Anne-Marie Elias

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

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Economic pressures are testing a key pillar of our national identity: multiculturalism. Historically, tough economic times have often led to misplaced blame, with migrant communities often unfairly targeted. But through our work SSI, we know migrants are part of the solution, not the problem. That’s why we’re leading an advocacy coalition to Activate Australia’s Skills and reform a system blocking highly skilled migrants in Australia from positively transforming our economy.

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For all the social entrepreneurs in the ACT...

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

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Myths and Biases Derailing Australian Human Services' Sustainability Economic Paper 5 Numerous myths have emerged over time in relation to how the third or nonprofit sector operates, what its resources needs are and what it contributes to the community. In turn, these myths drive the development and pursuit of unfounded biases in public policy and practice. This paper highlights these myths, linking them to the biases they inform in policy targeted towards nonprofit human service organisations. The financial sustainability of non-profits and charities is under increasing threat as costs rise, labour shortages bite and demand and complexity of services increases exponentially. The Centre For Public Value UWA is responding to this challenge by presenting the Economic Paper Series. This series is made up of Economic Papers that are bite-sized pieces developed in non-economics speak and able to be readily digested by non-economists. Each paper focuses on a particular issue, problem or structural element related to the efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of the community services sector. Watch out for future Economics Papers on diverse topics. Paper: https://lnkd.in/gBnphpik Website: https://lnkd.in/gMB2AZJN #mythsandbiases #humanservices #humanservicessustainability #economicpaper Centre For Public Value UWA Ben Perks Clare Feenan UWA Public Policy Institute Han Wen Penny York Sumayyah Ahmad Paul Flatau Assoc. Prof. Paul J. Maginn

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Organ transplants are an economic issue. Too many New Zealanders go to the grave with valuable resources needed by others. As this article points out, our 2021 report Transforming Lives and Saving Money showed that as expensive as transplants are, they can still be cost-saving. But funding needs to be directed to support coordination and training, as well as procedures, and for deceased donation, potentially a different approach at a system level. https://lnkd.in/g4Bzfd3P

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📣 Important Background on Self-Directed Supports in the NDIS 🚨 The government is seeking input on a new regulatory model designed to uphold the rights of participants who self-direct their supports while ensuring visibility for the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. This builds on the Natalie Wade Taskforce recommendations for a new Self-Direction Registration Category, recognising self-direction as a legitimate and empowering alternative to traditional provider-led models. 📝 Background: The NDIS Review’s recommendation that all providers be registered faced strong opposition from the disability community. Many participants shared stories of inflexibility, restrictions, and abuse from registered providers, highlighting their preference for self-directed support systems they built themselves—systems they found safer, more sustainable, and higher in quality. Minister Bill Shorten established the Registration Taskforce to explore how to respect these voices while implementing the recommendation. The Taskforce, after extensive consultation, recognised self-direction as a vital, person-led approach to service delivery and recommended the creation of a Self-Direction Registration Category. 💡 Why This Matters: This is a chance to reshape service delivery, so that we can organise our supports on our terms. While self-direction may not suit everyone, it offers a vital alternative that empowers participants to be in control of our support and decide who comes into our homes. 🔍 Key Focus Areas for Feedback: Definition of self-directed supports Proposed obligations for registered self-directed participants Support from the NDIS 📌 Have Your Say: This consultation could pave the way for a more personalised and individualised NDIS. Be part of the conversation and help shape the future of self-directed supports. 👉 Read the consultation paper here:

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I'm so appalled by the recent reporting going on about Hymba Yumba, an independent Indigenous school in Qld. I'm not saying that our Indigenous institutions shouldn't be held accountable to community, however, I don't believe that the statements or the perspectives of the school or school leadership have been fairly shared or given voice. I also don't believe that the reporting is representative of every families experience at the school. I know this, because my own niece and nephew attend the school. There are issues in education that disproportionately impact Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people - deep, systemic and historical. Where was the coverage of these issues by Living Black when we released NIYEC's School Exclusion Project report? Instead they choose to launch a series of articles about an Indigenous-led school with actual Indigenous school leadership, that has been achieving really incredible outcomes for their students. This has been recognised by a recent Queensland Education Award. In the couple of articles I have seen there is repeated mention to the level of funding the school receives. $9million to service 296 children from prep-12 - that's just over $30,000 per student. For my friends in school leadership, isn't this pretty standard when you consider that the school has an ICSEA value of 750, and close to 90% Indigenous student population? At the end of the day, I believe in Indigenous-led schooling and I hope and encourage everyone to think critically about how the narrative of these articles have been shaped. I have linked the statement from the school below. https://lnkd.in/ehrHT4Hf

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After completing our response to the Australian Government's Department of Industry, Science and Resources consultation on Mandatory Guardrails for AI in High-Risk setting, ForHumanity's Team Australia is pleased to announce our latest effort to "examine, analyse, and mitigate downside risk associated with AI, Algorithmic, and Autonomous (AAA) Systems" by creating a certification scheme in support of Australia's Online Safety Act 2021. We will leverage ForHumanity's more than 7,000 existing risk controls, treatments, and mitigations for AAA Systems as well as our existing certification scheme for European's Digital Services Act and the UK's Children's Code, which are companion laws to Australia's Online Safety Act 2021. We invite all interested parties to join us starting October 10th at noon AEDT and we will meet weekly thereafter for 1 hr per week. We will rapidly produce the certification scheme for the future consideration of Julie Inman - Grant and her eSafety Commissioner team (Kelly T., Rocky Heckman). All are welcome to join our crowdsourced and transparent process by registering at the following link https://lnkd.in/eJT9M4yx or join Team Australia by registering for our slack community at https://lnkd.in/ercgnCjX ForHumanity supports an #infrastructureoftrust that comes from the application of Independent Audit of AI Systems (IAAIS). We create certification schemes and train individuals on those compliance criteria, seeking government endorsement or market adoption as appropriate. We know that proactive compliance with laws such as Online Safety occur when frequent independent audits are conducted by independent, third parties tasked with assuring compliance on behalf of society. Interested parties that should join these sessions include consultants and pre-audit compliance advisors, technology solution providers, auditors and concerned members of civil-society, especially experts in Online Safety. #aigovernance #onlinesafety #aiethics #independentaudit

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

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When crisis supports are in crisis: How can we support people experiencing homelessness when we are in a housing crisis? This is a question we attempted to answer at today’s Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) Australian Homelessness Conference in Adelaide. Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) brings together policy makers, practitioners, researchers and those with lived experience of homelessness to engage, learn and find solutions to some of the wicked problems facing our sector. I am privileged to have presented on a panel alongside Tameka Thompson (FGLF), Hutt St Centre; Laura Mahoney, Launch Housing, with Vicki Sutton from Melbourne City Mission who facilitated, where I discussed this question, in relation to Social Futures award-winning Tweed Assertive Outreach Program. In the midst of a housing crisis, supporting those experiencing homelessness is a challenge that specialist homelessness services face each day across Australia. And the ways we work to sustain hope and support, both for those people we assist and for our program workers, when it can seem like there is no solution, becomes critical if we are to continue moving forward. Consistent support, addressing health needs and connections to appropriate resources can make a difference for those people we assist. While genuine, transparent engagement along with strong personal boundaries is key to ensuring program workers can sustain this vital work.   Today we discussed the solutions needed from systemic changes and legislative reforms, to a focus on prevention, as well as the models which have proved most effective internationally. As large as the problem is, with more than 120,000 Australians homeless on any one night, what we must do is return to the story of each one. These are not statistics, or numbers. They are people, who deserve to be seen.  #AHURI #Homelessness #WeAreSocialFutures

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Exciting News! We’ve just launched our AI Assistant designed to support Councillors in navigating the complexities of Local Government and its associated legislation, rules, and norms. Partnering with an Australia-based company Tribemind https://tribemind.io/, we’ve transformed an idea into a fully functioning product in just a few months! Our AI tool is equipped with essential documents, including: - Local Government Act - Code of Conduct Guidelines - Our Governance Rules - Councillor Expense Policy - Councillor Induction Manual - Other relevant governance documents This purpose-built, secure AI assistant allows for natural language questions, and the results have exceeded our expectations! It’s here to empower elected members and staff to efficiently navigate new legislation, providing citations for further clarification and ensuring we stay informed. While we’ve been utilizing AI in specialized areas, we’re thrilled to open this tool to all our Councillors and will be rolling it out to staff in the coming weeks. Together, we’re embracing innovation to enhance our governance and decision-making processes! Here’s to a more informed and efficient future!

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One of the most important parts of my job is developing a strategy and charting a path forward to ensure the future Australian Centre for Disease Control is a data driven organisation. But what does this mean? We have a Prelimary Data Strategy that sets out 4 clear priorities for this work: 1. Building rapid and comprehensive data for actionable insights 2. Developing partnerships to enable good data governance 3. Delivering enhanced data to support health equity 4. Building public trust in the CDC’s use of data. Having the right rules and protections around how we collect, store, share and use data is a core part of this. Having access to the right data is essential to identify issues early and guide policy and program design for the people that need it. And having the capability to analyse and interpret the data is key. But as an Australian Government entity, probably the most important part is ensuring we are designing a CDC that has the public’s trust and confidence. This is why we are developing a framework for social licence and trust in data practices. As a self-professed former “not a data person” person, I’m really excited about this piece of work and proud of the team led by Lucy Farrell for leading this charge. Have your say at the associated page below 👇🏼 And check out a summary of our Preliminary Data Strategy on the website at https://lnkd.in/gqDTvCDT

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

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Deep inside the permafrost lies a doomsday vault holding the seeds of humanity. Only one person has taken them out https://ab.co/3yZl6cd The article highlights the escalating concerns around global food security, driven by the dual pressures of climate change and geopolitical conflicts, such as those in Ukraine and Israel-Gaza. Climate change exacerbates agricultural challenges through extreme weather events, while conflicts disrupt supply chains, leading to significant food shortages and price increases. This is relevant to Landcare NSW as it underscores the critical need for sustainable agricultural practices to mitigate climate impacts, strengthen local food system resilience, and enhance preparedness against global disruptions.

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An important survey to be part of to understand how much giving goes *directly* to First Nations organisations (rather than to organisations who in turn are working with and for First Nations people).

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The UPR draft outcome report with more 200 recommendations for Aotearoa/NZ to improve its Human Rights performance! #HumanRights #treatyrights #UNDRIP #IndigenousRights #EliminateRacism #inequality #climatejustice #ILO169 https://lnkd.in/gzbtRkuD

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Proud to be involved with a superannuation fund that understands long term investing requires a broader view than just market movements, it requires a prosperous and sustainable environment, economy and society. When our members retire with the best financial outcomes possible it should be into a world that matches their hopes and aspirations not one ravaged by climate change, not one where women are disproportionately disadvantaged, or where the food is inedible because it is all factory farmed, or where there are no places to walk because everything has had concrete poured over it and, in my view, most importantly their work paid into their super, their kids have decent employment and the workers their interact with can focus on their health, meals or transport without being distracted by whether or not their gigs for the month will be enough to pay the rent! Short term profiteering or executive bonus hunting that puts the future of our members at risk should not, and will not be, tolerated by us or any major investor. #superannuation #investments #TheFutureIsWhatWeMakeIt

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