West Australian Senate Candidates:
2010 WA Senate How to Vote Card
No 1 Candidate: Julie Gilmore
Julie Gilmore is married with a young son diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a severe physical diability. The shock to this young family has been compounded by a disability service system which is inadequate, dysfunctional and utterly failing to meet the needs of their child in every area of life.
Over the years the mountains of paperwork just to access the basic necessity of his care has taken its toll. But what has prompted Julie to step into the political arena is the knowledge that this situation is faced by tens of thousands of our fellow Australians with disabling conditions through illness, frailty and disability and carer-families everywhere.
As happens in so many carer-families, Julie’s family do not have the opportunities and choices open to other Australians. Julie lives the common experience of so many carer-families, she has had to leave full-time employment, has had to reduce her post-graduate research hours because there is no accessible, appropriate care which meets his needs: no before or after school care, vacation care or respite care.
Julie believes in what Carers Alliance is trying to achieve; the introduction of a National Disability Insurance Scheme with choice of self-directed, individual funding. She knows that only legislated rights and entitlements to services which such a scheme will require will start to address the manifest and critical needs which all but overwhelm the current dysfunctional disability service system.
Julie’s Mobile 0466 244 263 Email carersalliance_wa@iprimus.com.au
No 2 Candidate: Aileen Polain
My name is Aileen Polain I am a wife and mother of two wonderful children. I have spent most of my career as a Special Needs Education Assistant – a hard but rewarding job which I loved, assisting in the educational needs of students all over Western Australia. As I have a brother with Spina Bifida I have a very good understanding of what it is like to be a full time carer. I have seen the pressure and stress put on all family members when trying to take care of a loved one, but I also saw the laughter and fun of sharing. I am a passionate person who stands up for what is right and I strive to do my very best at all things I undertake.
Aileen’s Mobile: 0466 244 257