Media Release by Senator the Hon Nigel Scullion

Funding to extend disability advocacy services

Minister for Community Services Senator Nigel Scullion today announced up to $600,000 to expand individual disability advocacy services in rural and remote areas following a review which highlighted the need for more advocacy services in non-metropolitan Australia.

‘A recent review of the National Disability Advocacy Program (NDAP) found that, while it is a valuable and much needed program, individual advocacy services needed to be extended in rural and regional areas, particularly in New South Wales, Western Australia and Queensland.

‘To address this need, services operating in these states were invited to apply for additional funding, enabling them to expand their advocacy assistance to rural and remote areas.

‘As a result, I am pleased to announce eleven services have been approved for additional funding, with negotiations still under way with a further five services.

‘Following findings in the NDAP review, 30 smaller advocacy services will each receive a grant of up to $4,500 to upgrade equipment or undertake staff training.

‘Further funding of up to $172,000 will be shared between Action on Disability with Ethnic Communities, Melbourne and Side by Side Advocacy, Sydney to expand their existing services following the closure of two services in those cities in late 2006.

‘Disability advocacy services play a vital role in supporting people with disability and the Australian Government will continue to support these valuable services,’ Senator Scullion said.

Approved additional funding to provide individual advocacy services

New South Wales

  • Citizen Advocacy Northwest Inc
  • Side by Side Advocacy Inc
  • Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association Inc
  • Newell Advocacy Inc
  • Disability Advocacy Service – Hunter Inc

Queensland

  • Independent Advocacy in the Tropics Inc
  • Rights In Action Inc

Western Australia

  • Advocacy South West Inc
  • Ethnic Disability Advocacy Centre Inc
  • People with Disabilities (WA) Inc
  • Sussex Street Community Law Service Inc

Approved funding to ensure continuation of services

New South Wales

  • Side by Side Advocacy Inc

Victoria

  • Action on Disability with Ethnic Communities

Approved funding to purchase equipment and training

Australian Capital Territory

  • ADACAS

New South Wales

  • Brain Injury Association of NSW Inc
  • Citizen Advocacy Northwest Inc
  • Side By Side Advocacy Inc
  • Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association Inc
  • Newell Advocacy Inc

Northern Territory

  • Darwin Community Legal Service
  • Disability Advocacy Service Inc

Queensland

  • Sunshine Coast Citizen Advocacy Programme Inc

South Australia

  • Brain Injury Network of South Australia Inc

Tasmania

  • Advocacy Tasmania Inc

Victoria

  • AMIDA
  • Citizen Advocacy Inner East Inc
  • Citizen Advocacy Sunbury and Districts Inc
  • Colac Citizen Advocacy Program Inc
  • Disability Rights and Advocacy Service Barwon Region
  • Gippsland Citizen Advocacy Inc
  • Gippsland Disability Resource Council Inc
  • Grampians disAbility Advocacy Association Inc
  • North East Citizen Advocacy Inc
  • Southern Citizen Advocacy Inc
  • Southwest Advocacy Association Inc
  • Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council Inc

Western Australia

  • Advocacy South West Inc
  • Citizen Advocacy Perth West Inc.
  • Ethnic Disability Advocacy Centre Inc.
  • Midland Information, Debt & Legal Advocacy Service Inc
  • People with Disabilities (WA) Inc.
  • Sussex Street Community Law Service Inc
  • The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Perth