DisabiliTea wrap: Ipswich

Ipswich DisabiliTea afternoon was organised by Queenslanders with Disability Network (QDN Ipswich Regional Facilitators Peter & Linda Tully) with the support of Ipswich City Council Seniors & Disabilities Community Development Officer (Karri Browne) and Carers Queensland Ipswich Regional Carer Services Officer (Alex Galea).

See more photos and stories from Tuesday’s DisabiliTea on Facebook.

Over 40 people who work in the Ipswich area supporting people with disabilities plus some of their clients attended.

They were addressed by Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale (supported by Councillor Sheila Ireland & Councillor Andrew Antoniolli) and QDN Ipswich Regional Facilitators Peter & Linda Tully.  Speakers included Alex Galea from Carers Queensland Ipswich (Regional Carer Services Officer) and Jane Geltch from the National Disability Services Policy Officer for Queensland.

At the Ipswich DisabiliTea afternoon, Mayor Paul Pisasale spoke on the important of Council members actively listening to the community.  He emphasized ‘people power’ of individuals and groups as the catalyst to working with people and families where there is a member with a disability.

Paul also emphasized that Ipswich City Council and the people power of local people in the Ipswich area “are big enough to make a difference and small enough to care”.  Peter Tully then spoke on the voice the QDN is for people with disabilities in the Ipswich area by working with Ipswich Council.  This is via the Ipswich Access Reference Group shared by Councillor Sheila Ireland plus the Ipswich Disability Interagency Network shared by Karri Browne.

Alex Galea covered what difference services are offered by Carers Queensland Ipswich in the support of Carers who have a family member with a disability as he mentioned his organisations support of the NDIS scheme.  The NDIS DisabiliTea Every Australian Counts and why we need a National Disability Insurance Scheme was explained in great detail by Jane Geltch.

The afternoon finished with people speaking to individual representatives in relation to any questions.  Many voiced their support of the project and signed the NDIS petition.

The afternoon concluded with afternoon tea hosted by Ipswich City Council and Carers Queensland Ipswich.

Our thanks to everyone mentioned above plus Fiona Anderson (NDIS Queensland Campaign Coordinator) for all her background support, along with Julie Brumfield-Jones (Ipswich City Council Media Officer) for all with the photography work re the Ipswich DisabiliTea afternoon over the last few weeks.  As well as the encouragement give to us by QDN Brisbane head office.

In finishing our particular thanks also goes out to all residents, including workers, of the Ipswich area who participated in the Ipswich DisabiliTea afternoon.  We look forward to further working with all persons toward the enhancement of life for persons with a disability in the Ipswich area.  We want to be a ‘witness to’ these persons being able to participate more fully in a greater range of activities in life, particularly in the Ipswich area.

Peter & Linda Tully
QDN Ipswich Regional Facilitators