VOTE YES – AASW Annual General Meeting

The 2018 Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held in Perth on Friday, 9 November at 5.00pm.

The AGM represents the culmination of the important Constitutional Review Project – and it’s your chance to vote YES to these important changes.

Voting YES will ensure your voice is heard and that you have a say in shaping the future of your Association.  

These changes are designed to bring us up to date with contemporary Governance principles, ensuring the Association can provide you with the support and services you need.

Vote YES via proxy if you cannot attend in person.  To ensure your Vote is cast, nominate the Chairperson, National President Christine Craik, as your proxy. This is the surest way of making your vote counts, as your proxy must be in attendance at the AGM.

Send your proxy to the Company Secretary geoff.bennett@aasw.asn.au, by 8.00pm AEDT on Wednesday 7 November.

Proxy vote forms are available here.

To review the draft Constitution, click here.

Watch AASW National President Christine Craik's video here. 

	AASW WA Branch Trauma Informed Care Symposium

AASW’s WA Branch is hosting the 'Trauma Informed Care Symposium: Structuring recovery, creating healing spaces' on 9 November 2018, featuring three respected thought leaders in their field speaking on the day: Dr Alicia Boccellari, Christine Craik and Dr Ann O’Neill.

For more information and to register, please visit our website.

	Social policy & advocacy

Submissions in progress

• Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Bill
• Australian Law Reform Commission – Family Law Review
• National Women's Health Strategy 2020-30

The social policy team welcomes input from members who have expertise in these topics. Please contact the social policy team at social.policy@aasw.asn.au.

Visit the social policy webpage to read AASW submissions.

Outcomes from submissions

AASW has been invited to attend a hearing for the Inquiry into Intergenerational Welfare Dependence in Melbourne on 7 November.

Advocacy and liaison with MPs

Social work registration progress

Following a meeting between Cindy Smith and Dr Michael Gardner, senior advisor to Health Minister Greg Hunt, we have also written to the Minister requesting that the issue of registration of social workers be raised again at COAG.

We are seeking meetings with State Greens MPs around Australia to discuss the introduction of the Registration of Social Work Bill by Greens Senator Tammy Franks in South Australia, and to gain their support for similar actions in their jurisdiction.

Meetings sought:

• Health Minister Greg Hunt to discuss budget announcements for funding for mental health supports for older people in residential aged care and in the community, and the Medicare Benefits Scheme Review.
• We are seeking a meeting Ken Wyatt, Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, on the budget announcements for funding for mental health supports for older people in residential aged care and in the community, and the Aged Care Royal Commission.
• Paul Fletcher, new Minister for Families and Social Services.
• Linda Burney, new Shadow Minister for Families and Social Services.

National Mental Health Reform

AASW sits on the National Mental Health Reform Stakeholder Reference Group, convened by the Department of Health. Issues discussed at the meeting in September included:

• My Health Record
• Updates on the mental health services commissioned through PHNs, including services for older people
• Measures announced to support communities affected by drought
• Mental health measures announced in the last federal budget
• Mental Health Workforce issues.

Mental Health Australia

AASW is a member of Mental Health Australia and Social Policy and Advocacy manager Debra Parnell meets regularly with the CEO, Frank Quinlan, and senior policy staff. They recently discussed a project they are undertaking on Improving health service pathways to the NDIS for people with psychosocial disability. MHA will work with AASW to consult our members who work in the health system about initiatives that will assist them to help their clients to have a better NDIS access experience.  We will provide more information about this opportunity in the coming weeks.

Allied Health Professionals Australia (AHPA)

Social Policy and Advocacy work closely with AHPA and the professional associations that make up the Alliance, including participating on several working groups.

Debra Parnell attended the AHPA forum in Canberra, at which several meetings were scheduled with key Department of Health representatives, and MPs and their advisors, including:

• Dr Alison Morehead, First Assistant Secretary Primary Care and Mental Health
• Louise Riley, Director Primary Care, Dental & Palliative Care
• Tony Zappia (Shadow Minister for Medicare)
• Trent Tolra, Senior Advisor for Disability – Paul Fletcher, Minister for Social Services.
• Julie Collins, Shadow Minister for Aged Care and Mental Health.

These meetings provided the opportunity to advocate for the allied health professions in relation to:

• The Medicare Review and future developments under Medicare Benefits Schedule
• Workforce issues under NDIS
• PHN commissioning processes and impact on access to allied health services and providers
• Aged care and mental health inquiries.

CPD opportunity: women, ageing and disadvantage webcast

The Seniors Rights Service will be holding a symposium on women, ageing and disadvantage.

The live webcast will be broadcast at 9:45am om Wednesday 28 November.

More details are available at Seniors Rights Service.

	South Australian Branch office move

The AASW South Australian Branch has moved offices. The new address is Dementia Australia, 27 Conyngham Street, Glenside, South Australia, 5065. All other contact details remain unchanged. 

	Contribute to your profession - participate in research

Conducting and participating in research are key professional development activities and can be counted towards your annual CPD. If you participate in any of the research activities listed below, you can record this as a Category 3 activity (Professional Identity) in your online CPD record.

For more information and to participate, see our website.

	Specialist legal resources and advice for the community sector

Not-for-Profit Law is free or low cost practical legal help for not-for-profit community organisations.  NFP Law is a program of Justice Connect, which is  a community legal service and is a not-for-profit community organisation and registered charity.

Access online resources for the community sector. 

	Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Awareness Week: 11-17 November 2018

PANDA Week was established in 2005 to increase the community’s understanding of perinatal mental illness and to reduce stigma.

‘I Wish I Knew’ is the 2018 theme. PANDA will be sharing real ‘I wish I knew’ stories and information to show that this illness is serious and complex but that it is also temporary and treatable. You can access the PANDA digital toolkit to show your support and raise awareness on social media.

	Advertise with us

Have you considered advertising in the National e-Bulletin? Do you have a product, event or service relevant to social workers? For more information on how to advertise, see our advertising form.