Advocacy – Polio Australia

Polio Australia is continually looking for opportunities to advocate for polio survivors in Australia on a broad scale. We have also developed some resources that may assist you to access advocacy services on an individual level: Disability Services or Migrant Services.

The advocacy work of Polio Australia is done through:

Systemic advocacy: we seek to influence and/or change a ‘system’. This includes legislation, government policy and community attitudes for issues experienced by people living with polio.

Collaborative advocacy: we work collaboratively with other organisations which represent individuals who experience similar health issues and/or challenges to people living with polio (e.g. multiple sclerosis and motor neurone disease). We work together to increase the voice and profile of advocacy for people living with polio. Examples of our collaborations can be found on our affiliates page.

Current Advocacy

Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety: We are currently preparing a submission to the Commission on behalf of all polio survivors, and encourage individuals to make a submission.
ATOP (Assistive Technology for Older People) Alliance: We are currently working with this Alliance to advocate for a national streamlined approach to assistive technology for people over 65 years old. We are currently contributing to a joint submission to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
Neurological Alliance Australia: We are currently working with this Alliance to advocate for people living with a neurological condition. We are currently contributing to a joint submission to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

Current Submissions

2019

Letter to Senator the Hon. Anne Ruston on National Disability Strategy Review
Shaping the future of disability policy for 2020 and beyond survey (copy of this survey submission is not available)
Submission to MyAgedCare on Streamlined Consumer Assessment for Aged Care
Commitments For The 2019 Federal Election (as part of Neurological Alliance Australia)
Submission to the Terms Of Reference for the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability (copy of this submission is not available)

Government Lobbying

Polio Australia has been intensively lobbying the Federal government since 2009. This has been largely thanks to Polio Australia’s National Patron and pro-bono Government Lobbyist, Dr John Tierney OAM, a previous Senator for NSW. View some of the key initiatives achieved in these pages, or click here to see other campaigns and meetings.

Parliamentary Patrons

Polio Australia is privileged to have five Parliamentary Patrons. Their bi-partisan support for our cause is vital as we endeavour to seek Federal funding for best-practice services for polio survivors across Australia.

Parliamentary Friends of Polio Survivors Friendship Group

This Group helps to raise awareness with Members of Parliament and the wider community about the issues relating to polio survivors.

Roundtable Forum on the Late Effects of Polio / Post-Polio Syndrome

In 2012 representatives from Polio Australia and State Polio Networks participated in this Roundtable Forum conducted by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health and Ageing.