Media Release by The Hon Jane Prentice MP

Disability support for conferences

The Federal Government will spend $313,000 to help people with disability take part in conferences across the country.

Grants of up to $10,000 have been awarded to 33 organisations under the National Disability Conference Initiative (NDCI).

The Hon Jane Prentice, Assistant Minister for Social Services and Disability Services, said the initiative is an example of the Australian Government’s aim to create inclusive and accessible communities. 

“The National Disability Conference Initiative grants will assist people with disability to participate in conferences about important issues affecting their social participation and overall wellbeing,” Mrs Prentice said.

The grants can be used to assist with the costs of conference fees, accommodation and domestic travel for people with disability and their carers.

Services such as Auslan interpreters live captioning services, hearing loops, note-takers for people who are deaf and hearing impaired, and conference materials in a range of alternative formats such as Braille or larger font can also be covered.

The National Disability Conference Initiative also promotes the principles of the National Disability Strategy 2010-2020.

Organisations receiving National Disability Conference Initiative funding to support the inclusion of people with disability in conferences during 2017-18 are:

  • Action for More Independence & Dignity in Accommodation
  • Albinism Fellowship of Australia
  • Alzheimer’s Australia VIC
  • Arts Access Australia
  • Attendant Care Industry Association (Australia).
  • Aus Docc
  • Australasian Society for Intellectual Disability
  • Australian Sign Language Interpreters Association
  • Autism Association of Western Australia
  • Autism Spectrum Australia (ASPECT)
  • Belonging Matters
  • Blind Alliance Australia
  • Blind Citizens Australia
  • Brain Injury Australia
  • Charge Syndrome Association of Australasia
  • CHI.L.D The Association for Childhood Language and Related Disorders
  • Children and Young People with Disability Australia
  • Community Mental Health Australia
  • Disability Employment Australia
  • IDEAS Information on Disability Education Awareness Services.
  • Metabolic Dietary Disorders Association
  • Motor Neurone Disease Australia
  • Multiple Sclerosis Australia
  • National Disability Services
  • Osteogenesis Imperfecta Society of Australia (Brittle Bones)
  • People with Disability Australia
  • People with Multiple Sclerosis (Vic)
  • Round Table for Information Access for People with Print Disabilities
  • Sailability New South Wales.
  • Short Statured People of Australia
  • Speak Out Association Of Tasmania
  • The Immune Deficiency Foundation of Australia
  • Tuberous Sclerosis Australia