Please note TASC’s offices will be closed on Thursday 30 May due to staff training and development. We will be back again Friday 31 May.
Author: Liam Anderson
TASC wins silver at the Australasian Reporting Awards
For the third year in a row, TASC has received a Silver Award in the General Award category at the Australasian Reporting Awards (ARA) for its 2023 annual report.
The ARA is open to organisations located in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, providing companies with an opportunity to benchmark their reports against specific ARA criteria based on world’s best practice. This includes an overview of the organisation, its context and objectives, a review of operations with a focus on progress towards achieving objectives, coverage of the organisation’s governance approach and its effectiveness, human resources management, financial performance, and presentation.
The standards each year are increasing, and there is a high level of competition from both the private and for-purpose sectors across Australia and the Pan Pacific region.
Congratulations to everyone at TASC who contributed to the annual report!
Anniversary of the National Apology
Today, the 13th of February 2024 marks the 16th anniversary of the symbolic National Apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People and more specifically the Apology to the Stolen Generations by the then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in 2008.
The Stolen Generations people’s lives, their families’ lives and communities were destroyed by past government policies of forced child removal and assimilation which caused enormous disruption to family and cultural structures. The Apology was to recognise the wrongs of the past to those who suffered ongoing trauma and as a step forward in their healing journey.
The Apology was the beginning for survivors and families of the Stolen Generations to start their healing and is a reminder of the spirit in which the Apology was offered and the recognition of the importance of truth telling. Tragically, many of our Stolen Generations have not reunited with family or returned to country and the number of stolen children is not known.
For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people seeking to reunite with family or country, organisations like Link Up QLD (www.link-upqld.org.au/ ) can help find and bring together families from the Stolen Generations.
Wear it purple day at TASC
🌈💜 Today is Wear It Purple Day, and at TASC we stand in solidarity with our LGBTQIA+ youth and community, highlighting the intrinsic human rights everyone deserves.
At TASC we believe in a world where everyone can proudly express who they are, free from discrimination. Celebrating diversity goes hand in hand with promoting well-being, and challenging any form of injustice. By wearing purple, we’re not just adding a splash of colour for the day; we’re demonstrating our commitment to equality, dignity, and a life free from prejudice.
Remember, you are valued, your rights are recognised, and your well-being is paramount.
Together, let’s champion a brighter, inclusive future for all. 💜🌈
#StandingUpForHumanRights #HumanRightsForAll #CommunityPride #NoToDiscrimination.
Communication the key for senior’s legal and support team
Collaboration, communication and supportive peers are the key for TASC’s talented and dedicated solicitors and social workers from our Seniors Legal and Support Service (affectionately known as SLASS internally because we all love an acronym)… Cake helps too 😊 .
Earlier this year the service was expanded to include access for seniors living in the Ipswich hinterland who may be facing, or at risk of elder abuse, which can take many forms including emotional, psychological, financial, physical abuse and neglect.
Our Seniors Legal and Support Service team work with older people to address instances of elder abuse and can provide strategies to help avoid it.
The service is free of charge for people aged over 60 (or over 50 for Frist Nations people) and is available to people living in Toowoomba, Ipswich and the Ipswich hinterland. To find out more please visit www.tascnational.org.au/seniors
TASC welcomes new solicitor for Roma
TASC are excited to introduce our Roma Solicitor Natalie Alexander. Natalie is available for appointments via telephone or in person, operating from the Roma Neighbourhood Centre situated on the corner of Bowen Street and Hawthorne Street, Roma.
Natalie will be available for in-person appointments one week per fortnight, with phone appointments available the following week.
To make a booking please contact our Legal Intake Team on 4616 9700 or visit our website tascnational.org.au/legal to find out more.
Natalie is admitted as a Solicitor in the Supreme Court of Queensland and the High Court of Australia. Natalie holds a GradDipLP, LLB, DipPolicingPrac, DipLeadershipMgt, DipBusAdmin, DipComServ, and is currently studying to obtain her national accreditation as a Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner. Committed to social justice and helping those disadvantaged, Natalie has an extreme passion for helping clients through their Family Law and Domestic Violence matters.
An experienced Social Justice Advocate, possessing strong advocacy skills to assist her clients navigating through their legal issues, she ensures the best outcome for her clients.
In 2013, Natalie was successfully awarded a National Police Medal for her dedication and commitment to policing and for her 10-year service, in the New South Wales Police Force.
Outside of work she enjoys keeping fit and spending time with her friends and family.
Community impact the focus for TASC
TASC’s Social Justice team had the chance to discuss the impact their programs are having in Southern Queensland communities earlier this week when senior members of QLD’s Department of Seniors, Disability Services and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships visited our Toowoomba office.
Deputy Director General, Max Wise and Director of Specialist Programs Lauren McFarlane were given an overview of our services, with an emphasis on TASC’s disability advocacy and Seniors Legal and Support Services (SLASS).
TASC’s SLASS service exists to help older people who are at risk of or experiencing elder abuse – which it’s estimated affects almost 1 in 6 Australians aged over 65.
Each year our disability advocacy services help hundreds of people living with a disability to enforce and maintain their human rights.
Pictured are Max Wise and Kym Allen with (seated) Lauren McFarlane, Frances Klaassen and Gail Reardon.
TASC receives funding from the QLD Government to provide legal services and disability advocacy to communities in parts of Queensland. Please visit tascnational.org.au for more information about our advocacy and legal services.
NDIS CALD summit informs stratgey
TASC CEO Frances Klaassen OAM caught up with Chair and Managing Director at Cultural Perspectives Group, Pino Migliorino AM GAICD FPRIA in Melbourne today.
Pino was today’s facilitator at the NDIS Cultural and Linguistic Diversity Strategy Summit being held in Melbourne today.
At the summit they discussed, reflected on and refined objectives and actions with attendees from across Australia. It was also a chance to identify and gaps or areas which need refining.
The summit was a fantastic opportunity for organizations across the sector to come together and give feedback and insights to inform the 2023-27 NDIS CALD strategy.
Office on the run
TASC CEO Frances Klaassen caught up on her to do list at Sydney airport this week before her flight to Melbourne for a summit on NDIS Cultural and linguistic diversity strategy.
Frances and Social Justice Manager Gail Reardon were in Sydney for a separate NDIS and Mental Health conference.
Attending these events gives TASC access and input into what’s happening in the disability and mental health advocacy space, including best practices, common challenges and how to overcome them.
TASC provides free mental health and disability advocacy services across South West Queensland and into the Burnett and Wide Bay.