A NEW RESPITE SERVICE PROVIDES VITAL RELIEF
FOR FAMILIES OF CHILDREN LIVING WITH A DISABILITY

A new respite service to launch in Brisbane today will provide much-needed support for families of children living with a disability.

BestLife Sleepovers will offer children living with a disability the opportunity to have an ordinary Saturday night sleepover while giving their families a break from caring.

Brisbane mothers, Kath Coory and Tina Graham have made their dream of establishing BestLife a reality after winning the 2012 Wesley Mission Brisbane Campaign for Change initiative.

BestLife President Kath Coory said many families connected to their service are at breaking point and the service will provide vital relief.

“With 40 per cent of Australian carers identifying as severely depressed and as having the lowest level of wellbeing of any group in Australian society, this service will serve a very real and unmet need in the community,” Mrs Coory said.

“Families are desperate to care for their own children, but what they need is support and a quality experience for their child who they love and a break now and then so they can recharge and not reach breaking point.

“This service has been designed by families living with this reality and gives them choice and control over who and how the care of their child is provided and that is a very new approach which we can see starting to take place with the introduction of DisabilityCare Australia.”

Campaign for Change was designed to enrich the South East Queensland community by providing five individuals or groups the opportunity to share in $50,000 worth of cash and expert mentoring to establish their very own community support program.

Kath and Tina received a $30,000 cash injection, from campaign partners PBS Building, and have spend the last five months working with the Wesley Mission Brisbane community services team to establish BestLife.

Wesley Mission Brisbane’s Executive Director, Geoff Batkin said Campaign for Change has confirmed that ordinary Queenslanders can make a lasting difference in their communities.

“Like many of us, Kath and Tina had an idea about how to make their community better, and Campaign for Change has allowed them to make that idea happen,” Mr Batkin said.

“We pride ourselves on working with individuals and industry partners to establish services in response Page | 2

to ever changing needs within the community and with the introduction of DisabilityCare Australia we need more services like BestLife which allow those living with a disability the choice and control to live their best life.”

To follow Kath and Tina’s journey in setting up BestLife Sleepovers please visit: www.wmb.org.au/page/campaign_for_change

The Coca-Cola Australia Foundation (CCAF) is calling for applications for the next round of its longstanding and popular Community Grants program. The program supports local community groups and programs that aim to make a positive difference in the lives of marginalised young Australians.

Established in 2002, CCAF aims to help inspire change for marginalised young Australians aged primarily between 12–25 years. Jointly funded by Coca-Cola Amatil and Coca-Cola South Pacific, CCAF was originally created to bring together the wide-range of community programs already being funded in Australia by both businesses. Through funding innovative and practical programs run by community and youth organisations, charities and Non-Government Organisations (NGOs), CCAF supports young Australians who are facing major social, physical and/or economic challenges in their lives. CCAF donates approximately $1.1 million to community organisations each year and since its inception over $8,000,000 has been awarded to hundreds of programs right across Australia.

 
Applications:

 Grant applications for this round close on Saturday 27 July 2013 and can be downloaded from the following location: Coca-Cola Journey

The re-election of the Labor government will mean that Bonner  families and small businesses will continue to pay the carbon tax.

 Ross Vasta MP for Bonner said the pre-election announcement by Labor that it proposes to change the carbon tax was just a con.

 “It doesn’t matter if you change the name, or turn the fixed price into a floating price – it is still a carbon tax.

 “There will still be a tax on electricity and gas bills – and that doesn’t change.

 “It’s a different name, same pain.

 Ross Vasta said local people will be wary of another Labor leader promising “there will be no carbon tax under the government I lead”.

 “We have to look at Mr Rudd’s record: He voted for the carbon tax and just two weeks ago increased the carbon tax.

 “According to Treasury’s own figures, a floating carbon tax will still increase, reaching $38 a tonne by 2019 and continues to go up to $350 over the coming decades.

 “And if Labor is re-elected, they have legislated to expand the carbon tax by putting it on diesel fuel for heavy trucks on 1 July next year – which means higher transportation costs and pressure on prices.

 Ross Vasta said only the Coalition offers Bonner families and businesses the certainty of no carbon tax.

 “Only the Coalition has consistently pledged to abolish the carbon tax and only the Coalition can be trusted to do it. 

The Coalition’s promise to completely scrap the carbon tax means that families will save 10 per cent on their power bills. It will also give immediate relief for local businesses, which means more money to invest in jobs and higher wages.”