NAPWA

As part of the Australian Government’s review of the Disability Support Pension, an Advisory Committee was established in April 2010. Since then there has been national consultation and analysis across the community based sector to support the development of reasonable and equitable Impairment Assessment Tables that best recognise people needing disability support, and that are appropriate for a wide range of illnesses and disabilities.

NAPWA, in collaboration with member organisations, and other HIV sector partners including AFAOAustralian Federation of AIDS Organisations. AFAO is the peak non-government organisation representing Australia's community-based response to HIV/AIDS. AFAO's work includes education, policy, advocacy and international projects. , has been working across the policy and community sector alliances to contribute to this lobbying and analysis on behalf of people living with HIV, and provide input to the work of the Advisory Committee and the Departmental processes. The final report of the Advisory Committee was released in June 2011.

In July 2011 the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs conducted a review of the Disability Support Pension Impairment Tables and the proposed legislative changes and submissions were accepted to 19 September. NAPWA and AFAO collaborated on a joint submission which was finalised to submit to the Committee Secretary by the NAPWA office.

On the 21 November, the NAPWA secretariat was made aware that the formal NAPWA / AFAO submission had been mistakenly sent to the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and not submitted to the Senate Standing Committee for this review.

NAPWA has apologised to its partner organisation AFAO for this error, and also apologises to the many plhivPerson (or people) Living with HIV. This term is now preferred over the older PLWHA. constituents who were involved in the work and input provided to form the basis of the submission content and case studies used as illustration.

NAPWA would also like to acknowledge the ACON Health, and the Australian Injecting and Illicit Drug Users League National Network submissions that were received by the Committee and which referred to the joint NAPWA / AFAO submission, at least enabling some of our content and work to have been formally referenced and noted in this process.

On 21 November 2011 Jenny Macklin, Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs announced the passing of the new legislation through Parliament which approved new Impairment tables for assessment of people’s eligibility for the Disability Support Pension.

As we approach January 2012 - when the new Impairment tables are introduced, NAPWA will continue to work with our HIV sector partners, and through our membership roles within the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations and the Australian Council of Social Services to monitor the implementation of the new Impairment Tables, and the other range of reforms across the Centrelink and Disability Employment Services systems, to support fair and equitable outcomes for Disability Support recipients.