Update to National e-Bulletin

May 13 2010

Dear [FirstName],

I want to start this e-bulletin by saying how proud I am to be a social worker and to have members who, when push comes to shove, stand up and fight for what they believe in.

The phones have rung all day, with members shocked, saddened, and angry by the decision to remove our services from (Better Access) Medicare funding. I am still trying to answer all the emails from members offering specific information to assist the arguments we are making.

We have had a wonderful, spirited response from our members who are busily calling, emailing and visiting their local members. Many, who have already done this, want to know what else they can do. There is plenty to do now, please read below.

What you can do now

Write to your Federal MP if you haven’t yet done so. This is absolutely vital, as your letters make it easier for me to make appointments to see them in Canberra. Here's a reminder of the suggested text.

Write to Tanya Plibersik, Minister for Housing and the Office of the Status of Women. I spoke to Tanya today about the impact of a decision of this nature on access to services by women who have experienced trauma and about the fact that the bulk of members working under better access are women. It hasn’t really occurred to people that your livelihoods will be affected. This government says it cares about economic sustainability for women so ask Tanya to get involved. Men, don’t let this hold you back either.

Contact your local radio stations and newspapers. Talkback radio is always a good way to get involved, you don’t need to be an expert in media and communications to pick up the phone and say what you think. Politicians monitor talkback so it’s not simply a way to get things off your chest.

Call your local ABC radio and tell them about the problem. Ask to speak to the producer of the morning or afternoon or drive program. Send them the link to our media release. This is particularly effective outside the big cities. Members in SA have already succeeded in getting me an interview on ABC in the Riverland tomorrow morning. Thanks! I'll be on at 8.45 your time, I'm told.

Pick up the phone to your politicians and make an appointment. You can find out who your Federal MP is here. If you’ve already written, once you get a response you can follow up with a visit. They care what their local residents care about, even in the safest of safe seats. Ask them to raise your concerns with the Minister for Health and Ageing. Please be polite and respectful; however upset and angry we feel inside, we are representing the profession.

A couple of members are creating a facebook page and you can also share ideas, concerns, support each other and hear from the staff there. You need a facebook account to participate but that is free, all you need is an email address. The staff will put the link on the front page of our website as soon as it is completed.

Tomorrow (Friday) morning, we’ll create a members’ forum on the website where you can share your ideas, concerns and suggestions with other members. If you log in to the members’ section you’ll find the forum easily.

Network with colleagues and former colleagues about this. Get them to take action too. Forward this email, send them links to the facebook page.

What we’ve done today

Yesterday we issued a media release and wrote to Nicola Roxon and the Department. Today we embarked on a campaign to have the decision overturned. I need you to play your role in this campaign, to the best of your abilities, as it will take a sustained effort from all of us to succeed.

I was at a briefing at Parliament house today on the women’s budget and was then able raise our concerns with Minister for the Status of Women, Tanya Plibersek and ALP Senators Claire Moore and Jan McLucas. I followed this up with a visit to the office of Greens Senator Rachel Siewert and ALP Senator and Minister for Social Inclusion Ursula Stephens. Senator Siewert spent considerable time discussing the issues with us, as did Senator Stephens’s senior advisor. Today also included conversations with advisors for Senator Bob Brown (Australian Greens). It’s usually a lengthy process to arrange time with these parliamentarians, so this was a real coup.

This morning I did an interview on ABC Radio, and a mental health social worker was also interviewed for the program. I was delighted that Rod Wellington CEO for Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health (SARRAH) also spoke and supported our concerns. There are more interviews scheduled.

We are drafting a letter for sign off by a number of partner organizations who are also incensed about the government’s decision. If you are employed by a non-Government organisation, put the letter in front of your CEO and ask them to contact us to discuss it.

Australian of the Year Professor Pat McGorry wrote an opinion for the ABC website which said “The scarce workforce available to work in headspace sites has been also threatened in this budget through the exclusion of occupational therapists and social workers from MBS support. Many regional and rural headspace centres would struggle without access to these skilled workers.”

Today we have also asked Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA) to put out a press release condemning the action by the government. I have been monitoring the responses and there is wide support so I expect it will go out tomorrow.

I have also spoken to the Deputy Chair of Families Australia and the CEO of OT Australia. We will put out a joint press release early next week with OT Australia.

Tonight I have had an inspiring conversation with one of our members and Acting Deputy CEO of the Adelaide Northern Division of General Practice. The Division has today written to the Minister for Health and Ageing and a range of Ministers, department heads and partner organisations supporting our concerns. We will be quoting from their release and you can find it in its entirety on our website. They are happy for it to be quoted from or used with appropriate acknowledgement. I urge you to read it.

Stay in touch with these e-bulletins and the website as a way to keep up to date with developments and how you can get involved.

We’ve started down the path towards overturning this decision and there is a long way to go. I’ll get you another e-bulletin update tomorrow evening.

Kind regards
Kandie

Kandie Allen-Kelly
BSocWk MPhil MAASW (Acc)

Chief Executive Officer
Australian Association of Social Workers
P.O. Box 4956
Kingston ACT 2604
Tel: +61 2 6270 7203
Membership: 1800 630 124
ceo@aasw.asn.au
www.aasw.asn.au