywhere. The visit provided a 

valuable insight into the person-centred approach to 

advocacy and SCI representation. The work that is carried 

out by SCIA’s regional offices is truly remarkable. 

Talking to the Wollongong SCI folk it was not surprising to 

hear about gripes similar to those that we experience in 

Canberra. Accessible parking (abuse of Mobility Parking 

Permits, lack of parking bays, location, and number of bays) 

topped the complaint list, with general accessibility issues, 

accommodation, transport (mainly WATs) and employment 

also on the list of concerns. 

One topic that’s increasingly being discussed in SCI 

communities is the rising cost of living. The ACT has 

fortunately been insulated from many cost of living strains 

experienced in other jurisdictions, predominantly in electricity 

and gas charges. However this scenario is sure not to last 

and, when the ACT catches up, the financial shock will hurt 

many household budgets. With other cost of living increases 

in commodities such as insurance, fuel and medicine, many 

Project Title: Full-On 

Regular physical activity through upper body training is effective in 

improving fitness and psychological well-being in people with spinal 

cord injury. However there are now reports that regular and intensive 

activity-based therapies promote neurological improvement. These 

therapies include partial body-weight-supported treadmill training 

(BWSTT), functional electrical stimulation-assisted leg exercise, and 

exercises to improve control of trunk and lower limb musculature. 

There is some evidence that these interventions may improve an 

individuals' ability to move and perform functional activities, however 

this has not been rigorously tested in a randomised controlled trial. 

Full-On is a randomised controlled trial comparing the effects of a 

comprehensive exercise program exercising the paralysed limbs 

and upper body musculature with an upper body strength and 

fitness training program. The centres involved will be spinal units 

in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth and New Zealand. Prince of 

Wales Hospital is the NSW spinal unit participating in this trial. 

Participation in the project involves undertaking an intensive 

exercise program three times per week for 12 weeks and attending 

for assessments. Participants must be 18 years of age or over, have 

completed their primary rehabilitation, and will need to have medical 

clearance to participate. 

This study has been approved by the South Eastern Sydney Local 

Health District 

If you would like further information, or wish to participate in this 

project, please contact a site coordinator: 

Emily Ho, Prince of Wales Hospital Spinal Unit 

02 93824760 ; emily.ho@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au 

Clare Goodman, Royal Rehabilitation Centre Sydney 

02 9808 9360, clare.goodman@royalrehab.com.au 

are concerned on how these will adversely affect those with 

spinal cord injuries, particularly as many SCI folk rely on fixed 

incomes such as the Disability Support Pension (DSP) or 

other pensions (superannuation, insurance). 

Like everywhere else in Australia, the ACT has an ageing 

population and this, not surprisingly, also includes people 

with spinal cord injuries. ACT Health has recognised the 

special need to assist people with spinal cord injuries to 

proactively manage their health by conducting 

multidisciplinary clinics specifically for those with spinal cord 

injuries. The clinical review includes a rehabilitation doctor, 

rehabilitation nurse, occupational therapist, seating/ 

wheelchair therapist, physiotherapist, complex care nurse 

and social worker. The bimonthly clinics are held at the 

Village Creek centre in Kambah. Appointments can be 

made by calling 6174 5574 and a GP’s referral is needed. 

While on the topic of ageing, I regularly come across many 

SCI folk who choose to stay off the radar regarding either 

their health management or mingling with other wheelchair 

users. I stress to everyone I meet on the importance of 

remaining current in all aspects of spinal cord injury, such as 

government entitlements and benefits, advances in mobility 

equipment and, significantly, on health and medical 

developments. While the internet is a wonderful source of 

information, nothing replaces the flexibility and warmth of 

human interaction. Although it’s a personal choice in how 

one socialises, those who network effectively tend to benefit 

more from increased knowledge of their condition. 

In a move to facilitate increased attendance, starting in June 

the ACT social mornings will be extended to four hours from 

11 am to 3 pm. Held on the first Thursday and Saturday of 

the month at the Weston Club in Weston, the longer hours 

are designed to be more flexible for those who rely on 

carers or unreliable transport. SCI folk can come for a coffee 

or tea, or stay for lunch. It is hoped that the longer hours will 

encourage more social networking among the ACT SCI 

community. 

INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE IN A RESEARCH PROJECT 

(Sydney) 

STANDING STUDY 

Is your spinal cord injury above T8? 

Are you interested in standing on a tilt table in the 

comfort of your home for thirty minutes, five times a 

week, for six weeks? 

You are invited to participate in a research trial looking 

at the benefits of regular standing. 

For more details contact: 

Stephanie Kwok 

by phone on 0404 834 712 

or by email to Stephanie.kwok@royalrehab.com.au 


Soap Box 

Tony Jones, Policy & Advocacy Officer 

What do you do if you have a significant physical 

disability and type 1 or type 2 diabetes and are 

unable to inject your insulin? This question was 

posed last year by the Australian Diabetes Council in 

their quarterly publication Diabetes Connect. 

Like our expanding waistlines, diabetes is a burgeoning 

problem in Australia, especially type 2. Having a spinal 

cord injury, and therefore a more sedentary lifestyle, 

increases your risk. I was diagnosed with type 1 

diabetes almost three years ago. I am able to inject my 

own insulin, however I lack the dexterity to check my 

blood sugar level (BSL) which is regularly required. This 

involves using a lancet to draw blood on the tip of a 

finger and a blood glucose machine to read the glucose 

level in the blood. 

I was originally told from my service provider that my 

carers were unable to assist me in checking my BSL. I 

had to lobby on my own behalf to get this changed. I 

contacted the Australian Diabetes Council to let them 

know my issues with gaining support to manage my 

diabetes. If you can’t inject your insulin, it is an even 

greater problem as carers are not able to administer 

medication. So what do you do? Who do you turn to? 

As diabetes rates increase this problem will only get 

worse. 

There is currently no system in place to solve this 

problem. I know of one situation where a person with 

type 1 diabetes was relying on a friend to inject his 

insulin. Individuals are left to their own devices to find a 

way around this problem. In my own case I relied initially 

on Community Health, having a nurse come to my home 

to inject my insulin until I was able to do it myself. But 

this depends entirely on where you live as what supports 

are available differs from place to place. 

Master Locksmiths Access Key 

Providing after hours access for people with disabilities 

to accessible toilets and other facilities. 

For the location of your nearest locksmith who can 

supply the universal lock and key call the Master 

Locksmiths Association of Australasia on 

03 9645 9995; 1800 810 698 

For more information and the locations of facilities 

fitted with MLAK call 02 9661 8855; 1800 819 775 

or download from the Spinal Cord Injuries Australia 

website www.scia.org.au/public-toilets 

There needs to be greater awareness of this problem by 

health authorities and disability service providers and 

therefore the development of an action plan with 

guidelines on how to assist and support people to 

manage their diabetes. At the moment people are left to 

fight for themselves for solutions. 

Through lobbying by the Australian Diabetes Council, the 

NSW Parliamentary Diabetes Support Group was set up 

based on a similar Federal Diabetes Support Group. The 

goal of the formation of the group is to advocate for 

people with diabetes in Parliament. Mark Coure, the 

member for Oatley, is the inaugural chair. I had a meeting 

with him recently informing him of the above concerns. 

He said he would raise my concerns with the Minister for 

Disability Services, Andrew Constance and also the 

Minister for Health, Jillian Skinner. I am still waiting to 

hear back from him about this. 

It is hoped that the current situation will improve and 

there will exist better supports for people with physical 

disabilities who also have diabetes. 

If you or anyone you know is in this situation or had 

similar problems contact Tony on 02 8347 3018; 

ajones@scia.org.au. 

Classifieds 

FOR SALE: MARVEL manual wheelchair, dual 

independent suspension. Adjustable seat width 

(14–18 inches), backrest height, footrest height and 

seat angle. Six months old. No cushion. $5,000. 

Contact Paul on 0424 604 044. 

Marleebri 

Accessible holiday home rental in exclusive St Helena with 

180 degree views over farmland to the ocean and only a 10 

minute drive to the centre of town and the famous beaches 

of Byron Bay. 

Open plan living, dining and kitchen areas with large timber 

verandahs and fantastic inground pool with spacious timber 

deck surrounds sets the scene for complete relaxation and 

summer BBQs. 

Three bedrooms and two bathrooms to comfortably 

accommodate up to six guests. 

For more details and photos of the property visit 

www.byron-bay.com/marleebri 

Inquiries: LJ Hooker Byron Bay, 02 6685 7300; 

kcooper.byronbay@ljh.com.au 


www.seatingdynamics.com.au 

For further information, 

Call 02 9620 7839 

Heads First. Shape fitting, fully 

customised range, adult & kids sizes 

Harmony of Performance & Style 

Improving Your Lifestyle 

Topolino. Carbon Fibre technology. 

Redefines light weight, strong & durable 

Natural Fit. Ergonomic Handrim with 

Gription Insert. Better push, less injury

SpeediCath ® Compact 

… For extra discretion 

SpeediCath ® Compact is your faster, easier, discreet and 

more comfortable method of intermittent catheterisation. 

Compact Design 

• Lip gloss size 

• Fits in any purse 

• Designed for the female anatomy 

• Non-touch grip means ease of use 

and steady handling 

Pre-lubricated 

• Ready to use anywhere, anytime 

• Low risk of infection as no need to 

touch catheter 

Contact Coloplast for a free sample today! 

Freecall 1800 653 317 or email au.care@coloplast.com 

www.coloplast.com.au 

Coloplast Pty Ltd, 33 Gilby Road, Mount Waverley, VIC 3149, Australia 

The Coloplast logo is a registered trademark of Coloplast A/S. © 2012-02. All rights reserved Coloplast A/S, 3050 Humlebæk, Denmark.

Grabbing Life by the Horns - Spinal Cord Injuries Australia

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?