news
Paralympian
speakers
program
A
ustralian Paralympic
wheelchair basketball
champion Brett Stibners
(left) was 21 when he was
driving between jobs and fell
asleep at the wheel. His accident
resulted in his left leg being
amputated above the knee.
Brett is among current and former
10
news
Paralympic Committee, current and
former Paralympians who have been
affected by workplace injuries visit
Brett said by sharing his
experience, he hopes to educate
workers to stay safe and help
businesses understand the lasting
speakers program to the health and benefits of injury prevention and
community services industry safe return to work.
Brett and his fellow Paralympian
and help support a culture of speakers visited more than 70
workplace safety. workplaces across NSW.
for people with disability for more
than 30 years, opened its 18 new
offices in June.
CEO and Executive Director,
www.icare.nsw.gov.au/
Brisbane, Logan and Northern NSW.
She said all sites were opened
in time for the rollout of the new
Disability Employment Services (DES)
Lisa Smith, said that while the reform put in place by the Australian
quick expansion was a massive Government and to coincide with the
undertaking, the new offices allow National Disability Insurance Scheme
the company to place more people (NDIS) launch across Queensland.
with disability into quality, lasting
support and employment pathways
run in partnership with the Australian
icare is targeting its new-look
In the past 12 months, more than
ON-Q, which has been providing
Through the speakers’ program,
their stories.
to drive down workplace injuries
N
industry in NSW.
program which aims to decrease
New South Wales insurer
orthern New South
Wales headquartered
ON-Q Disability
Services has launched 18 new
offices from Ballina to the
Sunshine Coast.
health and community services
workplaces across the state to share
culture of workplace safety.
ON-Q
expands
in workplace accidents within the
Paralympians involved in a speakers’
workplace injuries and support a
Oska Taylor,
an ON-Q
participant
who has
gained
employment
at Maggie
& Mr Jones
café in
Ballina.
6,000 people have been injured
“The new DES model is
jobs across a wider footprint in supportive of a much more personal
Australia. and flexible approach to disability
“Each year we help hundreds of
employment which strongly aligns
people realise their full potential and to how we have always operated at
gain meaningful employment in jobs ON-Q,” she said.
they love, and with the launch of our
“We’re opening offices in new
new offices across the coast we are locations where we’ve never been
hoping to raise that number into the before, so we’re really excited
thousands,” Ms Smith said. to create new partnerships with
Ms Smith said the substantial
community and local businesses to
expansion will generate over 60 promote disability employment and
jobs, with new sites located across inclusion.”
the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast,
www.onq.org.au
linkonline.com.au