Today, on International Women’s Day, PDA’s SA Associate Director Krystal Matthews’ NDIS story has just been shared.
“There are a lot of different issues that affect women with disabilities and there are a lot of particular issues that affect parents who have disabilities.
It’s not easy, it’s not easy for anyone to be a mother, but the fact of me having a disability does not make me a bad mother.”
Today is International Women’s Day – a day for women (and men) worldwide to combine voices and share the message of equal rights for women.
Everyone has the right to be recognised equally without distinction or discrimination of any kind.
“Women’s rights are human rights!”
This very important day highlights the celebration of all women, in all their diversities – embracing all facets and intersections of faith, race, ethnicity, gender or sexual identity or disability.
Today is a celebration of all women who came before us, those with whom we now stand united and for those who will follow us.
Throughout history, women have come together to protest against the injustices they’ve faced, to support other women and to advocate for their rights and equality.
Since the establishment of International Women’s Day on the 8th March 1975, women have used this day of recognition to come together in solidarity to celebrate the achievements of women and to step on the discrimination, harassment and systemic barriers to equality and truly untethered success.
Written by and starring Melanie Hawkes (and her dog Upton)
Growing up with three younger brothers, my parents were busy all the time. I either had to learn to do things for myself, or wait a while for someone to help me – not ideal. With hands like mine, sometimes it was a challenge to find ways to do things, but it has made me more independent. There’s no better feeling than being able to achieve something previously thought impossible.
I only have the ability to bend my little finger on each hand, but can grip things between some fingers as well. Tasks I can do include feed myself with ordinary cutlery, write, type, knit, cross-stitch and prune my bonsais with scissors. What I can’t do with one hand I can usually do with the other, and if not, I use my teeth. ** Disclaimer: don’t try this at home. I look after my teeth by flossing and brushing every day and regularly visiting my dentist. **
Here are some videos of me doing some everyday tasks. It might be slow and frustrating to watch, but I am proud that I can do these things when nobody is around to ask for help.
Melanie Hawkes, her sweet tooth and unwrapping a mintie.
Melanie Hawkes and how she writes with a pen.
Melanie Hawkes, her dog Upton and treat time.
Melanie Hawkes and her front-opening face mask.
There is one thing I wish I could do myself: put my own mask on. As I can’t reach behind my ears I have to get people to put it on for me. The solution? I pinned one to my hat, so when I slide my hat on, it comes on too. Or, if I have to wear it all day at work, I wear this mask that my awesome support person Amy made for me. It has a flap that I can open and close in order to eat and drink! And at the end of the day I can pull it off with my stick.
With elections looming this year and with accessibility to vote further challenged by COVID-19, PDA is interested to hear about issues that you have personally faced in previous elections – whether at a polling station, early voting centre, via telephone, postal or AEC voting.
We encourage you all to participate in our short survey so that we can ensure that all members of the community have equal access to the political process.
We recently heard the story about an Australian man who found himself in a considerable financial predicament following the interstate purchase of a modified wheelchair vehicle.
It’s a sad story that we wanted to share with you to encourage you to do your research and take care when making a purchase.
Whilst this particular case is more a case of lack of due diligence, it highlights the importance of knowing all the facts before committing to buying something – particularly big ticket items.
John (name changed) was in need of a wheelchair accessible vehicle. Unable to find something suitable locally, he did what so many of us do and looked online. Using a reputable, popular and respectable online car sales website John found his perfect car – in his price range, with his needed modifications and with the added assurance of it having been owned by a state health department – albeit not in his state.
Happy with his decision, John bought the vehicle and arranged for it to be shipped through to him.
When it arrived John went to transfer the registration to his home state and to sort out his insurance – and this is where his nightmare began.
It is important to note that each state and territory in Australia has its own unique rules and regulations when it comes to registering a vehicle transferred from interstate.
It is also worth knowing that if you buy from a private seller, protections such as cooling-off periods and statutory warranties do not apply. With this being the case, it is crucial that you thoroughly research the car, have it inspected (whether by yourself, a trusted local contact or an independent inspector) and find out what rules/regulations/expectations/requirements apply to interstate vehicle registrations before you buy.
CarsGuide has a helpful article on purchasing a vehicle from another state (https://www.carsguide.com.au/car-advice/buying-a-car-interstate-how-to-purchase-a-vehicle-from-another-state-80480), HOWEVER, it is important that you are fully informed on your state’s rules PRIOR TO COMMITTING TO A PURCHASE. We encourage you to speak to the Department of Motor Vehicles in your state.
In John’s case, whilst the car was sold in good faith and as advertised by the seller, the associated paperwork relating to the modifications was incorrect. Recorded as a 7 seater, rather than the modified 4 seater, the vehicle could not be registered locally without accurate paperwork. In an added twist to the story, when chasing up this discrepancy with the interstate engineer who had approved the modifications, it was discovered that he’d passed away and so could not correct his paperwork.
To have the required inspections and anticipated corrective work done to meet his state’s vehicle standards and specifications, John was informed that associated costs would be considerable and outside of his financial capabilities. Selling locally in its existing state as a non-registrable vehicle would mean huge losses to John.
The Office of Fair Trading could not help as it was simply a case of buyer error.
So sadly John learnt the hard way that due diligence is essential.
Please ensure that you are fully informed and have done your research before you make a purchase – particularly those with a high dollar value.
Let me take you back in time to the middle of 2021, and please forgive me with timeline, I am old, and I sometimes forget things.
By the end of May, all the reports were lodged with the NDIA by my OT and PM. I then had to wait while they were looked at, dissected, discussed, and according to the Delegate, LOST. You can imagine how that went down with me. I wasn’t impressed at all. My OT had to upload the Complex Home Modification Request (CHM) again, adding yet more wait time.
In the middle of October, yes, five months later, I received a phone call from yet another Delegate telling me that I needed to upload the OT CHM again, as they “couldn’t find it on the system” Well, you can imagine how that went down with me, so I insisted that the Delegate send me this request by email in accordance with my NDIS File stating that I only want contact by email.
The email arrived, and I immediately replied to it, stating that I knew that the document was on the system, and I called the Delegate out. I also copied my reply to NDIA CEO Martin Hoffman, NDIA WA State Manager Ed Duncan and his Associate Manager Nathan Hills.
Now bear in mind, this has been ongoing now for 2.3 years. About 30 minutes later I received a phone call from Ed Duncan, wanting to know what was going on. I explained the situation to him, an lo and behold, 6 hours later a new plan dropped into my email, complete with all the funding required to complete the home modifications.
The build began in early November, with me and my wife moving into the backroom of our son’s house for the next 2.5 months.
I had to modify a few things with the design and placement of things as we went along, but overall, I now have a fully accessible house, complete with wide doorways throughout, ramps to the front and back doors, completely redesigned bathroom and laundry, new carport and a fully electric gate to access the back of the house.
As I close out this chapter, I implore you to keep on with gaining access to funding for home modifications. Stick to your plan, research, and know what you want, but mostly, don’t take no for an answer. YOU’VE GOT THIS.
BEFORE PHOTO
DURING PHOTOS
I will follow this up with a VLOG walk through to show the final product.
So you’ve managed to get hold of rapid antigen test and you’ve tested positive for COVID.
So what do you do now?
IMMEDIATELY ISOLATE.
Call the National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 020 080 for information about how to look after yourself when you are sick with COVID-19.
DO NOT CALL 000 for an ambulance UNLESS YOU NEED EMERGENCY SERVICES. Resources are being unnecessarily stretched with a reported half of ambulance call-outs being made by COVID-19 patients not requiring emergency services.
Most people with COVID experience no symptoms (asymptomatic) or mild symptoms which can be managed with over-the-counter medication. Rest, drink lots of water and eat well.
However, please call 000 immediately if you develop severe symptoms such as:
difficulty breathing
oxygen levels less than 92% (when tested with a pulse oximeter)
blue lips or face
pain or pressure in the chest
cold and clammy, or pale and mottled, skin
fainting or collapsing
being confused
becoming difficult to wake up
little or no urine output
coughing up blood.
For help on a State/territory basis (including information, resources and links for more support for people with COVID-19, including when you can leave isolation), go to:
If you think that you may have COVID symptoms or suspect that you may have been exposed to COVID, please do not enter pharmacies, supermarkets or other retail outlets.
Instead please go to a testing clinic or have a family member/friend get you a test and deliver it safely to you.
With rapid antigen tests stocks becoming more readily available at supermarkets and pharmacies in the coming days and weeks, access to home testing will improve.
