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2015 ANNUAL REPORT Speech Pathology Australia
Submissions
A key focus of the Association’s policy and advocacy activity in
2015 was making submissions to a range of Federal and State
Government inquiries and consultative processes. This activity
included over 17 written submissions on a diverse range of
issues, including:
• University of Canberra Public Hospital, ACT Government,
December 2015
• Private Health Insurance Review, Australian Government
Department of Health, December 2015
• MBS Review Taskforce, Australian Government Department
of Health, November 2015
• Review of Program for Students with Disabilities, Victorian
Government, October 2015
• Development of My Health Record Education and Training
Package, Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association,
October 2015
1 Strategic Imperative
INFLUENCE
1.1 Speech Pathology Australia (SPA) is
the leading organisation for policy-relevant
information and data regarding communication
and swallowing disorders.
1.2 SPA influences policy that has a direct
impact, or a potential future impact on speech
pathology professional practice.
1.3 SPA influences positive societal change
in relation to communication and swallowing
disorders.
Policy and Advocacy
Across 2015 more than 30 executive level meetings with
Federal and State/Territory parliamentarians, department
officials and advocacy groups were conducted. While many
meetings directly related to the Senate Community Affairs
References Committee Inquiry into the “Prevalence of
different speech, language and communication disorders
and speech pathology services in Australia”, other meetings
also focused on specific federal and state based advocacy
areas including disability (NDIS), aged care, justice, mental
health, and students with disability in schools.
Certain advocacy highlights include:
• Meetings with Senators, Federal and Shadow Ministers
and advisors across health, education, disability, aged
care, and mental health.
• Select Committee on Access to the South Australian
Education System for Students with Disabilities,
Legislative Council of South Australia, September 2015
• Senate Inquiry into current levels of access and
attainment for students with disability in the school
system, and the impact on students and their families
associated with inadequate levels of support, Senate
Education and Employment Reference Committee,
September 2015
• Parliamentary Inquiry into Chronic Disease Prevention
and Management, Standing Committee on Health,
August 2015
• ACT Students with Complex Needs and Challenging
Behaviour, Australian Capital Territory Government, July
2015
• Early Childhood Intervention National Guidelines, Early
Childhood Intervention Association, July 2015
• Inquiry into End of Life Choices, Victorian Parliament’s
Legal and Social Issues Committee, July 2015
• Inquiry into the violence, abuse and neglect against
people with disability in institutional and residential
settings, Senate Community Affairs References
Committee, June 2015
• Electronic Health Records and Healthcare Identifiers:
Legislation Discussion Paper, Australian Government
Department of Health, June 2015
• Review of the Disability Standards for Education 2005,
Australian Government Department of Education, May
2015
• Draft Clinical Guidelines for Dementia, NHMRC
Partnership on Dealing with Dementia and Related
Functional Decline in Older People (CDPC), May 2015
• NDIS Quality and Safety Framework, National Disability
Insurance Agency, April 2015
• Commonwealth Home Support Programme Manual and
Good Practice Guide Consultation Feedback, Australian
Government Department of Social Services, April 2015
• NDIS Assistance Technology Equipment Discussion
Paper, National Disability Insurance Agency, February
2015.
Speech Pathology Australia Chief Executive Officer Gail Mulcair, SPA Director Tim
Kittel, Diana Bleby, SPA National President Gaenor Dixon, Jenny Moody and The
Hon. Kelly Vincent.