Adelaide Linear Park rapist with intellectual disabilities to be kept in indefinite detention. A serial rapist who attacked three women more than a decade ago is to be kept behind bars indefinitely, the South Australian Supreme Court ordered on Friday.
Aiden Harvey Driver raped a woman and assaulted two othersHe was eligible for parole in July last yearA judge has ordered him to remain in detention In 2009, Aiden Harvey Driver, who has intellectual disabilities, raped a woman in her West Hindmarsh home at gunpoint, indecently assaulted a woman as she walked her dogs along the city's Linear Park, near Felixstow, and dragged a third woman into the bushes before she escaped at Vale Park. He became eligible for parole on July 6 last year and sought release to the Northern Territory. But South Australian Attorney-General Vickie Chapman asked the Supreme Court to declare Driver a high-risk offender so he would stay in prison indefinitely. It heard that when psychiatrists asked Driver how he felt about the concept of rape, he replied that he "liked it a little bit".
Why a fully funded NDIS is good for everyone. Data released as part of the Australia Talks National Survey shows most Australians, 82 per cent in fact, think we should spend as much as is necessary to ensure people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else.
As a disabled woman, this overwhelming show of support fills me with a great sense of hope and immense pride. If that many Australians can agree on spending as much as necessary to give disabled people like me an equal shot, then surely, there's nothing stopping us from getting it done? But what does this support mean? Let me tell you a bit about my story. I was 27 when my first National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plan was approved. Before I finally got into the NDIS, I was unable to work.
With no other supports available, my partner was forced to also take time off work to care for me. The very little money we had went to medical expenses, but it was impossible to cover the treatments I needed. But this is just one story. New app developed in Queensland helps seriously ill children manage their health care. A new app, developed in Queensland, is helping families of sick children manage a stressful part of their health care.
Researchers estimate between 10,000 and 20,000 seriously ill children in Australia need an intravenous (IV) line or catheter each year. Gold Coast boy, Oliver Glover, 2, is one of them. He was born premature, with a bowel obstruction, and spent the first eight months of life in hospital. "After he was born he went into surgery and lost most of his small bowel," his mother Kelly Glover said. "So, he's got a central venous catheter in his chest, which provides him TPN (nutrition) six nights a week. " Conor Tweedy has his eye on Paralympics after debuting for Queensland at National Wheelchair Rugby Championships. What it means to play representative sport is not lost on 19-year-old Conor Tweedy.
He is debuting for the Queensland Cyclones against the best in the country – if not the world – in wheelchair rugby this weekend. "I was really nervous before the [first] game, [with] all the build-up and stuff, seeing the crowds and the big stadium, but once I got on there it was alright," he said. Tweedy started playing the sport in 2018, just nine weeks after being injured in a scrum during a schoolboy rugby match while playing for his school, Gregory Terrace.
Travel with a disability shouldn't be that hard, and there's billions on offer to businesses who prioritise accessibility. When Kerry Williams took a trip to Tasmania with her mother, she was shocked to find her mum couldn't easily access the shower.
Key points: Travellers with a disability spend $3.2 billion annually in AustraliaBut research shows many more would travel if it was more accessibleTravellers say providers should give clear information about accessibility Her mother Barbie has MS, which made navigating the hotel bathroom difficult, and she ended up resorting to hand-washing herself with her daughter's help. Kerry told her mum she should not have to compromise and it should not be that difficult to book accessible accommodation for someone with a disability. Navigating NDIS an exhausting and disempowering process, people with disabilities say. Lawyer Tom Monks applied for NDIS funding a year ago and said while acceptance was straightforward, getting funding for the things he needs has been a struggle.
Key points: NDIS 'poster boy' dumped by care provider over 'hygiene issues' Jamie Gibbings-Johns was a poster boy for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) when it was rolled out across Victoria in 2017.
Key points: Mr Gibbings-Johns' family has complained to the NDIS watchdog after his support was withdrawn over "hygiene issues"The ABC is aware of at least six complaints to the watchdog involving the same provider in the past 18 monthsAn inquiry has revealed the watchdog received 5,784 complaints across Australia between 2018 and 2020, yet issued only one fine In a promotional video from the state's health department, he proudly shows off his new unit. "He was excited because he got to live on his own, and he had those supports in place," his sister, Emma Ebery, said. Mr Gibbings-Johns, 30, has multiple complex disabilities that affect his cognition, emotional regulation and ability to perform daily tasks. Inclusive sports program sees footballer in wheelchair kicking goals and loving every point.
Central Australian teenager Caleb Namatjira-McMillan is in a wheelchair, but that's not getting in the way of him playing football.
The 18-year-old has category one cerebral palsy, which means he won't ever be able to walk and needs assistance with daily tasks. "We've tried the inclusive sports around town and they see the wheelchair and they go, 'Oh we're not quite there', or 'We can't put that on a field," Namatjira-McMillan's guardian, Anne-Marie Temple, said. But the turning point came when they met with Tommy Dutton, the remote development manager for AFL in Central Australia. "We went down to the (AFL) offices here and said, 'This is what we've got, this is what we're working with.' 'We really want to be part of AFL — how can we make this happen?
'" "Tommy didn't even blink, he just want 'yep, we can do this, and we'll make it happen," Ms Temple said. People with disabilities facing multiple barriers in Australia's coronavirus vaccine rollout. Katherine Marshall is a disability advocate and lives with chronic illness, so she is no stranger to how daunting the health system can be.
Key points: People with disabilities say their sometimes complex needs are being overlookedAdvocates want targeted support for disabled people at vaccine hubsSome people cannot make it to hubs and want local nurses who already visit homes to be able to administer the vaccine But she was left angry and humiliated when she went to Sunshine Hospital in Melbourne's west with her aunt, Margaret O'Shea, who has an intellectual disability and other conditions, and her mum, her aunt's carer.
They had special motivation to get the COVID-19 jab — they lost Katherine's beloved grandmother last year to coronavirus. Disability discrimination complaints received by Australian Human Rights Commission on the rise. Jessica's son was four years old when she was told he was no longer welcome at his school, and according to some experts, she is not alone in her plight.
Key points: Jessica has told the ABC her son was excluded from a private school because of his disabilityThe Human Rights Commission received 1,006 disability discrimination complaints in 2019-20That number is up 34 per cent from 2015-16 Her son Elliot*, who lives with high-functioning autism, was excluded from his Sydney school just months after being told there would be additional support to accommodate his needs. 'The last date I went on was 3.5 years ago': Why dating with a disability can be so difficult. Dating can be hard. First you have to meet someone who you're slightly interested in, then you have to meet up, exchange pleasantries and decide whether you want to see that person again. Key points: More than 4 million Australians, or around 18 per cent of the population, have a disabilityCairns man Byron Smith hasn't been on a date in over three yearsSexologist and counsellor Jodi Rodgers says intimacy and relationships are a basic human right.
Community-based supported employment program changing lives of people with disability. It's unlikely to be everyone's favourite job, but Leif Barstad loves emptying the office bins at the farm machinery business where he works every Friday. Key points: Disability employment is moving away from sheltered workshops towards mainstream placementSupport services match people's skills and interests with employers for the best fitDisability providers say other businesses could benefit from the skills-matching service He greets each colleague with a grin as he pushes a trolley around and empties the desk bins into a rubbish bag. His HR manager at Tasmac, Nat Layton, said Mr Barstad's cheeky sense of humour had made him popular among his colleagues. "Fridays are our favourite day of the week here at the Devonport branch," she said.
"He brings his smiley face and his quirky comments and his cheeky jokes and we just feel wonderful seeing him here and seeing the good job he does. " 'You don't look blind' and other stereotypes people with blindness don't want to hear. Ingrid Barnes is stereotyped on a regular basis — but she wants things to change. Key points: Ingrid Barnes is trying to fight common stereotypes of people with low vision or blindness A person is considered legally blind if they cannot see at six metres what someone with average vision can see at 60 metresMs Barnes uses social media to talk about her experiences with blindness Ms Barnes, 27, from Sydney, has retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic condition that has left her with about 3.5 per cent field of vision in well-lit environments.
However, she says people often tell her she "doesn't look blind". Mental health services under threat as COVID-19 pushes Australia to 'crisis' point, experts say. As a child, Australian singer-songwriter Georgia Sallybanks — known by her stage name Odette — always felt she was "different". "It was hard for me to make friends," she said. "I had been displaying a lot of really worrying behaviour, outbursts, [and] not really understanding how to regulate feelings. I just knew. I felt that something wasn't right. " One in four people with an eating disorder has autism and current treatments might be failing them. One in four people with an eating disorder may have autism according to some experts, which can mean they aren't receiving the right type of treatment.
This was the case for 20-year-old Kayla*, who developed an eating disorder at the age of 11 and was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa at the age of 14. After years of treatment that did little to help her recover, her family searched for an alternative support option and found a therapist that specialised in both eating disorders and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Kayla became aware that she had ASD traits that were contributing to her eating disorder, and inability to recover. "Everything suddenly made sense as to why I am the way I am, and why I'm thinking like this. Aquatic centre program offers insights into the power of underwater immersion therapy. In Dungeons and Dragons you can be almost anything, so why the backlash over a combat wheelchair? The tabletop game Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) is about fantasy storytelling as players take on roles of wizards, druids or paladins, but when an option of playing as a wheelchair user was introduced, some fans were not accepting of that fantasy.
'Autism made me successful': Olympic rower Chris Morgan shows strength in neurodiversity. People in Canberra with a disability are 'trapped' in their housing, but new rules could change that. Canberrans with physical disabilities often need to build their own homes or end up in public housing, according to advocates, but proposed new national requirements may force builders to construct all new homes to accessible standards. Born with no forearms, 17-year-old Abby Vidler sets her sights on the Paralympics.
Cystic fibrosis survivor calls for Trikafta to be listed on PBS. At the age of 12, Kerrie Taylor was diagnosed with a rare form of cystic fibrosis. Key points: 3D printing solved Matty's deodorant problem and brought two friends together. Lily wishes able-bodied people knew the truth about how she thinks of her wheelchair. Fashion industry joins with not-for-profit organisation Avenue to help those with disabilities get jobs. Queensland Public Trustee denies making profit from clients, despite report criticising high fees and charges. People on disability support and aged care pensions with assets will continue to be charged up to 40 per cent of their low incomes for financial administration services by the Public Trustee of Queensland, despite a report criticising the practice.
Key points: Starting a successful small business as someone living with a disability. Micro-town gives people with cognitive impairment, dementia independence and social engagement. NDIS architect Bruce Bonyhady urges rethink of independent assessments. I was perfect for the job, but I couldn't even get into the building. Here's why. Disability organisations rally against proposal to introduce independent assessments. Researchers return to find out fate of children involved in landmark FASD study. Seven-year-old Fletcher was born with an ultra-rare disease, BBSOAS, and finally got a diagnosis this month. From jail to in-demand speaker: The disability royal commission hears Justen's story. The first actor on Australian TV with a cochlear implant hopes his role will lead to more diversity on our screens.
Tasmanian Government sides with developer in Parliament Square disability access case. Down Syndrome portrait book aiming to 'smash old stereotypes' and celebrate condition. Restless Dance company fighting for its life after funding loss shock. Yeppoon cafe trains and employs people with disability, Emily urges others to give it a go. Jobseekers with a disability are often asked to declare it, but more firms are moving away from just 'ticking the box' Alderson awards celebrate the little wins of Canberrans with Down Syndrome. Australian housing needs mandatory accessibility standards to create 'homes, not just accommodation', advocates say. How Deaf pride helped Fiona Murphy come to terms with a daunting diagnosis. Lego Braille Bricks come to Australia, helping kids with vision impairment to learn by touch. Boot camp for guide dogs and handlers helping vision impaired kids make new connections. Shortage of public housing suitable for people with disabilities leaves people like Ethan in a 'cruel' situation.
House-sitting, couch surfing keeping 'almost homeless' older woman off the streets. Two students with Tourette syndrome on how they experienced the Melbourne coronavirus lockdown. Canberra Dungeons and Dragons business helping children with autism improve their social skills and make friends. Children with disability moving states to access education opportunities. Thousands of tiny beads go into Tasmanian artist Asha Martin's ornate creations. COVID-19 vaccine rollout for Australians living with disability needs clarity, experts say. Yass boy with cerebral palsy inspiring others with his love of sheep mustering. I didn't know that I had a mental health problem for so long, but now I'm learning my patterns.
Assistance dog is life-changing for Bundaberg teen Summer Farrelly, who lives with autism. Adelaide grandfather with motor neurone disease urges expansion of support. Isolating in silence: How coronavirus has affected my life. Australian artist Eugenie Lee evokes the chronic pain of endometriosis in high-tech experiential artworks.
WA mother Clara Harris shares her story of depression, autism, love and acceptance. The 'autism advantage' at work and how it's giving firms a competitive edge. Cooroy hospital robotic rehab program uses virtual-reality technology to help stroke patients. Disability advocates in four-year battle with Parliament Square developers over lift. Cyclabilities program helps Canberra kids with additional needs learn to ride a bike. Masking when you have autism can help you blend in, but you might not be doing yourself any favours. Autistic man unable to tell doctors he was conscious during surgery now training medical staff - ABC News.
Coronavirus-disrupted 2020 sporting season reminded us sport is not an industry, but a way of life - ABC News. Disability royal commission hears about barriers to finding employment faced by people like Yuri - ABC News. Disability group hoping to encourage Tasmania's tourism industry to be more accessible to everyone - ABC News. I'm always the only scientist in the room in a wheelchair. It shouldn't be this way - ABC News. Hearing-impaired children graduate from Shepherd Centre, despite shift to online therapy - ABC News. People with disability fought long and hard for NDIS funding, now many fear it is about to change - ABC News. On International Day of People with Disability, Oliver has a message for all Australians - ABC News. Katrina has Down syndrome and dreams of living in New York. This is what she's doing to make it happen - ABC News. Small changes you can make to help make the lives of autistic people easier - ABC News. Mentors behind the wheel helping drive change for unemployed in Launceston suburbs - ABC News.
Bullied, belittled and dumped for having cerebral palsy, Dale wouldn't change a thing about herself - ABC News. Disability royal commission finds Federal Government responsible for 'serious failures' during COVID-19 - ABC News. ABC reporter Nas Campanella writes about a shocking interaction on a Sydney train - ABC News. Hearing impaired children graduate from The Shepherd Centre after a year learning speech skills via video call - ABC News. 'Am I disabled today?' How Erika finds strength and compassion by embracing her disabilities - ABC News. Disability royal commission to hear 'confronting stories' from carers and Indigenous people living with disability - ABC News. Mick O'Dowd's body had an extreme response to an infection. Sepsis turned him into a quadruple amputee - ABC News.
Programs encouraging more women, of all abilities, to play wheelchair sports - ABC News. The Lab supports children with Autism who 'don't have friends' to gain friendships, learn social skills - ABC News. How the gift of music is changing the life of Canberra's school students - ABC News. Maintaining healthy lungs could offer new hope for cerebral palsy sufferers like Ashton - ABC News. Laurie says he doesn't have any friends — but when his scooter was stolen in Sydney, an amazing thing happened - ABC News. Man with autism refused service at Brass Monkey Hotel because barman thought he was drunk - ABC News. Auslan signing helps create a new way of understanding home for tourists in the COVID-19 era - ABC News. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tells Scott Morrison it's time for 'bold action' on climate change - ABC News. Artists living with disability retreat to the Australian bush to find inspiration post COVID-19 lockdown - ABC News.
Coronavirus has meant extra pressures for carers — but they've also found some unexpected silver linings - ABC News. Access to the latest and most effective diabetes drugs depends on where you live and what you earn - ABC News. Becky the Paralympic Barbie was not the only gift 20 years ago during Sydney's Games - ABC News. On the 20th anniversary of the Sydney Paralympics, the stars of the Games share their memories - ABC News. Canberra United's All Ability Academy is a first for people with a disability in the ACT - ABC News. Koomarri's Bruce House in Canberra is a home made to fit people with a disability — not the other way around - ABC News. Meet Darwin's Sing Song Signers, a choir of young people who sign rather than sing - ABC News. Disability advocates welcome NDIS reforms to increase number of scheme participants - ABC News. Telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic shows the 'anti-social loner' autism stereotype is a myth - ABC News.