QDN e-News Video January 2023 Week 4 Instructions for downloading the video transcript Open the video in YouTube. Click on ‘More Options’ (three dots below the video on the right-hand side). Select ‘Open Transcript’ from the drop-down menu that appears. Once you click ‘Open Transcript’, copy and paste all the lines of text to an editor of your choice to have a complete transcript that you can edit. Welcome back to another edition of the QDN e-News.   The Digital Inclusion program is up and ... Read More

    Queenslanders with disability invited to apply for 2023 QDN Emerging Leaders program Participation and leadership for all people of all abilities is the focus of QDN’s Emerging Leaders program, with applications for the 2023 program now open. QDN Chairperson Dr Sharon Boyce said the program aims to nurture individual, peer and community leaders across Queensland. “I am extremely proud to launch the 2023 QDN Emerging Leaders program and strongly encourage Queenslanders with ... Read More

QDN e-News Video January 2023 Week 2 Instruction on how to download the video transcript. Log into YouTube and open the video. Click on More Options (three dots below the video). Select the Open Transcript option from the drop-down menu. Once you click Open Transcript, copy and paste all the lines of text that appear to an editor of your choice to have a complete transcript that you can edit. Happy New Years to all our members and supporters, we hope you’ve all enjoyed the festive period and ... Read More

Nothing about us without us: Talking accessibility this World Braille Day Caption: Brendon Donohue at the Brisbane ‘Stand with us!’ rally in March 2021 Have you ever noticed little raised dots at traffic lights, on ATMs, or elevator buttons, and wondered what they are? Small but mighty, these little bumps are known as Braille, a complex language that some people who are blind or have low vision use in their daily lives. Braille is a tactile language (tactical means being able to touch), people ... Read More

QDN e-News Video December 2022 Week 3   To have access to the video transcript follow the instructions below.   Log into YouTube and open the video. Click on More Options (three dots below the video). Select the Open Transcript option from the drop-down menu. Once you click Open Transcript, copy and paste all the lines of text that appear to an editor of your choice to have a complete transcript that you can edit. Christmas and New year’s public holidays QDN will be closed over ... Read More

New and Improved housing support for Queenslanders On 20th October 2022, the Premier convened the Queensland Housing Summit (the Summit). The Summit followed the Queensland Housing Roundtable on 16th September 2022 and was attended by 40 non‑government and government stakeholders. The Summit brought together almost 200 attendees, including people with lived experience of housing need, frontline service providers, housing industry and local government associations, and professional peak bodies ... Read More

QDN e-News Video December 2022 Week 1 JOINT STANDING COMMITTEE ON THE NATIONAL DISABILITY INSURANCE SCHEME Opportunity to provide a statement to the committee at a hearing 21 October 2022 The Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) intends to hold public hearings in late 2022 and February/March 2023 in relation to the inquiry into the Capability and Culture of the NDIA. The committee is particularly interested in hearing from individuals with lived ... Read More

QDN e-News Video November 2022 Week 2 New Board elected at AGM. QDN held its Annual General Meeting on Saturday 29 October 2022, attended by members in person and online. The election was held, and the following four people have been elected to QDN’s Board of Directors Des Ryan Gary Matthews Nerine Williams Dr Talitha Kingsmill You can read more information about each of the elected directors here in the bios as meet the nominees that is up on the website https://qdn.org.au/meet-your-nominees/ ... Read More

Taxi Subsidy Scheme and Lift Payment The Taxi Subsidy Scheme (TSS) subsidises taxi travel—half of the total fare, up to a maximum of $30 per trip—for people with severe disabilities. TSS pays half the value of a member’s taxi fare, up to a maximum fare of $60. There is no limit on the number of taxi journeys a member may take to attract the subsidy. The subsidy is paid to taxi drivers—members have no additional costs. TSS membership lasts for a maximum of 5 years. To extend your ... Read More

QDN e-News Video October 2022 Week 3 NDIS review announced We encourage our members to stay up to date, sign up to get the latest news and updates on the NDIS Review. nvest in and empower people with disability by supporting them to achieve their goals and participate in the community and economy. CHANGES TO COVID-19 Isolation In breaking news mandatory COVID-19 isolation, it’s not longer mandatory to self-isolate at home since last Friday, 14 October 2022. It is important to keep ... Read More

QDN e-News Video October 2022 Week 1 COVID-19 CHANGES TO VACINATION AND ISOLATION Vaccination Recently, there have been three key changes to Queensland Health’s public health directions. Workers in most healthcare settings, including disability support services, are no longer required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to be able to work. This excludes those providing support services in shared disability accommodation with 4 or more residents and those working in residential aged care. An ... Read More

  GIVIT for Digital Inclusion Brisbane City Council has recently announced that Brisbane City Council Libraries are accepting donations of digital devices for not-for-profit organisation GIVIT to contribute to Digital Inclusion Project alongside Queenslanders with Disability Network (QDN). QDN’s Digital Inclusion program assists people living with disability with the support of the Digital Champions, community members living with a disability to help bridge the digital divide, and keeping ... Read More

Jeni Lewington – QBlogger Hi, I’m Jeni Lewington. I’m a freelance editor and I live in an over 50s resort called in Park Ridge, which is in the Logan City Council (LCC) area of southeast Queensland. I’m also a person living with a disability and, while at home I use a walker to get around, out on the streets I use an electric wheelchair. I also can’t speak so I use an app on my phone called Speech Assistant, and I use the National Relay Service (NRS) to make calls. In this blog article, ... Read More

Karene Gavener – QBlogger Hello everyone, My name is Karene Gravener and I live in very sunny Townsville. Townsville is a great city, with many beautiful places to visit, Reef HQ, The Strand, the Museum of Tropical Queensland… and for an eight-kilometre ferry ride, you can make it to Magnetic Island; a wonder all on its own. Unfortunately, though, people with disabilities don’t have the opportunity to enjoy this city in the way that others might. One of the main reasons for ... Read More

  Wayne Maitland Cairns Peer Support Group Why did you join QDN? I want to make a difference . I wanted to have an impact and use my previous work and life experience to help others speak out and make a difference. QDN enables me to do just that around the issues that impact people with disability. What has been good about becoming part of the group? Being part of something bigger, friendship, being out in the community and being able to communicate with others and share issues or ideas on ... Read More