El Gibbs
@bluntshovels.bsky.social
Grumpy optimist. Writes about the NDIS and disability. Wiradjuri country
bluntshovels.au
bluntshovels.au
Reposted by El Gibbs
COMING DECEMBER 2025 #PoveratiXmas
Start prepping those wishlists and setting up paylinks
Get ready to share widely and hopefully some Xmas Angels will make some wishes come true!
Start prepping those wishlists and setting up paylinks
Get ready to share widely and hopefully some Xmas Angels will make some wishes come true!
November 26, 2025 at 8:49 PM
there was a visit from one of the neighbourhood cats this morning, and Rowan wants you all to know that she was very brave and protected the house with her very puffy tail and hisses from behind the flywire backdoor
November 26, 2025 at 10:06 PM
there was a visit from one of the neighbourhood cats this morning, and Rowan wants you all to know that she was very brave and protected the house with her very puffy tail and hisses from behind the flywire backdoor
Reposted by El Gibbs
Emmanuel, a 15-year-old with intellectual disabilities, wandered away from his mom’s fruit stand in October.
She reported him missing to Houston police. But instead of reuniting them, the city turned him over to ICE.
“They’re failing all of us,” his mom said.
thebarbedwire.com/2025/11/24/d...
She reported him missing to Houston police. But instead of reuniting them, the city turned him over to ICE.
“They’re failing all of us,” his mom said.
thebarbedwire.com/2025/11/24/d...
A Disabled Child’s Mom Reported Him Missing. He Was Locked Away by Federal Immigration Authorities for 48 Days.
Emmanuel, a 15-year-old who has an intellectual disability, walked away from his mom’s fruit stand in October. Houston Police called ICE.
thebarbedwire.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Emmanuel, a 15-year-old with intellectual disabilities, wandered away from his mom’s fruit stand in October.
She reported him missing to Houston police. But instead of reuniting them, the city turned him over to ICE.
“They’re failing all of us,” his mom said.
thebarbedwire.com/2025/11/24/d...
She reported him missing to Houston police. But instead of reuniting them, the city turned him over to ICE.
“They’re failing all of us,” his mom said.
thebarbedwire.com/2025/11/24/d...
more info on the new NDIS legislation - includes most of the already flagged a year ago measures for the Commission, including consultation. focus on giving the Commission the powers to act that other regulators have (WILD 'oversight')
www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentar...
www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentar...
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Integrity and Safeguarding) Bill 2025
Helpful information
Text of bill
First reading: Text of the bill as introduced into the Parliament
Third reading: Prepared if the bill is amended by the house in which it was introduced. This...
www.aph.gov.au
November 26, 2025 at 9:58 PM
more info on the new NDIS legislation - includes most of the already flagged a year ago measures for the Commission, including consultation. focus on giving the Commission the powers to act that other regulators have (WILD 'oversight')
www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentar...
www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentar...
"Fixing the main road and infrastructure isn't on their priority list, but taking down a free shop is."
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
Government threatens to shut down 'illegal' street charity
Queensland's transport department has threatened to penalise residents who set up street-side charity cupboards without filling in the requisite paperwork.
www.abc.net.au
November 26, 2025 at 9:52 PM
"Fixing the main road and infrastructure isn't on their priority list, but taking down a free shop is."
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
"A Tribute to an Oracle, Alice Wong"
"Alice had the ability to look to the future and a world where laws and attitudes did not keep disabled people poor, pitied, and isolated."
essential reading on Alice from Rebecca Cokley
www.thenation.com/article/soci...
"Alice had the ability to look to the future and a world where laws and attitudes did not keep disabled people poor, pitied, and isolated."
essential reading on Alice from Rebecca Cokley
www.thenation.com/article/soci...
A Tribute to an Oracle, Alice Wong
Alice had the ability to look to the future and a world where laws and attitudes did not keep disabled people poor, pitied, and isolated.
www.thenation.com
November 26, 2025 at 9:49 PM
"A Tribute to an Oracle, Alice Wong"
"Alice had the ability to look to the future and a world where laws and attitudes did not keep disabled people poor, pitied, and isolated."
essential reading on Alice from Rebecca Cokley
www.thenation.com/article/soci...
"Alice had the ability to look to the future and a world where laws and attitudes did not keep disabled people poor, pitied, and isolated."
essential reading on Alice from Rebecca Cokley
www.thenation.com/article/soci...
new NDIS legislation due today, focused on increased powers for the regulator
www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
Labor boosts fines by 40 times, adds jail time for ‘shonky’ NDIS providers
New powers will give the NDIS commissioner discretion to block ads that falsely claim participants can use their funding to pay for luxuries such as cruises.
www.smh.com.au
November 25, 2025 at 9:36 PM
new NDIS legislation due today, focused on increased powers for the regulator
www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
I am talking (remotely) at the big provider conference this afternoon, and you can imagine that I may be a tad grumpy
November 24, 2025 at 9:43 PM
I am talking (remotely) at the big provider conference this afternoon, and you can imagine that I may be a tad grumpy
this interview, and the subsequent reporting around it, was absolutely infuriating. any other sector's big business lobby wouldn't get this kind of uncritical, uninformed, wildly inaccurate coverage, yet disabled peoples' essential services do [little 🧵]
www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
NDIS described as 'trainwreck' - ABC listen
A market failure is happening now in the National Disability Insurance Scheme, with many not-for-profit providers heading to insolvency.
www.abc.net.au
November 24, 2025 at 9:32 PM
this interview, and the subsequent reporting around it, was absolutely infuriating. any other sector's big business lobby wouldn't get this kind of uncritical, uninformed, wildly inaccurate coverage, yet disabled peoples' essential services do [little 🧵]
www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
'people with disability over the age of 15 were also more likely to experience all types of assault included in the report'
www.sbs.com.au/news/article...
www.sbs.com.au/news/article...
The Australians more likely to be fraud victims but less likely to be reimbursed
The data has come from a series of national surveys and provides insights into the lives of those with a disability.
www.sbs.com.au
November 20, 2025 at 9:23 PM
'people with disability over the age of 15 were also more likely to experience all types of assault included in the report'
www.sbs.com.au/news/article...
www.sbs.com.au/news/article...
IMF ghouls say care and support must go, while more money to big business
thenightly.com.au/politics/imf...
thenightly.com.au/politics/imf...
IMF calls on Australia to raise GST, bring back mining tax
The IMF says Australia needs to raise the GST, bring back the mining tax and cut back on expensive costs like the NDIS.
thenightly.com.au
November 20, 2025 at 9:16 PM
IMF ghouls say care and support must go, while more money to big business
thenightly.com.au/politics/imf...
thenightly.com.au/politics/imf...
short term funding for cohealth, but no certainty
"In the eight months before I found cohealth I presented to emergency on 17 occasions," Rachel Crouch said.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
"In the eight months before I found cohealth I presented to emergency on 17 occasions," Rachel Crouch said.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
Cohealth clinics given federal government funding lifeline
The Commonwealth will provide $1.5 million in temporary funding to keep the community health clinic's GP services running until July next year.
www.abc.net.au
November 20, 2025 at 9:15 PM
short term funding for cohealth, but no certainty
"In the eight months before I found cohealth I presented to emergency on 17 occasions," Rachel Crouch said.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
"In the eight months before I found cohealth I presented to emergency on 17 occasions," Rachel Crouch said.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
Reposted by El Gibbs
I will not fight with people on Threads about Makaton. I will not fight with people on Threads about Makaton. I will not thebaffler.com/outbursts/si...
Signed Away | Sara Nović
The hearing world continues to pillage and caricature the deaf community—most recently with the proprietary, sign-based system Makaton.
thebaffler.com
November 19, 2025 at 2:03 AM
I will not fight with people on Threads about Makaton. I will not fight with people on Threads about Makaton. I will not thebaffler.com/outbursts/si...
Reposted by El Gibbs
I am amongst the most privileged in my communities, and acknowledge the massive privilege I have had in being able to manage to self-fund / cobble things together for all but one of the COPs I’ve attended. But a key reason I haven’t been in this space the last 2yrs is that issue.
November 20, 2025 at 3:40 AM
I am amongst the most privileged in my communities, and acknowledge the massive privilege I have had in being able to manage to self-fund / cobble things together for all but one of the COPs I’ve attended. But a key reason I haven’t been in this space the last 2yrs is that issue.
Reposted by El Gibbs
(And that’s not even considering that for many of us disabled people the only way such a voyage is even slightly accessible is to travel business class - or pay several days of inflated COP accommodation extra so we can recover before the conference starts).
November 20, 2025 at 3:38 AM
(And that’s not even considering that for many of us disabled people the only way such a voyage is even slightly accessible is to travel business class - or pay several days of inflated COP accommodation extra so we can recover before the conference starts).
Reposted by El Gibbs
But what about civil society, disabled people, and Indigenous Peoples?
The funding environment is so challenging as it is, and it is hard to justify to funders the importance of our attendance when it costs double and often more than other delegates.
The funding environment is so challenging as it is, and it is hard to justify to funders the importance of our attendance when it costs double and often more than other delegates.
November 20, 2025 at 3:36 AM
But what about civil society, disabled people, and Indigenous Peoples?
The funding environment is so challenging as it is, and it is hard to justify to funders the importance of our attendance when it costs double and often more than other delegates.
The funding environment is so challenging as it is, and it is hard to justify to funders the importance of our attendance when it costs double and often more than other delegates.
Reposted by El Gibbs
I sincerely hope that there is going to be a massive dose of financing to ensure that Pacific Island states can show up in force. It is ridiculous that the states who are very literally on the front lines of climate change are routinely spread so thin across negotiations. But…
November 20, 2025 at 3:34 AM
I sincerely hope that there is going to be a massive dose of financing to ensure that Pacific Island states can show up in force. It is ridiculous that the states who are very literally on the front lines of climate change are routinely spread so thin across negotiations. But…
Reposted by El Gibbs
I just travelled 40 hours to get here, and paid an extortionate amount for flights. I love my colleagues from all around the world but they just don’t have the same barriers to physically get to COPs as we do in the Pacific. This has a real effect on COP outcomes.
November 20, 2025 at 3:32 AM
I just travelled 40 hours to get here, and paid an extortionate amount for flights. I love my colleagues from all around the world but they just don’t have the same barriers to physically get to COPs as we do in the Pacific. This has a real effect on COP outcomes.
Reposted by El Gibbs
Of course, having some form of stronger Pacific voice at #COP31 is better than the alternative of a fully Türkiye focused conference, but this host country arrangement does nothing to address the very real practical & financial barriers for Pacific participation in these spaces.
November 20, 2025 at 3:27 AM
Of course, having some form of stronger Pacific voice at #COP31 is better than the alternative of a fully Türkiye focused conference, but this host country arrangement does nothing to address the very real practical & financial barriers for Pacific participation in these spaces.
Reposted by El Gibbs
It’s too early yet to know what to make of tonight’s news that Türkiye will physically host #COP31, with Australia as President & some partnership with the Pacific. But at least for my community, this is a really tough blow at a critical time & it will reduce our participation.
November 20, 2025 at 3:24 AM
It’s too early yet to know what to make of tonight’s news that Türkiye will physically host #COP31, with Australia as President & some partnership with the Pacific. But at least for my community, this is a really tough blow at a critical time & it will reduce our participation.
Reposted by El Gibbs
People with disability were more likely to be physically assaulted by someone they knew and to experience assault in their own home.
18% of people with disability experienced fraud in a 12-month period, compared with 13% of people without disability
www.abs.gov.au/media-centre...
18% of people with disability experienced fraud in a 12-month period, compared with 13% of people without disability
www.abs.gov.au/media-centre...
High rates of fraud against people with disability
www.abs.gov.au
November 20, 2025 at 1:01 AM
People with disability were more likely to be physically assaulted by someone they knew and to experience assault in their own home.
18% of people with disability experienced fraud in a 12-month period, compared with 13% of people without disability
www.abs.gov.au/media-centre...
18% of people with disability experienced fraud in a 12-month period, compared with 13% of people without disability
www.abs.gov.au/media-centre...
Reposted by El Gibbs
Mutual obligation requirements will be paused for all participants from Monday 15 December 2025 until Monday 5 January 2026 (inclusive).
www.workforceaustralia.gov.au/individuals/...
www.workforceaustralia.gov.au/individuals/...
November 20, 2025 at 1:20 AM
Mutual obligation requirements will be paused for all participants from Monday 15 December 2025 until Monday 5 January 2026 (inclusive).
www.workforceaustralia.gov.au/individuals/...
www.workforceaustralia.gov.au/individuals/...
this image got shared in a local facebook group and hoo boy, folks are not getting the point at all
Once more, wind turbines spoil the view of this pristine rural landscape in Australia, threatening a lovely coal mine.
#auspol #politics #climatechange
pbs.twimg.com/media/G6GYra...
#auspol #politics #climatechange
pbs.twimg.com/media/G6GYra...
November 20, 2025 at 12:26 AM
this image got shared in a local facebook group and hoo boy, folks are not getting the point at all
Reposted by El Gibbs
www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2... this sweet obit from one of Alice’s close friends, Yomi, is beautiful. <3
'Don't let them grind you down': The legacy disability activist Alice Wong leaves behind
Disability activist and author Alice Wong died Friday at age 51 in California.
www.wbur.org
November 20, 2025 at 12:21 AM
www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2... this sweet obit from one of Alice’s close friends, Yomi, is beautiful. <3