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Consumer Family and Citizen Empowerment     NATIONAL UPDATE  Public policy and social innovation for empowerment
November Issue:     Editorial: 2010 election year     Anne Manne The politics of care     Susan Metcalfe Why are boatpeople talked about more than people with     brain injury?     Australia's million dollar disability advocate - Rhonda Galbally     Erik Leipoldt Why I oppose the National Disability Insurance Scheme     May 2010 Awakening the voice of families in services policy and politics     Brian Caldwell Education revolution fails the grade     Transforming Our Schools A national parent-teacher initiative     Just Stoelwinder Medicare choice? Insights from the Netherlands     Consumer-Centred Health Care National Conference 22-23 March 2010     Letter from Scotland Community empowerment - the real or fake variety?     Vern Hughes Whatever happened to the Third Sector?     Ian Dickie Health system held to ransom by a doctors' racket     Leadership Development Program for Families 2010 Intake     AGM Season 2009 Credit Union Australia - Are you a member?        Leadership and Capacity in Community Building April 21/22 2010     Volunteer  Three roles available with the Centre for Civil Society     Organising by Federal Electorate Become involved in your area     Events       Editorial:  2010 election year              Anne Manne is a Melbourne writer on feminism,     motherhood, child care, family policy and work, and has     just published a memoir of her childhood in Bendigo.     So This is Life. Scenes from a Country Childhood     explores a young girl's emerging sense of love and care in     a fragile poverty-bound household following a tumultuous     marriage breakdown.     Paul Collier is an Oxford-trained historian, now a     quadraplegic, caring for an elderly mother in Adelaide. In early November     Paul launched Dignity for Disability's campaign for political representation     in next year's South Australian state election. What does D4D want? Paul     says "More than half of the disability dollars in the SA budget are spent on     employee salaries, with a 33% increase in employees earning     more than $100K in 2009. With more than 4,500 staff we still     hear that people with disabilities are still not receiving basic     services and are not allowed to even shower more than twice a     week".     Both Anne and Paul are in a hurry. Both have spent many years following     the care trail and probing its dynamics. Anne's 2005 book Motherhood:     how should we care for our children? and her 2008 essay Love and     Money: the family and the free market generated two resounding and     unambiguous insights:     The first is that those who care for loved ones, at home and without     reward, constitute a kind of shadow poverty-based care economy.     The second is more profound and more radical in its implications: both     neo-liberalism and left/feminist managerialism require this shadow     care economy as a foundation for, and constituent component of,     their own projects.     As Anne puts it "In the neo-liberal era, the more you devolved care on to     others, the more you increased your competitive edge." Doing it yourself     meant taking yourself out of the world of work, recognition, status and     reward.     "The neo-liberal revolution, with its emphasis on employment for all and     competitive striving in the marketplace, occurred simultaneously with two     other significant social movements. The first was de-institutionalisation of     the mentally ill and the severely disabled. Care in the community is a     humane ideal, but it costs money and time. The second was the feminist     revolution; women joined the workforce in growing numbers.     Existing ideas of delivering care represent exhausted positions. The     conservative vision is nostalgic: female self-sacrifice in the private realm,     supporting men in the marketplace. Neo-liberals want women to work but     don't want to alter the workplace to help them do so. Their answer is to     transform care into a profitable commodity and sell it in the market. The     results are cheap-as-chips ABC Learning-style corporate care or a low-     waged, largely female servant class for the affluent."     For Anne and Paul, it is clear where this analysis leads: a new political     paradigm which places relationships and care at the centre, with the market     and state harnessed to support these relationships rather than undermine     them.     And they are equally clear about the political method required to achieve this     goal:     So let's imagine another ad. It is next year's election campaign. This time     the face is not a sleek master of the universe such as [Patrick] Dempsey     but a careworn one, the mother of a disabled child. She leads the     successful new Carers Party, now poised to hold the balance of power in the     Senate. She wants a New Deal for the care sector. The slogan is: "No one     giving or receiving care will live in poverty by 2015".         The time for analysis is over.     It's time to start organising.     Paul is determined that people with     disabilities and carers will be public     players in shaping the next South     Australian government.     Anne is determined to lead our march on the national stage from the     shadows to the balance of power.     With Tasmanian and South Australian state elections due in March 2010,     a Victorian state election in November, and a federal election likely between     July and September, Anne is keen to hear from  people wanting to get active     and make the difference.     CLICK HERE to tell us your views.      CLICK HERE to contact Anne.      Anne Manne  The politics of care         "In the L'Oreal ad for a men's skincare cream, television     star Patrick Dempsey represents neo-liberalism's ideal     type: the free individual who competes and wins in the     marketplace. He exudes sex, power and wealth. Even his     stubble looks expensive. In the closing frames he briefly     caresses a baby and gazes into the camera as he says:     "Because you are worth it." That phrase, reeking of     narcissism, self-obsession and entitlement in equal     measure, is an emblem of our age.     As Dempsey does his guy thing, the baby's carer remains invisible. That,     too, is symbolic of the neo-liberal era. Market work has become an     enchanted value. As one book's title put it, work is "better than sex".     Meanwhile the shadow care economy, on which the visible economy     depends, has become all but invisible...     Following the care trail, you quickly arrive at a whole terrain of inequality.     Close to a half-million Australians, for example, are primary carers for a     disabled person; that's the equivalent of the population of Tasmania. They     struggle desperately with hopelessly inadequate government assistance.     They are likelier to be poor. Nearly one-third of households containing a     person with a disability live on less than half the median income. In the great     race of unfettered capitalism, nice guys and gals, says feminist economist     Nancy Folbre ruefully, come last."     CLICK HERE to read the full text of this article.          Susan Metcalfe  Why are boatpeople talked about more than people     with brain injury?         "I support and advocate for asylum seekers and refugees.     I write about refugees and asylum seekers. But I don't     want to read in the news headlines every day about a few     desperate people coming on a boat as if it is a national     crisis. If we are going to have a heated debate about     anything can't we use our media space to focus on people     with disabilities, or brain injuries, or the state of hospitals,     or the needs of carers, and on the reasons why they are not getting the     attention they need?     Asylum seekers make easy targets for generalised community anger and for     desperate politicians. They make for a good stoush and easy headlines     for the media. The Liberal advisor whose "Digging Dirt" email was recently     reported in The Australian recommended stories worth pursuing as, "Fat cat     public servants not caring about taxpayers, pollies with snouts in the trough,     special interest groups getting undeserved handouts from tax taken from     hard-working Aussies, a favoured pro-Labor contractor who seems to be     getting all the work for a particular job etc."     I don't doubt that a minority will see this as yet another justification to     denigrate the needs of asylum seekers as less important than the problems     of people already in Australia. But it would be naïve to imagine that a     dialogue pitting one needy group against another would be beneficial to     anyone, or that it would solve any of the problems, or that it was logical. Just     think about how much our Governments must have spent over the past ten     years just managing the politics of a so called 'debate' about asylum     seekers."     CLICK HERE to read the full text of this article.       Australia's million dollar disability advocate - Rhonda Galbally     A mother and carer of a child with severe disabilities has done some     research using Freedom of Information and annual reports to produce some     figures on Australia's own million dollar disability advocate.     Rhonda Galbally is the default appointee by governments of both     persuasions for disability advisory roles. Default appointments save ministers     all the trouble of having to think carefully about what advice they might need     in a new portfolio. Known for her reliable service, Ms Galbally was quickly     appointed by Minister Bill Shorten to chair the federal government's Disability     and Carer Council.     Now you might think this role is a voluntary one, an opportunity to employ     one's skills in service of the community? No, managerialism has well and     truly buried that notion. People's time must be paid for - if you are an advisor     or manager (but not if you are a carer or person with a disability).     Ms Galbally's Allowances (the last three gigs)     Chair, Victorian Disability Advisory Council.     $40,000 per year for six years =  $240,000       Chair, Royal Women's Hospital     $60,000 per year for five years = $300,000     Chair, Federal Government's Disability and Carer Council     $50,000 per year for the first of six years = $300,000        Plus expenses and travel.     Note: these are but the most recent gigs. The full list extends back to the     1970s. And in this era of performance-based remuneration, what have the     outcomes been from this taxpayer-funded 'best practice' in the procurement     of disability advice?     CLICK HERE to tell us your views.        Erik Leipoldt  Why I oppose the National Disability Insurance Scheme         Erik Leipoldt acquired quadriplegia in 1978 - the     result of a diving accident. Since then he has been     active in disability advocacy at various levels as well     as in disability services in WA. He has a Ph.D. in     philosophy.     "There is now a proposal for a no-fault National Disability Insurance Scheme     (NDIS) on the table. It wants a public, tax payer levy like Medicare or     superannuation to pay for disability services and equipment for people with     disabilities, whether born with an impairment or acquired one as a result of     an accident. It says the results will be “transformational” for people with     disabilities and their families but the scheme will not provide income     support. And it says nothing about transforming disability services towards     meeting fundamental needs.  Just the same disability services we’re getting     now, but more of them, along the same lines of existing managerial service     ideology.     I oppose NDIS in its current form on several grounds. The main one is that     you cannot make mango juice out of a lemon. We don’t need more of the     same. We need something fundamentally different. Something based on the     meaning of Care, not industry-based competition. Some approach that     genuinely meets individual needs.     Secondly, in doing so we need to honestly and transparently separate the     budgetary needs of the disability industry and government Treasuries from     the human needs of the people that this is all for: people with disabilities -     and not let the first two ride over the third.     Lastly, we need to pause and acknowledge that a similar levy-based     scheme, called Medicare, has not so far led to an equitable, high quality,     needs-based health system. So why would NDIS?"     CLICK HERE to read the full text of this article.       May 2010  Awakening the voice of families in services policy and     politics         National Summit of Parents Families and Carers     Awakening the Voice of Families in Services Policy and Politics     Melbourne 24-25 May 2009      Call for Contributions     Papers and presentations are invited from parents, siblings and carers;     support agencies; service providers; policy makers; researchers,     governments and community leaders on parents, families and carers in     services, policy and politics in Australia.     Contributions are invited which address these themes in the following three     streams:     1. Policy analysis, case studies, innovation proposals or policy reform      proposals in the fields of: Health Education Welfare Disability, ageing and social support Child care Indigenous affairs Family and social relationships Community strengthening and civil society Person and family-centred funding arrangements Rights and responsibilities frameworks     2. Critical assessments of and prognoses for: Families and relationships with service providers Families and advocacy Families in research about families Families and governments Capacity and infrastructure for families Who speaks for families? Carers and families      3. Strategic perspectives on: Processes of empowerment of families and communities Processes of  public policy change Developing the public voice of families Shaping the public agenda Families and the political system     Expressions of interest in presenting a paper or workshop or display should     be forwarded, in no more than 300 words by 26 February 2010 to:     Vern Hughes     vern@civilsociety.org.au     Tel: 0425 722 890     Register Here         CLICK HERE for further information.     Brian Caldwell  Education revolution fails the grade               Brian Caldwell is one of Australia's leading reformers in     education. A former dean of education at the University of     Melbourne, Brian participated in our mid-year forums on     developing an agenda for an authentic education revolution.     "Finnish students top all international tests, New York's     charter schools have helped disadvantaged students succeed and England     has brilliant programs that allow specialist schools. But these are not     lessons the Rudd Government is heeding. The much-vaunted ''education     revolution'' is heading for failure because it has not adopted key strategies     that international experience tells us are important for success.     Most of what has been achieved has simply merged state and territory     bureaucracies into a single framework of decision-making that may     ultimately have no impact on how students learn. Australia may end up with     one of the most centralised and bureaucratically organised systems of     education in the world, with ministers left flailing for explanations as     performance flatlines and expectations are unfulfilled....     Barack Obama and his Administration are placing a high priority on the     creation of charter schools - publicly funded, no-fee, privately operated     schools - that are proving popular and effective in disadvantaged     communities. Gillard has backed the wrong horse in choosing school report     cards over charter schools."     CLICK HERE to read the full text of this article.            Transforming Our Schools  A national parent-teacher initiative     Transforming Our Schools grew out of ideas and insights generated in     forums in Sydney on 17th August 2009 and Melbourne on 18th August 2009.     It is a comprehensive approach to breaking the stalemate in education     reform in Australia. It begins with parents and teachers, and seeks political     and policy support for measures which empower grassroots people and drive     innovation towards a Real Education Revolution.     2010 is a federal election year, and we     plan to make Transforming Our Schools     a major part of the build up to the     election.     There are three components to     Transforming Our Schools:     Partners in Learning is a parent-school partnership model, directed to     schools, and oriented to school-based innovation;       The Parent Teacher Guarantee is directed to governments and MPs, and is     oriented to political campaigning;       Charter for a Real Education Revolution is a longer term vision and policy     direction statement.       Partners in Learning       This is a parent-school partnership model,     oriented to school-based innovation and     partnership with parents which is applicable     to every school in Australia. It is oriented to     parents at the school level who want to     partner with their school in shaping and     governing the design and culture of what their     school can offer to students and their parents.       The model based on four key features:       1. Groups of parents participating in Partners in Learning determine an     educational philosophy, culture and pedagogy that fits what they want for     their child, and this philosophy, culture and pedagogy are subject to a     process of negotiation and agreement with their school (there may be one     or more parent groups in each school);       2. Schools which embrace the Partners in Learning model undertake to form     a partnership with the participating parent group(s) to implement their     preferred approaches to learning;       3. Parents, teachers and administrators in Partners in Learning schools     undertake to manage the partnership in a collaborative manner, with     reciprocal rights and responsibilities;       4. Parents and teachers combine to select and appoint a non-parent, non-     teacher mentor for each child as an additional partner in each child's     learning.       Partners in Learning has a 5 step process based on the experience of     parents and teachers at Winters Flat Primary School in Victoria.     CLICK HERE for more information.     CLICK HERE to register your interest       The Parent Teacher Guarantee       The Parent-Teacher Guarantee is directed to governments, MPs, and     political players, and is oriented to campaigning by parents and teachers. It     is a campaign to get MPs, parties and governments to sign the guarantee.       Text of The Guarantee:       "In public office, I/We will support the introduction of the following measures     to guarantee a quantum leap in the quality of our schools:       1.Every child and student is entitled to a portable     Individual Learning Plan that will be accepted by     schools, teachers and specialist practitioners as a     foundation document and ongoing tool for the design     and management of each student's learning.       2. Every parent is entitled to negotiate with and enter     into partnerships with schools and other education     providers to shape and govern the educational philosophy, culture and     pedagogy that best fits their child.     3. Every parent is entitled to a student-centred funding entitlement for their     child and young person with a weighting for educational and socio-economic     disadvantage, rural and remote location, and disability or developmental     challenges, to give parents greater leverage in selecting an appropriate     school for their unique child and in negotiating with and forming partnerships     with schools and other education providers.       4. Every parent is entitled to an annual financial report from their school on     how their student-centred funding entitlement is spent.       5. Every parent and student is entitled to at least four certificate options to     mark the completion of their child's school education so that the choice of     an appropriate certificate is available to meet the needs of a diverse range of     students.       6. Every conscientious and talented teacher is entitled to ongoing public     investment in their skills, professional development and remuneration to     retain quality teachers in the profession and to attract the best and brightest     of each generation into the teaching profession.       7. Every teacher who is not suited to teaching is entitled to active support     from schools and education departments in exiting the teaching profession     without industrial relations agendas inhibiting their rapid movement out of the     profession.      8. Every parent and teacher is entitled to adequate resourcing, both financial    and human, in building partnerships that enhance the quality of learning for    each child.     9. Every student on reaching the age of 18 is entitled to a Lifelong Learning       Account, in which post-school education, training and further education and     community education funds may be held and retained for lifelong use as the     student chooses."     CLICK HERE to register your interest.      Charter for a Real Education Revolution       The Charter is a longer term vision and policy direction statement. It is not     intended for immediate campaign use, but for the development of a more     sophisticated and strategic public debate about school and education     reform.     CLICK HERE to read the full text of the Charter.     CLICK HERE to register your interest in Transforming Our Schools.     Revolution in Castlemaine Winters Flat Primary School       At Winters Flat Primary School in     Castlemaine in central Victoria, a group of     parents have begun a real 'Education     Revolution'. They have successfully negotiated     with a state school to introduce a stream of     education running parallel to the conventional     stream, characterised by a high level of     parental involvement in the classroom around     a negotiated curriculum and educational     philosophy. The Community Class at Winters     Flat Primary now has 75 kids in 3 classes.     Next year, the parent group will undertake the     same process as their kids move on to     secondary school.     The precedent has been set. Parents and     state schools can enter into partnerships to     shape our education system for the 21st     century.     CLICK HERE to register your interest in Transforming Our Schools.     Wanted A parent and teacher contact in every school         Your participation in Transforming Our     Schools is warmly invited. There are     many ways to become involved,  and     there is no cost.     Our goal is to have a parent contact in     every school in Australia, and a  teacher     contact in every school.     To register your participation, complete this online registration form.       Just Stoelwinder  Medicare choice? Insights from the Netherlands            Just Stoelwinder was born in the Netherlands and grew up in     Western Australia where he trained as a specialist     physician.  For 17 years he was the CEO of Melbourne's     Queen Victoria Medical Centre and the foundation CEO of     the Monash Medical Centre and Southern Health. He now     holds the Chair of Health Services Management, School of     Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University:     "The future design of the Australian health care system is under     consideration. Because Australia has a good health care system, one option      is to leave it as it is - just tweaking a bit at the margins.     Some people argue that there are stress points in public hospitals and argue     for a transfer of responsibilities from the States/Territories to the     Commonwealth, or a shift of financial support from private health insurance     into the public hospital system. Others see the complexity and     fragmentation of the system as a problem, especially for those with chronic     disease, and argue for pooling of all government funds to be     administered by regional or State/Territory bureaucracies.     These options would take us in the direction of a ‘national health scheme’     with its bureaucracy and politics - the current problems of State/Territory     health systems writ large. They do not deal with more fundamental     challenges facing health care, with its inevitable growth in demand and     supply, and the intergenerational issues ahead. If such a significant reform     is to be contemplated, it is important to look at other options.     The Netherlands, which spends about the same per capita on health as     Australia, has just implemented major reforms that aim to address     “durability, solidarity, choice, quality and efficiency” of their health care     system. If these are also our aspirations, can we learn from the Netherlands     system?     The essence of their reform is:     • to have full health insurance coverage for the population, but in such a way     that individuals have a direct appreciation of the overall cost of the health     care system by making identified premium payments;     • to create a competitive market between health insurers so that individuals     will have the choice to trade-off premium price, additional benefits and     service; and     • through a sophisticated risk equalisation arrangement, to create incentives     to reduce benefit outlays, including through chronic disease management.     In brief, the new Netherlands system:     • Is funded 50 per cent by an income related contribution (7.2 per cent of     salaries and 5.1 per cent of other income to a maximum of €31,231) paid     into a central fund, and a community rated nominal premium charged by     competing health insurance funds for those aged over 18. The Government     contributes to the central fund for those aged 18 and under and provides     low income earners an income related rebate to offset their nominal     premium.     • Consumers choose their fund once per year. Significant information     resources are provided to assist them in this choice.     • Funds receive a risk-adjusted payment from the central fund for each     member they enrol. This adjusts for chronic disease and socio-economic     risk factors so that insurance funds are incentivised to recruit all consumers     and engage in active purchasing of health services on their behalf.     Australia’s health care system could go in three broad directions:     • Incremental evolution of our current system – it has served us well,     however this will remain complex and fragmented with inevitable patchwork     initiatives to solve the inherent problems of managing chronic disease. It     does not position us to deal with the consequences of an ageing population,     the babyboomers, and the inevitable cost increases of health care     technology – all burdens that will have to be resolved within the political     system.     • A move towards a ‘national health scheme’ – this is advocated by many     ‘reformists’ who would like to see more funding for public hospitals, less     support of private health insurance, and integration of public care and     funding at the Federal, State/Territory or some new regional health authority     level.     The conceptual model for this approach is the National Health Service (NHS)     in the United Kingdom. This might integrate the public health care services     but would fail to link the private system, unless the intention is to abolish     that altogether. It would mean that operational and policy issues would be     drawn into the political/bureaucratic framework with a dominance of special     interests in a process of adversarial politics – the dynamics that have been     evident in State/Territory health care politics and policy on issues such as     waiting lists, Emergency Department demand and problems of safety and     quality. These would be writ large in a further move in this policy direction.     • A move to a consumer choice model – such as has been articulated in     this report, learning from the Netherlands experience.     The relative issues associated with these three strategic directions are     summarised in this table:         Incremental reform of current system  Move towards a ‘national health scheme’  Medicare Choice     Coverage of Medicare mandate All All All     Linkage of public and private funding No Public only Yes     Linkage of public and private providing No/some No/some Yes     Incentives for prevention and chronic disease management Possible through incremental initiatives On public side only Yes     Choice Yes Less  More     Rationing Political at policy and operational level with and some market Political/ bureaucratic at policy and operational level Market at operational level and some political at policy level     Consumer involvement in durability of the system Indirect Depends on political leadership Indirect Depends on political leadership Direct on insurance market place         Such a scheme (Medicare Choice) could be implemented in Australia,     based on the principles outlined by Richard Scotton a decade ago. [See     Scotton R. Managed competition: the policy context. Melbourne Institute     Working Paper No. 15/99. 1999. Available here and Managed competition in     health care. Productivity Commission Workshop 2002. Available here.]     The benefits of such a reform would be to link both public and private     financing and create incentives for prevention and chronic disease     management. It would give consumers choice and flexibility in trade-offs     between price and benefits in the short term. It would give them a direct     stake in the long-term durability of the system by making explicit the growth     in its cost through the price of their chosen health insurance product...."     CLICK HERE to read the full text of this article.            Consumer-Centred Health Care National Conference 22-23 March 2010     Melbourne 22-23 March 2010     Angliss Conference Centre     This national conference over two days will explore the emerging agenda of     consumer-centred health care.         Key themes include:     Commonwealth reform initiatives: driving change     Organising and empowering health consumers     Medicare Select: opt-in health plans     Self-care and self-management in heath     Consumer-directed aged care     Consumer-centred innovation in mental health     Consumer-centred innovation in drug and alcohol rehabilitation     Consumer-centred systems     Consumer-centred funding arrangements     Chronic illness consolidated budgets     Capitation-based payment systems     Health brokers, care co-ordinators, health infomediaries     Community engagement in health reform     Partnerships between practitioners and consumers       CLICK HERE to contribute a paper or presentation.     CLICK HERE to register.      CLICK HERE for more information.       Letter from Scotland  Community empowerment - the real or fake     variety?     Laurence Demarco is an Italian Scot who runs the Scottish Social     Entrepreneurs Network (SENScot) and is perhaps the world's foremost     networker and correspondent. Laurence will provider regular despatches from     the Northern Hemisphere to remind us, if we needed reminding, that the     world is a very small place indeed.         "Both Labour and the Tories told us this week that they want to decentralise     the delivery of state services - devolve them to mutuals and communities.     As someone who spent my working life promoting this policy, I feel I'm     allowed a rueful smile.  Do they really think it's that simple?  In the late     1990s - based on the success of Bromley by Bow - Labour set up 250     healthy living centres. Over 80% no longer exist.  Community empowerment     cannot be delivered top down.  It needs to take root among local people -     and this takes years. Labour Councils, all across Scotland's central belt, all     but wiped out a whole generation of community leadership - and they did it     deliberately.  Now it seems their model is bankrupt.      The Trade Union campaign UNITE has alleged that city greed is creeping     into the Third Sector - re-igniting the debate about how much the top guns in     our big charities should be paid. Some entrepreneurs in the Social     Enterprise world face to the Private Sector - aspiring to acquisitions and     mergers and expanding emprises (with commensurate salaries). Other     entrepreneurs face towards our poorest communities and citizens - attuned     to the reality of deprivation. These are different worlds - a clash of cultures.     The small Housing Association with 200 units, serving its own community, is     taken over - then merged again into a major conglomerate with thousands of     houses - the CEO now earns six figures but the community has lost its     anchor organisation. Government policy of course favours fewer, bigger     'single interfaces'."     CLICK HERE to read more.        Vern Hughes  Whatever happened to the Third Sector?            "In 1908, residents in Altona, then an outer suburb of     Melbourne, created a Bush Nursing Hospital in their     community, funded by subscription from their own     pockets. In 1960, the Victorian Health Department     absorbed the small hospital into the public system     (that seemed like good public practice at the time).     In 1996, the Kennett Government tried to sell the     hospital site to property developers (even as a survey     was dutifully being conducted on local health needs     by a lowly Departmental official).     But deep in the psyche of the older residents were some residual memories:     beds and equipment bought with donations from locals did, perhaps, belong     in Altona; something funded by subscription shouldn’t easily be dismantled     and the assets transferred to the other side of Port Phillip Bay.      In 1999, Altona residents signed a contract (through an old-fashioned co-op     they cobbled together) to purchase the hospital and site for redevelopment     as a health and community centre, through a mix of commercial loans,     corporate support, philanthropic investment, and yes, a local subscription."     CLICK HERE to read the full text of this article.        Ian Dickie  Health system held to ransom by a doctors' racket         Ian Hickie is Executive Director of the Brain and Mind     Research Institute at the University of Sydney.     "Throughout the 1980s most other Australian industries     were forced to abandon old restrictive work practices and     compete on the world market. While this was very     traumatic for many businesses and some communities, it     was generally agreed that it was a necessary process to     ensure our long-term national wealth and quality of life.     Sadly, as a consequence of doctors flexing their industrial muscle, the     health sector escaped microeconomic reform.     Even though the Rudd Government is now talking tough about substantial     changes to the health system, its recent skirmishes with the medical     establishment do not suggest that it has yet come to terms with the scale of     the problem. Although the Productivity Commission has repeatedly drawn     attention to this highly distorted market and the Australian Competition and     Consumer Commission has challenged the ways in which our royal colleges     (and other professional associations) control both training and specialist     qualifications, essentially we remain a closed shop....     This monopoly operates across the whole medical sector but is particularly     fierce in the areas of specialist services. Rather than be held to ransom     once again, the Federal Government should act on behalf of all Australians     and welcome well-qualified doctors from throughout the world. Australian     doctors may then prove a little less willing to threaten walk-outs on the     public system and the current round of health reforms may stand a more     robust chance of real success."     CLICK HERE to read the full text of this article.       Leadership Development Program for Families 2010 Intake        Applications are invited for participants in the     2010 Leadership Development Program for     Families.     The Program runs from February 2010 to     November 2010.        This is a leadership development program for     families (parents/siblings) who meet four     criteria:       1. have a family member with challenges (disability, mental illness, chronic     illness, aged frailty, addictions, etc);       2. are searching for living solutions for their loved one in social support,     accommodation, meaningful paid or voluntary work, or financial security;     3. have experienced obstacles, frustration, and powerlessness along the     way; and       4. want to play a leadership role in assisting other families in developing     solutions, through both public policy change and social innovation.       Participants are required to nominate two key challenges that they are facing     at the start of the program, and each group will participate in a shared     search for solutions to these challenges as they move through the year.       The program will consist of:       1. Three residential weekends for visioning, learning and skill development;       2. One three day tour of arrangements/models;     3. Online learning program with a focus on key case studies and models;     4. Shared group input into two nominated challenges facing the participants     over the course of the 10 months; and     5.Occasional forums, dinners and meetings.     Diane Gow from Melbourne is the Program Director.     Di has worked in the disability field for 35 years, and is     passionate about family support and empowerment, social     inclusion and community building. She has worked in the     UK and Australia in planning person and family-centred     solutions to the challenges facing families with loved ones     who have complex issues. She has three sons and a foster child.     An online registration form is available here.     CLICK HERE for more information.     AGM Season 2009: Credit Union Australia - Are you a member?     Credit Union Australia (CUA) is     the country's largest credit union     with 400,000 members and     $7billion in assets.     Unfortunately, it is a credit union     in name only.     Nowhere is the loss of identity in our mutual sector more transparent than in     CUA. It has no vision beyond growth by gobbling up small credit unions. Its     board members collect a $60,000 annual directors fee for having no vision     and no agenda.     It's board excludes would-be reformers by declaring any board nomination it     doesn't like to be not a 'fit and proper person'. Vern Hughes was the sole     nominee this year, but his nomination was vetoed. Barry Pound had his     nomination vetoed last year.     As the regulator of credit unions, APRA has it all wrong. It has a heavy touch     in imposing onerous compliance costs on small co-ops, and has a light     touch in allowing rogue boards to get away with ripping out member     democracy.     We'd like to hear from readers around Australia who are part of CUA's     400,000 members. We reckon 400 members could organise to push through     the necessary constitutional and other changes.     400 members is 0.1% of the membership. We want to hear from you.     CLICK HERE to register if you are a member.     And if you know of other members, forward them this registration form so we     can begin the task to winning back our credit union.     CLICK HERE for more information on our campaign to reclaim our     community organisations..        Leadership and Capacity in Community Building     This national conference on 21/22 April 2010 aims to     deepen the community building agenda across     Australia and build the capacity and leadership of     community builders.     Call for contributions     Contributions are invited in the form of papers, workshops, presentations or     displays on the following topics:   Leadership in community building Mentoring, training and skill development in community building Overseas trends and developments Infrastructure support for community building Community building with people with disabilities Funding reform in community building New forms of community for seniors Critiques of top-down models     Contributions should be forwarded by 31 January 2010 by email or hard     copy (not exceeding 300 words) to:     Vern Hughes     Conference Convenor     vern@civilsociety.org.au     PO Box 159 Yarraville Vic 3013     Tel: 0425 722 890     Register Here     CLICK HERE for further information.     The July 2009 National Conference on Natural Neighbourhoods, Real     Communities adopted a number of initiatives for national development and     coordination of key community building strategies. These include: Street by Street Neighbourhood Power Circles of Support  Key Ring Supported Living Networks The Sharehood Neighbourhood Cultural Exchange     CLICK HERE to participate in the Community     Building National Network. There is no cost.     CLICK HERE for information on the Community Building National Network.       Volunteer  Three roles available with the Centre for Civil Society     The Centre for Civil Society is experiencing huge growth in the scope and     scale of its activities. If you are looking for a volunteer role that is     intellectually stimulating and practically challenging, we want to hear from     you.     We have three roles for which we are seeking to appoint volunteers.     Applicants are invited from all states and territories, for varying time     commitments. Events Organiser - assisting in the organisation of forums and conferences Writer - mentoring and support is available in writing news and opinion pieces on various topics which fit the Centre's agenda Administrative Assistant - assisting in various administrative, financial and database management tasks     If you have an interest in any of these roles, please send a CV and the     names of 3 referees along with a covering letter on your interest in the work     of the Centre to Liz Stewart.       Organising by Federal Electorate     CLICK HERE to register in your electorate     (there is no cost).     On registering, participants will be connected     to an online forum in their electorate, and will receive access to resources     and guidelines for local activity.     CLICK HERE for more information.      Events            March 22-23 2010: Consumer-Centred Health     Care: Policy, Innovation and Empowerment     National Conference Melbourne.       April 21-22: Leadership and Capacity in     Community Building     National Conference Melbourne.     May 24-25: Awakening the Voice of Families in     Services Policy and Politics     National Summit of Parents Families and Carers Melbourne.    This message notifies you of news, events, publications and opinions from the Centre for Civil Society, a not-for-profit non-party political think tank leading an empowerment agenda for ordinary people in Australia. Unsubscribe:  If you no longer wish to receive this update, simply reply to this email with 'unsubscribe' in the text or subject line. Centre for Civil Society  http:www.civilsociety.org.au PO Box 159 Yarraville Vic 3013	THE CENTRE FOR CIVIL SOCIETY We are the only think tank in Australia committed to a wide-ranging agenda of empowerment of ordinary people and strengthening of civil society. .   Visit our Website NOTE THE DATE Consumer-Centred Health Care:  Policy Innovation Empowerment National  Conference MARCH 22-23 2010 Melbourne NOTE THE DATE   MAKING IT PERSONAL Charles Leadbeater, Jamie Bartlett and Niamh Gallagher have authored this highly influential Demos Report on Self-Directed Services and Personal Budgets. This small publication is set have a lasting impact on social policy debate for many years to come. Charlie Leadbeater Click here to read Making It Personal.       NOW AVAILABLE: Click here to purchase this book. $26.95         NOW AVAILABLE: For purchases, contact Audra Kunciunas Tel 03 9878 3477 Email admin@cra.org.au         NOW AVAILABLE: Click here to purchase this book. $15.95   LEFT AND RIGHT? "The Left and Right have been as bad as each other. The Left has allowed its distrust of markets and endless faith in government to obscure the importance of civil society. The Right has been so focused on replacing the state with markets that it has forgotten how to cultivate a trusting society. This is the politics of the absurd. The Left identifies with the good society but rarely talks about the mutualism and trust between people. The Right recognises the importance of moral obligation but gives the impression of trusting market transactions more than civil society." Mark Latham, Mutualism: A Third Way for Australia," 1999. CLICK HERE to read more.          NOW AVAILABLE: Click here to purchase this book. $29.95         NOW AVAILABLE: Click here to purchase this book.       NOW AVAILABLE: Click here to purchase this book. $29.95     SURVEYS   If you are the proprietor of a small business, please send us your thoughts on how we can support small businesses through our  SMALL BUSINESS SURVEY If you are caring for a family member at home who has an illness or disability or aged frailty, please click here to participate in our  Family CarERS SURVEY.            RESPECT EMPOWER INCLUDE  brings together people in each federal electorate (150 electorates around Australia) to work locally in engaging our communities and our  representatives in an agenda of respect, empowerment and inclusion. CLICK HERE to join us         FACTS & FIGURES: MENTAL ILLNESS IN AUSTRALIA, 2007-08 THE number of Australians reporting long-term mental and behavioural problems has risen by 200,000 in the past three years. Figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics yesterday show a 9 per cent jump in the prevalence of mental ill health between 2004-05 and 2007-08, to 2.3 million from 2.1million. The number of Australians popping pills and potions for depression, anxiety and insomnia has skyrocketed over the same period. The proportion of people using prescription drugs, herbal supplements or vitamins for mental wellbeing almost doubled from 19per cent to 37 per cent. Of those on medication, antidepressants (72 per cent), sleeping pills (27 per cent) and anti-anxiety medicines (23 per cent) were the most frequently used drugs among adults, the latest National Health Survey found. Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics,4363.0.55.001 2009. CLICK HERE for the full report.          NO CLUE...                   "The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has developed all sorts of facsimiles of Downing Street-style "strategic policy", "joined-up government" capabilities. The Blairite social policy revolutions that largely failed are being regurgitated by a new generation of policy wonks who have no clue about how social change happens in the real world." Noel Pearson Click here to read more.         CORPORATE WELFARE WATCH Latest Handout Tally $6.2b handout to car-makers $2b Commercial property construction industry $3.9b Free emission permits to coal-fired electricity generators $2b Car dealer finance guarantee $149m GMH 4 cylinder car CLICK HERE for further information.            RESPECT EMPOWER INCLUDE  brings together people in each federal electorate (150 electorates around Australia) to work locally in engaging our communities and our  representatives in an agenda of empowerment of ordinary people. CLICK HERE to join us     NOTE THE DATE Leadership and Capacity in Community Building National  Conference   APRIL 21-22 2010 Melbourne     The User Generated State: Public Services 2.0 Charles Leadbeater and Hilary Cottam have written this stimulating report on reinventing public services by using the participation principles underlying Web 2.0 Charlie Leadbeater Click here to read The User Generated State. Public Services 2.0