Leader

Cranbourne
cranbourneleader.com.au WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9, 2011 $1 Incl. GST
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Please explain
Tess, 12, is a diabetic who
needs 24-hour care. So why did
Centrelink axe her mothers
family care payments?
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Health | Rachel Flaherty
CRANBOURNE S Mairi- anne
Macartney lives in fear that every
night might be her childs last.
Ms Macartneys 12-year-old
daughter, Tess, was diagnosed
with type 1 diabetes two years ago.
Now Tess needs 24-hour care to
manage her incurable disease
safely.
But this year, Centrelink with-
out giving a reason told Ms
Macartney that Tess was no
longer entitled to a carers allow-
ance.
If I allowed Tess to look after
herself, she would be dead, she
said. It makes no sense and I just
cant understand how they could
cancel it.
Ms Macartney said Tess needed
up to eight injections a day, finger-
prick blood tests every two hours
and strict monitoring of her food.
How could she wake herself up
at 2am to do a blood test? If her
levels dip too low, she can slip into
a coma and it can be fatal, she
said.
Every morning I wake up at
7am and before I go into the room,
I pray she is still alive. How can
anyone think a child over 10 years
is independent of parental care?
Even a healthy child cant look
after themselves at 12 years.
Ms Macartney said she knew of
other families with diabetic chil-
dren who had their applications
rejected recently.
Centrelink general manager
Hank Jongen said due to privacy
issues he could not comment on a
specific case.
The test used to assess eligibility
for carer allowance changed eight
months ago.
The new tool assesses the care
required and provided, where the
previous tool assessed the func-
tional ability of the child, Mr
Jongen said.
We dont make the rules, but we
do have to follow them to the let-
ter.
A spokesman for federal Famil-
ies and Community Services Min-
ister Jenny Macklin said con-
ditions like type 1 diabetes
manifested differently in different
children.
For some children, the level of
care they need decreases as they
get older and they become more
able to manage their condition
themselves, she said. Carers of
children with type 1 diabetes who
are aged 10 or over can still qual-
ify for the carer allowance.
The only difference is they have
to go through the normal assess-
ment process.
Should Families and
Community Services Minister
Jenny Macklin reviewthis
decision. Tell us at
cranbourneleader.com.au and
we will pass your support on.
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Cranbourne Leader April 13, 2011 9
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BEHINDTHE NEWS
OUR CAMPAIGN
Leader wants the
carers allowance
for parents of
children with type
1 diabetes returned
and the age
increased to 18
FAMILIES AND
COMMUNITY
SERVICES MINISTER
JENNY MACKLIN
HOLT FEDERAL MP
ANTHONY BYRNE
Ms Macklin and Mr Byrne, you
can make a change
What are you doing to
make this happen?

I have advocated
for Tess and
Mairi-anne
Macartney and
will continue to
support them
and the Leaders
campaign with
representations
about the deep
community
concerns on
this matter to
the Minister for
Families and
Community
Services.
This is a sensitive
and complex
matter. I have
requested my
department
provide me with
a comprehensive
brieng on this
issue and I will
carefully
consider it.

Parents want real action

Cranbourne resident Mairi-anne Macartney says her daughter Tess needs 24-hour care. Picture: VALERIUCAMPAN N37BL502
Centrelink apology insincere, mothers say
Health | Rachel Flaherty
CENTRELINKS apology for upsetting
mothers involved in Leaders Save Our Chil-
dren campaign with intimidating phone
calls has fallen flat.
Last week, mothers of children with type 1
diabetes said they felt bullied by calls froma
Centrelink employee.
General manager Hank Jongen issued an
apology for any distress that might have
been caused to families.
NSWmumAmanda Larsen said that to her,
the words felt insincere. Theres just no
heart in it and it never feels like they are
speaking to a person, she said.
They are absolutely not doing their job
properly and these are the people making
the decisions of these poor families with sick
kids. Imdisappointed with the general man-
agers response.
Her barrister, Chris Branson, who is help-
ing Ms Larsen with her case to win her
carers allowance, said he had written to
Centrelinks legal department telling them
that their staffer who made the call was in
contempt of tribunal and called for further
action.
They havent responded to me and this is
a very serious matter, he said. What they
did was way out of line and repugnant be-
haviour. And their apology theyve pub-
lished to the families is pathetic and mealy
mouthed.
Leader can reveal the Centrelink employee
told the parents involved he was ringing on
behalf of Minister for Families and Commu-
nity Services Minister Jenny Macklin to file
a report.
Ms Macklins office has not responded to
the Leaders question asked 10 days ago in
relation to the call.
Cranbournes Mairi-anne Macartney said
the apology had not made a difference to her
situation as her application for a carers
allowance was rejected for a third time this
week. I still dont feel Im getting any help
from Centrelink, she said.
I was surprised they rejected me again, it
doesnt make any sense to me at all.
This is emotionally very draining but Im
doing it because I feel they havent got the
right to say a 10-year-old can look after them-
selves.
Ms Macartney said she had filed for a social
security appeal and was waiting for a hear-
ing date.
Centrelink apology, p16.
Leader
Cranbourne
cranbourneleader.com.au WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2011 $1 Incl. GST
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Dont
axe my
allowance
IN LESS than 48 hours Federal Families
Minister Jenny Macklin will consider
the ndings of a review into the care
of more than 5500 children with type 1
diabetes.
The Cranbourne Leaders Save Our
Children campaign has lobbied hard
for the minister to overturn her
departments decision to axe the carers
allowance to local families when their
sick children turn 10.
Indeed, it was thanks to the support
of families like Nici Cairneys (right)
who may lose their allowance on her
10th birthday in four months and the
campaign that prompted the review.
Time is running out and parents are
urged to email the minister today
explaining why she should leave the
allowance alone.
Email cadiabetesreview@fahcsia.gov.au
Report p7
Picture: JILL MITCHELL N51BL503
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FAX: 9794 8003 Mon-Fri 7:30-5pm Sat-8-12pm www.lumbersoftwoods.com.au
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Treated Pine
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90mm $1.80LM
Kempas
90mm $4.70LM
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AT WHOLESALE
PRICES
90mm x 45mm
$3.50LM
140mm x 45mm
$5.25LM
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Leader
Cranbourne
cranbourneleader.com.au $1 Incl. GST WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2011
WEVE
DONE IT
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THE Federal
Government today will
announce it is
reinstating the carers
allowance to
thousands of families
whose children suffer
fromtype 1 diabetes.
Family and
Community Services
Minister Jenny Macklin
finally bowedto
pressure after the
Cranbourne Leader
launchedits Save our
Children campaign
nearly five months
ago.
Ms Macklin said
children upto the age
of 16 will automatically
receive the $52-a-week
carers allowance.
Her announcement is
a big win for families
across Australia who
hadtheir allowances
axedwhen their sick
children turned10.
The Leaders
campaign forcedthe
minister to order a
reviewinto her
departments decision
in April this year.
Todays
breakthrough has
come as a huge
surprise to parents
who were beginning to
think they hadlost
hope of having their
allowance returned.
Cranbournes Mairi-
anne Macartney, who
was first to contact
Leader when her
13-year-olddaughter
Tesss allowance was
cut in February, said
she has been unable to
stopcrying since
hearing the news.
I amoverjoyed, she
said. It is a great relief
anda huge emotional
burden has been lifted
frommy shoulders. I
wouldlike to thank
Leader andall the
parents who have
supportedone
another.
Another mother, Lisa
Gilbert fromNarre
Warren, saidshe was
overwhelmed.
When Ben (her
diabetic son) came in
fromschool I just
huggedhimso hard.
Nobody really knows
what goes on behind
closeddoors when you
live with a childwith
Type 1 diabetes. It is
not always easy and
often heart-breaking.
Ms Macklin told
Leader the
government will invest
$42.6 million over the
next four years and
this will extendthe
carers allowance to
more families.
Todays change
recognises that type 1
diabetes is a life-long
condition for which
there is currently no
cure, andprovides
parents andcarers
with recognition and
financial support for
the care they provide.
Carers of children
with type 1 diabetes
agedmore than 10
years will have their
payments backdated
to July 1, 2011.
RACHEL FLAHERTY