ACE WA respond to ACE National
Jul 5, 2011
Following the release of budget information in May 2011, ACE WA submitted a response following consultation with and on behalf of local DES providers. The same article was posted to ACE National - a national peak body representing DES Providers - for their information. Our response to Minister can be viewed on an earlier post on this website.
Shortly afterward a reply was received from ACE National CEO to which ACE WA have responded. The original email and response are shown below. No further dialogue has taken place.
"Morning Trevor, thanks for sharing this response from ACEWA. It is not my position to comment in detail of the content, however I need to reinforce that there is a need to emphasize that ACEWA is a separate entity to Disability Employment Australia formally ACE National. I note you do in the intro this also needs to be reenforced with any distribution covering note. These views are not those of Disability Employment Australia. Personally I understand the views and the feelings and perspectives behind them. Careful when you argue that the KPI are resulting in providers moving away from the integrity of serving people with disability, that could be a poor reflection of the integrity of the provider and more concerning the sector. There is real tension and pressure on providers to do this and develop dubious means to get job counts up. I'm not sure we want to publicize these practices.
The point you make about direct referrals not encouraged as it has a negative effect on performance, is a good point and one that we are doing more analysis on. If I can make a suggestion, the link here needs to be in order to ensure that voluntary participants (DSP) have a choice to engage with DES of their choice, and DES providers should be encouraged to actively market and engage with the disability sector to encourage participation in seeking work in the open market.
It is not appropriate that you extend the Discussion Board to make ACEWA's response available, this could Increase confusion about the relationship between the two entities and I need to ensure that any written response or formulated campaign has the authorization from us formally. Thou have already made it known that members can contact you, That remains on the site.
Good luck with your campaign.
Regards
Lynette"
ACE WA response
"Hi Lynette
Sorry for the late response in replying to your email. Before I responded I wanted to table it at our ACEWA council meeting and gain their thoughts as the budget response was sent to you from me as the ACEWA chair.
I have taken the liberty to break your response down as follows.
1. “I need to reinforce that there is a need to emphasize that ACEWA is a separate entity to formally ACE National. I note you do in the intro this also needs to be reinforced with any distribution covering note.”
The ACEWA committee feels that it has adequately emphasized that we are an independent corporation and as such free to work in collaboration with any peak body of our choice.
2. “These views are not those of Disability Employment Australia”
ACE WA maintains its view that all 3 star and above rated providers as of 30 March 2012 should receive a contract extension to June 2015 and those at 1 and 2 Stars be given an opportunity at DEEWR State office level to make a case for an extension of contract with the State manager having the authority to extend the contract or re-allocate business share where appropriate. This is currently the case in the JSA contract.
The fact that Disability Employment Australia appears not to share this position has many providers across the country a little mystified and disappointed. Surely if 80% of DES ESS providers fall into this category then how can the National peak body not share the ACE WA position as a competitive tender will affect the majority of services.
3. “Careful when you argue that the KPI are resulting in providers moving away from the integrity of serving people with disability, that could be a poor reflection of the integrity of the provider and more concerning the sector”
Again ACE WA disagrees with your assessment here. Are values-based organisations being forced to look at their (10+year) practices and review behaviour to compete by using social enterprises, enclaves, job splitting and bench mark hour jobs, in an attempt to reach 4 stars? If so this absolutely must be stopped, the KPI’s and Star Rating system has to be critically reviewed, we all know that the Quality Framework measures are not measuring quality outcomes for people with a disability, merely speed and volume. This does not benefit people with Disabilities nor does it save government monies through a reduction in benefit payments.
The problem with the KPI’s is a serious matter that needs to be investigated, surely the Disability Services Act should prevail.
4. “There is real tension and pressure on providers to do this and develop dubious means to get job counts up. I'm not sure we want to publicize these practices.”
ACE WA feels that rather than hiding away these unscrupulous practices we should be uncovering them and exposing the hypocrisy of the current “performance” measures. The fact that some agencies are behaving like this – perhaps as a mere matter of practice. We fear that the industry is on a very slippery slope to mediocrity where social enterprises, which in my view are glorified sheltered workshops, are being heralded as creative and innovative and individually job-matched jobs are passé – our peaks have a responsibility to people with disabilities to stop this movement away from the Disability Services Standards.
5. “It is not appropriate that you extend the Discussion Board to make ACEWA's response available, this could Increase confusion about the relationship between the two entities and I need to ensure that any written response or formulated campaign has the authorization from us formally.”
ACE WA feels that Industry discussion at this point in time is vital and is one way of gauging the views of individual members. We should be bothered by criticism if it leads the Industry to success.