DICK ADAMS..working hard for Lyons communities

The Gonski Review is the most comprehensive review we have done in 40 years.

The Review has recommended that a funding injection be given to schools in Australia.  

Every Australian child has the right to a world class education, no matter where they live, the school they attend, or their family background.   

The Gonski Review will give every Australian child a great education and to secure a great job when they leave school.

So .... I Give a Gonski ..... do you?   

The Prime Minister and Minister for Workplace Relations announced this week that the Australian Government will amend the Fair Work Act to provide greater flexibility for a number of workers, including workers with disability and their carers.

The changes will give people with disability and their carers the right to request flexible working arrangements.

Currently, the right to request flexible work hours is restricted to parents with responsibility for the care of a child under school age or a child with disability aged under 18.

The change will extend the right to request flexible work arrangements to include:

- employees with disability;
- employees who are parents, or have responsibility for care of a child of school age;
- workers with other caring responsibilities;
- mature age employees; and
- workers experiencing family violence and workers providing personal care, support and assistance to a member of their immediate family or member of their household because they are experiencing family violence.
 
These changes are in line with a range of submissions to the recent review of the Fair Work Act, including from the Australian Human Rights Commission.

We are making the changes because we know that some people with disability only need a little bit of consideration, like more flexible working hours, to make a real and sustained contribution in the workplace.

As a Government, we are committed to helping all Australians reach their full potential, and participate in work, education and community life.

That’s why a Labor Government first introduced the right to request flexible work arrangements and it is why this Labor Government is extending them now.

That’s also why we are working hard to design the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), which will help change the lives of thousands of Australians with disability, their families and carers.

This historic reform will give people with disability more choice and control – and more flexibility – over the care and support they receive.

So they can make their own decisions about how to live their life and reach their goals.

I was born in Tasmania and counts convicts on the second fleet to arrive in Tasmania as my ancestors.  I grew up on a dairy farm and went on to work as a shearer, in meat works and on farms.

When I left school, I was nearly illiterate and had to work hard as an adult to learn to read and write. It took me four years of study to reach an acceptable level that enabled me to carry out my role as a union organiser.  I have served as a member of the Tasmanian Parliament and was first elected to the House of Representatives in Federal Parliament in 1993 where I represent the Tasmanian electorate of Lyons.

Having learnt to read and write as an adult, I am a keen advocate for adult literacy programs and am Patron and Life Member of the Tasmanian Council for Adult Literacy. As a strong supporter of libraries, I am the House of Representatives representative on the Board of the National Library of Australia as well as being Joint Chair of the House Committee on the Parliamentary Library.

My Thoughts on Reading & The National Year of Reading

Since becoming an Ambassador for the National Year of Reading, I have been approached by many primary and secondary schools (both in and outside my electorate of Lyons in Tasmania) to visit and talk to students about the importance of literacy. I am really enjoying these visits and am constantly amazed at some of the questions the children ask.

Recently I received an email from a young man in his twenties from New South Wales, asking how I learned to read and seeking advice on who to contact to get assistance. The National Year of Reading has certainly highlighted issues of literacy in the community which hopefully will help assist all those who have reading difficulties.

My Favourite Book:

Henry Lawson

The first book I ever bought was a book of poetry when I was working in south-western Queensland as a wool presser. I had been elected as a shop steward. The book of poetry that I bought was by Henry Lawson. His poetry certainly gave me inspiration to build on my passion for the trade union movement and, of course, developed an interest within me for endeavouring to work through the trade union movement for better working conditions, decent wages, and a better way of life for working people. It still inspires me. Lawson understood those who built a good life out of very little, and still had enormous satisfaction with it. Those values are my values; those people are my people.

I would like to quote from a poem written by Lawson in 1892:

'A prouder man than you'

If you fancy that your people came of better stock than mine,
If you hint of higher breeding by a word or by a sign
If you're proud because of fortune of the clever things you do -
Then I'll play no second fiddle: I'm a prouder man than you!
If you think that your profession has the more gentility
And that you are condescending to be seen along with me;
If you notice that I'm shabby while your clothes are spruce and new -
You have only got to hint it: I'm a prouder man than you!
Keep your patronage for others! Gold and station cannot hide
Friendship that can laugh at fortune, friendship that can conquer pride!
Offer this as to an equal - let me see that you are true,
And my wall of pride is shattered: I am not so proud as you!