I've had a number of friends asking me for more information about the new paid parental leave scheme.

I've found the following link useful:

http://www.familyassist.gov.au/publications/paid-parental-leave-information-for-parents/index.html

Letter to the Sydney Morning Herald following the article: http://www.smh.com.au/national/disabled-apartheid-to-end-20100314-q677.html

The new laws regarding minimum access requirements for new buildings do not go far enough. With pre-existing buildings remaining inaccessible, basic amenities (such as toilets) unusable and transport impossible, how can we expect disabled people to live a full life in our society? The cost of our inaction is far greater to the Australian economy than the cost of removing the barriers for participation of disabled people. Shame on us for allowing such discrimination to persist.

Disabled have rights - The Age

Published letter in The Age 15 January 2010


Disabled have rights

YESTERDAY morning my mother, who is in a wheelchair, waited for more than an hour for a bus to take her to work. Numerous buses went past but none were low-floor buses. She had rung the Melbourne Bus Link the previous night warning them she was coming, to which they promised a low-floor bus.
Countless phone calls later a low-floor bus finally arrived. The driver looked at my mother in disdain because he had to lower a ramp for her. When are we going to demand equal access for the disabled? When will our prejudices change?

Catherine Brooks, Port Melbourne