News and information

Before supports can be funded in the NDIS, they need to meet the reasonable and necessary criteria. So what's reasonable and necessary? We explain here.

Whether it’s motorised mobility aids, Apple’s accessibility features, eye-gaze technology or even more simple things like kettle tippers, grab-sticks or flashing doorbells, there’s no doubt that technology can make life easier, and increase your independence, if you have a disability. But what about other aspects of life?

We might not have the hoverboard from Back to the Future and the flying cars from The Jetsons have yet to zoom in, but technology is opening up access in ways we wouldn’t have dreamed of in previous generations. In Apple products alone, there are tonnes of accessibility options designed to support people with disability, from vision impairment, hearing loss and deafness, through to mobility limitations and cognitive impairment.

In theory, being connected to the internet gives you access to virtually unlimited information (credible and not so credible), products from all over the world, services, courses, videos and much much more. But often websites are developed without considering that many members of our community live with disability and have different needs when it comes to accessing digital sources.

Voting – it’s how you have your say about who you want to represent you in local, state/territory or federal politics. You have the right to vote and your vote counts, so it’s important you’re prepared well before election day. It’s compulsory that everyone who’s eligible enrols to vote and votes on election day (or through another means). It’s also important to be enrolled well before an election so you’re eligible to vote when the time comes.

A new role has been created in South Australia to reframe autism as an opportunity, rather than a disability, with the state government introducing a national-first Assistant Minister for Autism. Emily Bourke, who is also Assistant Minister to the Premier of South Australia, Peter Malinauskas, has been appointed to the role.