Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes paid tribute to the many organisations and volunteers who devote their time and expertise to look after and support people in need of care Sykes in his contribution to the debate in Parliament on the Carers Recognition Bill 2012 this week.
Dr Sykes said, “The Bill recognises the vital role of over 700,000 carers in Victoria, including a great many in the electorate of Benalla.”
He said the Bill will provide legislative recognition of the contribution that carers make and will have a positive effect on the day to day experiences of people in need of care.
“I have the highest regard for carers, including the many I have met in the electorate of Benalla.
“Mansfield Autism Statewide Services, in particular the travelling teacher service, provide important care. People such as Jenny Cleeland, Simone Reeves and Christine Holland, while they are salaried people give way beyond what they are paid to do.
“Through their leadership, other people in the community contribute fantastically to the wellbeing of people experiencing autism.”
Dr Sykes paid tribute to the work of Dr Joan Curtis, who set in place a program that has helped young people with autism to realise their potential in the Mansfield area and also statewide.
Dr Sykes continued, “Closer to Benalla we have the Benalla Support Group for Children with Special Needs, whose coordinator is Trudi-Anne Eaton.
“Another support and carers group in Benalla is lead by Sally Martin, whose son Will put together a cookbook to help promote the group. It has gone on to be a bestseller locally. This is a credit to Sally and others around him.
“There are other people as well, such as Ann Carroll in Mansfield and Valda Martin in Ruffy. Amanda Bertok in Nagambie has put in a fantastic effort supporting people in the community.
“A group in Bright, led by Bernece Delany and Cheryl Sanderson, is amazing in what members manage to achieve.”
Dr Sykes told Parliament, “There are many other forms of caring relationships. One that is particularly active in the Euroa area is the Euroa senior citizens register, which has been set up by the police and Euroa Health to support older people who are still living independently.
“Even groups such as Meals on Wheels, of which my wife is an active participant as a member of the Rotary Club, is not just about producing and delivering meals for people, it also provides that social contact.
“Our service clubs, such as Rotary, Lions and Apex and other community spirited organisations are part of that group of unsung heroes – our carers.”
Dr Sykes also talked about the work under the umbrella of Yooralla (previously known as Central Access and Ballendella) which has a large amount of volunteer input as well as salaried staff.
“This is an example of the community recognising the need for people, in this case with an intellectual disability, to be supported and for the families that are looking after those individuals to also be supported.
“These people are able to be involved in various forms of employment and get a real buzz out of being able to do something productive.
“I know that other groups, such as the Tatong Football and Netball Club, involve people with some disability in boundary umpiring.”
Dr Sykes concluded, “What we have in this Bill is a movement towards recognising the extremely valuable role of carers.”

In a move that has been welcomed by the Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes, Victoria will soon have legislation that sets out clear expectations for organisations that engage with carers.
The Carers Recognition Bill 2012 recognises all carers, including young carers, kinship and foster carers, and people providing support and assistance for someone with a mental or chronic illness and those supporting ageing parents, the frail aged or a person with a disability.
Dr Sykes said, “The Coalition Government has honoured an election commitment with the introduction of the Carers Recognition Bill 2012 and I welcome the legislation which sets out clear expectations on the treatment of carers throughout Victoria.
“In my electorate, for example, there are many individuals who care for loved ones with a disability, people who open their doors to give young people a home and organisations such as Mansfield Autism Statewide Services who provide support for parents and their children with autism spectrum disorders.
“These people make an enormous contribution to the community and they deserve support and recognition for what they contribute,” he said.
The Bill will bring Victoria into line with legislation in other states and territories and the Commonwealth.
Community Services Minister, Mary Wooldridge said that the Bill will raise the status of carers and care relationships in the community and sets out principles recognising carers for their contribution.
“The Bill is unique in recognising care relationships. Carers and the people they care for are in a shared arrangement and if the care relationship is strong, the carer and the person being cared for will have better lives.
“This approach to recognising the significance of care relationships has been the subject of extensive consultation.”
The legislation requires government and funded agencies to reflect on care relationship principles in the conduct of their business and report annually on the actions they have taken to comply with the principles.
The Victorian Charter Supporting People in Care Relationships will be updated to reflect the new legislation and will support implementation of the Bill.

Individuals, organisations and businesses in the Benalla Electorate with an interest in workforce participation by people living with a mental illness are being encouraged to make a submission to a Victorian parliamentary inquiry.
Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes encourages members of the community to submit to the inquiry being conducted by the Family and Community Development Committee, which was initiated by the Coalition Government delivering on its commitment to enhance workforce participation for Victorians with a mental illness.
Dr Sykes said, “One in five Australians have experienced some kind of mental illness in the past 12 months (Australian Bureau of Statistics) and that includes people living in rural Victoria. Many rural families are also carrying the emotional scars of 10 tough years of drought, fires and floods and whilst things have improved many people will still benefit from help.”
He said mental illness can be a significant barrier for workforce participation.
Minister for Mental Health Mary Wooldridge said the inquiry aims to help make it easier for people with a mental illness to participate fully in the community.
“People with a mental illness face a range of challenges that often makes it harder for them to secure and hold down a job, with many facing discrimination,” Ms Wooldridge said.
The Coalition Government wants to significantly increase the employment rate of people with a mental illness. To achieve this goal, the Family and Community Development Committee, chaired by Southern Metropolitan MLC Ms Georgie Crozier, is considering:

a) evidence of the low rate of workforce participation of people with mental illness and the social and economic costs involved
b) identification of the barriers that people with mental illness experience in gaining and retaining employment
c) the respective roles of, and collaboration between, local, state and Commonwealth governments, business and community organisations in supporting the workforce participation of people with mental illness
d) the effectiveness of programs that aim to improve the workforce participation for people with mental illness, including best practice models
e) opportunities for tailoring education and vocational training for the needs of people with mental illness
f) effective measures to support employers to recruit, employ and retain people with mental illness
g) the role of mental health services, and general health and community services, in improving the workforce participation of people with mental illness.
Dr Sykes said, “Helping people suffering from a mental illness back into the workforce is an important way to aid recovery and to help people with a mental illness to lead active and fulfilling lives. I encourage people to make a submission if they have ideas about how to overcome the challenges faced by Victorians with a mental illness wanting to enter the workforce.”
Submissions are due by 11 November 2011, although extensions may be granted to ensure the individuals and organisations have an opportunity to provide their views to the Victorian Parliament.
For information, telephone (03) 8682 2843, or visit www.parliament.vic.gov.au/fcdc

Nationals Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes, is calling on businesses throughout the electorate to register their interest in supporting the new Carer Card.
Dr Sykes said, “The Carer Card is one way in which local businesses can recognise those family members, friends and other carers who spend much of their time supporting people with a disability, chronic or mental illness, children needing foster care and the increasing number of frail aged who need care.
“I have raised the issue of the need for more support services for carers of people with a disability in Parliament a number of times this year.
“Many of these people receive care from a family member or members who put themselves under enormous emotional and physical pressure because they want to do the best thing for their child or relative with a disability.
“It is important that our carers are acknowledged for their hard work and dedication and I hope that the introduction of this new Carer Card will go some way toward that.
“The Card is aimed at acknowledging the incredible work these carers do and I encourage all carers to take up the opportunity to obtain one.
“Equally I ask that all local businesses get on board the program and register their support for the card by accessing the Carer Card website or contacting my office for more information,” Dr Sykes said.
While Dr Sykes said that the introduction of the Carers Card will offer some assistance to carers throughout the Benalla electorate, the Brumby Labor Government must do more to invest in disability services across the region.
“There are significant issues that need to be addressed to assist carers, including more services which provide support and advocacy and the urgent need for improved respite services.
“I recently met a woman from Nagambie who had to wait an unacceptable amount of time for a wheelchair which would safely restrain her disabled son. The totally inadequate wheelchair put the wellbeing of the son and his mother at risk.
“There are many local groups throughout my electorate who do a great job to ensure that families most in need receive the appropriate support services but more needs to be done to help these services in the work they do.
“Hopefully the Carer Card, and the offers that go with it, go a small way towards helping carers throughout the community.”
Businesses already registered for the program at this stage in the Benalla electorate are Spirits High (Mansfield), Benalla Bus & Coach Lines (Benalla), Alpenhorn Holiday Units (Mt Beauty) and The Old Tobacco Sheds Tourist Complex (Bright).
For carers seeking more information about the card or businesses wishing to register to be included in its offers, access the website www.carercard.vic.gov.au or call 1800 901 958.
Application and registration forms for carers and businesses are available at Bill Sykes’ office at 2/55 Carrier Street, Benalla.