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Advocacy
Keeping Cool Survey Policy Implications Report
A new report has been released incorporating public policy related results and recommendations from the Keeping Cool Survey: Air Conditioner Use by Australians with MS. This research is vital to resourcing work being done throughout Australia to help ensure that people who have heat intolerant conditions such as MS, and especially those on low incomes, are able to access assistance to help them cover the costs of keeping cool on hot days and hot nights. As can be seen in this report, people with MS spend approximately 10 times more to run their air conditioners to keep cool than the average Australian household does.
Also, making sure that people who have to run their air conditioners more than most are also able to minimise their costs and environmental impacts by using new and efficient air conditioners, and have minor home modifications done to make their homes energy efficient will also require people with MS, MS Societies, communities, air conditioner manufacturers and retailers, and government at all levels to work together.
MS Australia's response to the federal budget announcement
MS Australia Federal Budget and Policy Issues Statement for 2009-2010
MS Australia has sought a range of initiatives to assist people with MS and their families in its 2008 Federal Budget submission. The submission addresses 4 main themes, Research, Employment and Financial Security, Health and Lifetime Care.
The submission details specific programs that need to be supported, including:
- Increased funding for MS research
- Increased employment flexibility and support to improve job retention and job seeking for people with MS and their family caregivers
- More effort required to keep young people out of nursing homes
- Stronger community support programs
- Universal disability insurance to provide more complete and accessible lifetime care
- Strengthened aids and equipment programs
Read the Federal Budget and Policy Issues Statement.
Federal Parliamentary inquiry - Better Support for Carers. Submissions due 4th July
A new Inquiry has been announced by the House of Representatives Committee on Family, Community, Housing and Youth looking at the system of carer support in Australia. The inquiry is focusing on social and economic participation and the practical measures need to better support carers in their role. The MS Society will make a submission, however this is a great opportunity for carers and families to tell the inquiry their own ideas for improvements that come from direct experience of caring for a person with MS. Read the Inquiry Media release.
We have prepared a brief guide for families wanting to make a submitting to the inquiry. Read more.
Keeping Cool Campaign
Keeping cool on hot days and nights is essential for people with MS. The Policy Team is working on improving State Government assistance for people with MS on low incomes to pay the costs of running their air conditioners on hot days and nights.
WA already has an excellent scheme – the Thermoregulatory Dysfunction Subsidy Scheme puts $335 annually into the pockets of people on low incomes with significant heat intolerance problems.
Victoria likewise already had a concession scheme – the MS Summer Concession, which provided a 17.5% discount on summer (Dec, Jan & Feb) electricity bills for those on low incomes (typically those with pension or healthcare cards or DVA gold cards).
There are no dedicated medical cooling concessions available in other states, and over the next couple of years campaigns will be run to help address this gap.
In late 2007 the Policy Team launched a campaign to improve Victoria’s MS Summer Concession, which was only contributing an average of $20 of assistance. As part of this campaign a Discussion Paper and a Budget Submission were developed. This campaign was incredibly successful, with annual expenditure projected to expand from $120,000 to $625,000. As part of the new Victorian Budget it was announced that the concession would be expanded from 3 months to 6 months (it now includes Nov, March & April). The concession has also been renamed the "Medical Cooling Concession", to make it clearer to people with heat intolerance arising from conditions other than MS that they might also be eligible.
In March 2008 a "Keeping Cool" campaign was also launched in NSW. In August 2008 MS Australia ACT/NSW/VIC launched the Keeping Cool: Discussion Paper for a NSW Medical Cooling Energy Rebate. It is estimated that on average people with MS in NSW spend between $250-300 annually running their air conditioners to keep cool. We are campaigning for a rebate of between $125-150 annually for people on low incomes with heat intolerance. If you want to write a letter to a state politician or participate in the campaign in other ways, please contact Dr Michael Summers, Senior Policy Advisor, 03 9845 2730, msummers@mssociety.com.au
Campaigns are also underway in Queensland and South Australia, and similar campaigns will be run in the ACT and Tasmania next year.
View the Discussion Paper NSW Medical Cooling Energy Rebate Aug 2008
MS Australia's response to the Discussion Paper on National Standards
Download National Employment Standards Discussion Paper
Download MS Australia's Response
MS Australia has sought a range of initiatives to assist people with MS and their families in its 2008 Federal Budget submission. The submission addresses 4 main themes, Research, Employment and Financial Security, Health and Lifetime Care.
The submission details specific programs that need to be supported. It includes:
- Better support in the workplace, including job retention programs and work based personal care.
- A range of MS research projects coordinated by MS Research Australia.
- Broader access to non PBS medications.
- Reform of the Welfare to Work regime to improve eligibility for the Disability Support Pension for people with progressive conditions.
- Improved Government coordination in the provision of respite and other lifetime care services and to implement a dedicated continuous care program for people with MS and similar conditions.
Download the Budget Submission (Executive Summary)
Download the Budget Submission (Complete Submission)
Have you got any questions about Centrelink's benefits?
People with MS and carers who are in receipt of Centrelink or family tax benefit need good information in their dealings with Centrelink and this information is not easy to find.
The National Welfare Rights Network (NWRN) has compiled a comprehensive set of fact sheets dealing with all aspects of Centrelink benefits and processes, including appeals.
Click here to be transferred to the NWRN website page that lists the available fact sheets by subject an benefit.
The NWRN is a network of services throughout Australia that provides free and independent information, advice and representation to individuals about Social Security law and its administration through Centrelink.
The NWRN consists of both specialist community legal centres and services as well as individual advocates who are based in generalist community legal centres.
NWRN member organisations are located in each capital city in Australia and in four regional centres. They are completely independent of Centrelink and all government departments.
