Tuesday, 3 December, 2024
Treaty negotiations commence for Victoria
High fuel load predicted for summer
Bushfire safer places confirmed
See Real Estate liftout inside
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A Star News Group Publication
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Calling for better As part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence campaign, over 150 people walked for better at Lillydale Lake. The second annual Boorndawan Willam Aboriginal Healing Services walk against family violence was a show of support, awareness and the ongoing need to call out violence. Using each stop along the way to draw people’s attention to the significance of the issue and the services available, a petition was also launched calling for more support, funding and a Royal Commission. See full coverage on pages 2 and 3
Banners calling for the end of gender and family violence could be seen among the crowd at Lillydale Lake. (Mikayla van Loon: 446672)
Changes raise ire By Mikayla van Loon The power of music for children and adults with a disability cannot be understated according to a Yarra Ranges music therapist and her client. Fletcher, 14 and his mum Kim have seen and experienced this firsthand over the last four years. Music therapy has been part of the suite of
therapies Fletcher has accessed for his severe autism and anxiety since 2020 and Kim said the benefits can’t be recreated by any other support. “It’s an evidence based practice to help humans self regulate and there’s something neurological that really can’t be replicated by any other inputs,” she said. “It works on so many levels, so the connection
with others, it helps with regulation and managing anxiety and functional skills.” It was for this reason they were so baffled by a recent Federal Government change to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) structure for music therapy and who can access it. The Australian Music Therapy Association (AMTA) said it discovered on Friday 22 Novem-
ber that the NDIS will remove music therapy from the Capacity Building – Improved Daily Living category. The price guide change, effective from 1 February 2025, will see the one-on-one hourly rate shift from $194 to $67 but a group rate, of four or more participants, be able to be charged at $194. Continued page 5
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