Vision Australia
2009/10 annual report

Our Vision
Vision Australia is a partnership between people who are blind, sighted or have low vision. We are united by our passion that people who are blind or have low vision will have access to and fully participate in every part of life they choose.
Our Mission
Vision Australia will achieve this through creating a community partnership of knowledge, skills and expertise to enrich the participation in life of people who are blind or have low vision and their families. We will ensure that the community recognises their capabilities and contributions.
Making it accessible 
This spiral-bound format can be spread flat, assisting people using magnifiers. This report is also available in large print, braille and audio formats. It can be downloaded at www.visionaustralia.org to read using speech output software.
Future focus 
While documenting the achievements of the past year, this report highlights our strategic direction to tackle the challenges of today and tomorrow.

Contents

Today’s challenges and our response
Message from the Chair and CEO
About us
Meeting today’s challenge by partnering with clients
Meeting today’s challenge by enhancing access to information
Meeting today’s challenge by making the most of technology
Meeting today’s challenge by working together
Meeting today’s challenge with Seeing Eye Dogs
Awards highlights
Meeting today’s challenge through our new strategic plan
Our key supporters answering today’s challenges
Our Executive
Our Board
Financial Summary
At a glance

Text accompanying image: Left: Natalie Evans is an accomplished 17 year-old hoping to represent Australia in the Special Olympics soccer team in Greece in 2011. She is completing year 12 at Endeavour Sports High School and has been a Vision Australia client since she was three months old. 

Cover images: Vision Australia staff from Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales ready for Today’s Challenges, from left, Andrew Furlong, Cathy Heenan, Anna McCauley, Louise Curtin, Kenny Johar, Margaret Bretherton and Renee Williamson with trainee Seeing Eye Dog, Max.
Today’s challenges and our response

Client needs are at the centre of Vision Australia. Our focus is to build on the work we have done over the past year to meet growing challenges. We must keep pace with the increasing demand for our services by maximising the resources we have and building an even stronger organisation.

Our response is that we will strive with our clients to achieve the outcomes they want, big or small; whether that is travelling, obtaining work or reading the daily news. 

Vision Australia’s responses to some of the challenges confronting our community are:

Challenge: There are 300,000 Australians who are blind or have low vision. With an increasingly ageing population this number will grow to about 600,000 by 2020. This means while today 25 people have learnt they will lose their sight, in 10 years time 80 people a day will receive the same news.

Response: Vision Australia will provide services to 30% more clients over the next three years.

Challenge: It is estimated that only 5% of the information available to a sighted person can be accessed by someone who is blind or has low vision.

Response: Vision Australia is making our entire library catalogue available for download and increasing the amount of information available in braille, audio, large print and electronic formats.

Challenge: 63% of people who are blind or have low vision and who are actively seeking employment cannot find it – five times that of the general population of Australia.

Response: Vision Australia is assisting clients to meet their employment goals and adapting their workplaces to promote their full inclusion.

Challenge: Only 20% of Australia’s automated teller machines can be used by someone who is blind or has low vision.

Response: Vision Australia advocates for greater accessibility and use of technology to enable people who are blind or have low vision to enjoy the same level of service as other Australians.

Challenge: Just 0.3% of all cinema sessions are accessible to people who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind or have low vision.

Response: Vision Australia advocates for greater use of technology to enable more Australians to enjoy full cinema access.

Text accompanying image: Dr Kevin Murfitt, Vision Australia Chair, turns the sod at Coorparoo with client Renee Russell and the Hon. Annastacia Palszczuk, the Queensland Minister for Disabilities and Multicultural Affairs.
Message from the Chair and CEO

Today’s challenges for Australians who are blind or have low vision are significant. As the nation’s leading provider of services to people who are blind or have low vision, Vision Australia embraces the responsibility of meeting these challenges with great passion and commitment.

We work in partnership with clients and their families, staff, volunteers and donors to enable life change. We achieve life change by delivering skills that facilitate confidence through being treated equally and belonging to a wider and supportive community. We also achieve life change by advocating strongly for the rights of our clients in all areas of their life.

This philosophy is supported by our Client Consultative Framework. With Local Client Groups, Regional Client Committees, the Client Representative Council and service specific committees, this framework is a strong voice representing the needs and views of clients back to Vision Australia.

“We honour many fruitful partnerships that are delivering tangible benefits for people facing today’s challenges.”

Evidence of partnering is our active collaboration in Australia with National Disability Services, Vision 2020 Australia, the Australian Council of Social Service and Blind Citizens Australia. Globally, we are continuing our leadership roles in the Asia-Pacific, with the World Blind Union, the DAISY Consortium and the Global Accessible Library Project.

In many ways, the past year’s efforts have been focused on consolidating and rebuilding the organisation to lay the foundations for further growth. This will ready us for responding to today’s challenges.

A key response was to dramatically reduce the cost of running the organisation while extending our service reach and maintaining high client satisfaction levels over the past year. To this end, we celebrated the opening of the $14.7 million Macaulay Road Centre in Kensington, Melbourne. The purchase was funded through the generosity of loyal donors as well as money raised from the sale of other properties.

Centralising administration and contact points enabled Vision Australia’s newly established National Contact Centre in Sydney to handle over 150,000 calls this year and process over 100,000 donations by mail.

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Seeing Eye Dogs, we now have 163 working dogs to assist clients’ mobility and confidence. Over the past year alone, 42 dogs graduated as Seeing Eye Dogs compared with 30 dogs in 2009.

As a progressive employer providing a stimulating and nurturing workplace, we are proud to have achieved a Fair and Flexible Employer Recognition Award from the Victorian Government. With 22% of our workforce blind or with low vision, we are a benchmark organisation for the employment of staff who are vision impaired.

Vision Australia leads the not-for-profit sector in transparency by measuring the value created by its services for clients groups such as children and areas like employment.  Using internationally recognised methodology to measure the Social Return on Investment, we show the return for each dollar spent on delivering these services.  

Our balance sheet reflects a financially solid organisation with a strong asset base. Our revenue has continued to be derived chiefly from our legacies, bequests and donations, as well as from government grants. 

We acknowledge that without the support of donors and government, we would fall short of the high expectations of our clients. Although 88% of clients are satisfied or very satisfied with our services and 99% would recommend us to others, extensive research offers an indication of where services can and will be improved. Vision Australia has taken this feedback on board and, in consultation with our stakeholders, has adjusted its strategic direction. 

It is with pleasure that we congratulate our Deputy Chair, Professor Ron McCallum, who was this year appointed the Chair of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

To everyone in the Vision Australia family – a sincere thank you for your passion and contribution.

Together we form a partnership of devoted individuals who are creating a growing community of like-minded people – an inclusive society where clients are confident, supported and enjoy a strong sense of belonging.

Kevin Murfitt 
Chair 

Gerard Menses
Chief Executive Officer
About us

Vision Australia is the largest and only national provider of blindness and low vision services in Australia, and a major innovator and partner throughout the world. We work in partnership with Australians who are blind or have low vision to help them achieve the possibilities they choose in life.

Vision Australia is a not-for-profit community organisation offering people who are blind, have low vision or are print-disabled a broad suite of services such as assessment and support provided by health professionals to recreational activities, accessible technologies and library services. 

Along with our domestic suite of services, we are heavily involved with global issues relating to blindness.  

We provide services to more than 47,000 clients across Australia from 29 Vision Australia centres in New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Queensland and Victoria. While most of our services are delivered in metropolitan areas, clinics are also held in 38 other locations.

To meet the challenges of today, Vision Australia builds on 144 years of consecutive service and brings together seven organisations. These are Royal Blind Society (RBS), Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind (RVIB), Vision Australia Foundation (VAF), National Information Library Services (NILS), Royal Blind Foundation Queensland (RBFQ), Hear a Book, and Seeing Eye Dogs Australia (SEDA).

“Our services assist clients at each stage of life...”

...from young children obtaining skills such as dressing and feeding themselves through to study, employment and independent living.

Most of our services are offered free of charge, meaning that each year we need to raise nearly $100 million to deliver our services.

Clients, staff, volunteers and donors are united in their support for Vision Australia’s focus to enable life change through participation.

We work closely with government and business to break down barriers for people who are blind or have low vision. We actively advocate for an inclusive society where every individual is accepted and confidently participates in a sighted world. We partner with collegiate organisations around the world.

We are proud that our services receive independent recognition. Independent Living Services is required to meet the standards of five quality systems and has established a Quality Assurance Committee to ensure policies, processes and practices meet statutory and regulatory requirements. This year an independent audit of our Employment Services applauded our solid governance, corporate infrastructure, sound business processes and excellent service delivery.

Organisational chart

Vision Australia’s Board is governed by its constitution and must act in accordance with the Corporations Act 2001. Our Board has adopted the Corporate Governance Principles established by the ASX insofar as they apply to a national not for profit organisation. Further details on the directors and corporate governance can be found in the Directors’ Report on pages 1 through 12 of the Financial Report.

Top Level:
•	Board of Directors

Second Level (reports to Board of Directors):
•	Chief Executive

Third Level (reports to Chief Executive): 
•	Community Information Access
•	Marketing and Fundraising
•	Seeing Eye Dogs Orientation and Mobility
•	Organisational Development
•	Independent Living Services
•	Corporate Services
•	International and Stakeholder Relations

Meeting today’s challenge by partnering with clients

A sense of belonging for clients in an inclusive society is fundamental to everyone who shares Vision Australia’s passion for enabling life choice for people who are blind or have low vision.

Eight of Vision Australia’s 15 core services underpin the aim of building skills and confidence so our clients can overcome the many challenges they face day to day, to fully participate in life.

“What a huge change there has been since I’ve been doing this group. I’m now a lot more assertive and I don’t feel so isolated and alone.”
Quality Living Group participant

Our Quality Living Programs are offered nationally - providing emotional support and information for people who are confronting the potentially frightening prospect of living with blindness or low vision.

Two new coordinators were employed in New South Wales and Queensland and eight are in training, bringing the total number of facilitators to 28. This is important in meeting the challenge of increased demand, with an increase in demand of 37% during the year. Client satisfaction with Quality Living Programs is 96% with over half of the clients taking up additional services and resuming community or recreation activities as an outcome of attending the program.  

The telephone-based Tele-link is also proving popular, enabling groups of up to eight clients who are home bound or in remote locations to enjoy a weekly chat about common interests such as football, books, crosswords, gardening, and current affairs. There are 42 groups, with 17 in languages other than English including Italian, Greek, Mandarin, Vietnamese and Hungarian.

Children’s services
Vision Australia continues to play a vital role in developing the foundations of knowledge and awareness that enable children to realise their potential in a sighted society. Funding for children’s services in the Northern Territory increased from $60,000 to $102,630, extending services to 34 children and their families and teachers in remote communities.

The tactile Feelix Library lets children experience the sensory world described in books. Through the use of more sophisticated technology and other services, we support their progression through school and then into employment or further education.

The Social Return on Investment measure shows for every $1 spent on Vision Australia’s Children and Family Services, $12.40 is created  in social value.

Text accompanying image: Gerrard Gosens, proving people who are blind can realise any of their dreams, performed with his dancing partner, Jessica Raffa, on the popular television show Dancing with the Stars.

Facilitating and maintaining employment
Over the past year, Vision Australia has welcomed 257 new open Employment Services clients. Of this number, Vision Australia supported 67 people into a new job. A further 40% entered the program to maintain their current job. We also conducted 216 worksite assessments through Job Access.  

Vision Australia secured a new Disability Employment Services contract with the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. This specialist service supports people who are blind or have low vision gain and maintain work.  The service is offered from nine sites across Australia.

Vision Australia was also successful in renewing the contract to be an accredited Workplace Modification Assessor under the Job Access Service.

The Social Return on Investment measure shows for every dollar spent on open employment services, $8.58 is created in social value.
Vision Australia Enterprises (supported employment) has initiated an exciting Employment Pathways Program with Holmesglen Institute of TAFE to develop and showcase our clients’ talents. 

Text accompanying image: Hosts Karl Stefanovic and Lisa Wilkinson at Vision Australia’s Carols By Candlelight® that again raised over $1 million for children’s services.

Low vision clinics
Our 67 low vision clinics continue to be the primary first point of contact to assess and assist clients. During 2009/2010, 7,818 clients visited our clinics for vision assessments and to start the process of receiving services in order to gain confidence and independence in living with a disability.

Orientation and mobility
Vision Australia’s Orientation and Mobility specialists equip clients with the skills to move safety, efficiently, confidently and independently around the home, travelling to school or work and in recreational environments. Five graduates completed the in-house nationally-accredited course last year and are looking forward to joining the team that provided 7,200 client services.

Recreation and creating social inclusion
Basketball, golf, indoor archery, fishing, Scrabble, indoor bowls, sing-alongs, Lifeball, tandem bicycle riding, Easter egg hunts, social walks and tai chi are just some of the recreational activities offered by Vision Australia. Subsidised accommodation for clients and their families at Mount Baw Baw Alpine Resort and Barwon Heads is also available. 

On the cultural front, activities included audio-described plays in Sydney and Melbourne, concerts, book clubs, a literary festival, art and photography exhibitions and art appreciation workshops.

An example of community partnership is the Newcastle City Council Greening Centre. By working collaboratively with Vision Australia, Blind Citizens Australia and Leapfrog Ability Inc to establish a sensory garden, the Centre received a Vision Australia Making a Difference award. The whole community can enjoy the garden, with particular focus on using senses other than vision.

Text accompanying image: Five year old Layla Bodna uses Vision Australia’s early childhood, orthoptic, occupational therapy and orientation and mobility services. She’s a delightful dancer and this year has successfully made the transition to school. 

Meeting today’s challenge by enhancing access to information

Vision Australia strives to meet the challenge of making information accessible and usable for clients who are blind, with low vision or other print disabilities so they can enjoy the vast array of information available to people who are sighted. Through producing information into braille, audio or large print, the barriers to social inclusion, education and employment decrease.

With only 5% of the information available to a sighted person accessible by someone who is blind, has low vision or other print disabilities, our challenge is immense. However, Vision Australia has demonstrated technical leadership in e-publishing and the development of standards that should significantly cut the cost of distributing accessible content online, and increase the choice of devices that people with a print disability have to access this content across the globe.

Our national library service, i-access®, offered 32,000 titles to 18,691 members and has negotiated access to over 100,000 more titles on demand. Over the year, 801,346 titles were borrowed. 

On average 300 new clients join the library each month. On joining these clients receive a free loan of a DAISY hardware player enabling them to access their information of choice and navigate the content with ease. Over 3,000 new players were purchased throughout the year. 

An agreement with Bookshare United States was signed enabling clients of Vision Australia to access their international collection for a negotiated reduced fee. 
An agreement was also signed with ReadHowYouWant to develop an online bookstore providing clients of Vision Australia to not only borrow material through the library but also purchase it. 

Work on the Global Accessible Library continues with support from International Publisher Associations and the World Intellectual Property Organisation, enabling clients from any location in the world to search, find and download titles of their choice from other agency library collections. This will enable cross-border sharing of accessible materials, thus reducing the duplication that currently occurs across the world and thereby increasing the amount of accessible material available for people with a print disability. 

A project team has been established and a pilot should be in place by May 2011. 

Text accompanying image: Pictured with his mother Elaine, Micah Cheung loves experiencing the magic of storytime using Vision Australia’s Feelix Library, through kits that contain braille, audio storybooks, toys and other tactile objects.  Feelix Library is printed in a range of languages. 

In addition, Vision Australia leads the National Repository of Accessible Material working group that is developing a model of collaboration amongst the number of alternative-format providers in Australia to reduce duplication and encourage sharing. This group has representatives from government, the publishing industry, copyright agencies, Blind Citizens Australia and the National Library of Australia. 

Through i-access® online, our collection of accessible material is growing.

Our collection of informative, relevant and timely information is ever apparent with over 188 national daily, community and regional newspapers being available for download on the day of publication.  i- access® Online is popular with over 3,400 newspapers and 50 magazine titles downloaded each month. 

•	The development of downloadable music braille and podcasts through i-access® Online continues to grow with over 1,000 items available for loan.

•	The year saw a significant growth in DAISY titles in the collection, especially in languages other than English. Titles can now been borrowed in Polish, Russian, German, Hindi, French and Thai.

Big Print for Kids
The Big Print for Kids project was launched in 2010 in partnership with SPELD Victoria (Support for Dyslexia and other Specific Learning Difficulties). The project was funded ($73,100) through the Victorian Department of Planning and Community Development and was part of the Small Grants Program for Public Libraries. The project developed accessible material for young people with Dyslexia and established a successful future working relationship with a major area of print disabilities. 

Our alternative format production team exceeded its target to produce accessible material by transforming 32,909,434 print pages into braille, audio, large print and DAISY text on time. Alternative format materials were produced for over 200 organisations throughout Australia enabling them to provide accessible content to their clients or end users. 

Vision Australia was instrumental in enabling a major overseas publisher to begin publishing accessible content. Blackstone Audio Publishing began the first commercial production of DAISY audio books in late 2009. 

SAI Global conducted an external audit against the ISO 9001/2008 standard during June 2010 resulting in the recertification of Vision Australia Production and Library Quality Management systems.

Vision Australia Radio can be heard on eight radio stations across Victoria and southern New South Wales plus live streaming and podcasts via the Vision Australia website. The transformation of our radio is underway. Increased training with our volunteers, and focus groups with listeners, has enabled Vision Australia to revitalise our on-air programs. The positive response to these new formats has been reflected by a significant increase in our weekly listenership to 166,000 people in Melbourne.
 
In the coming years the radio service will undergo a major overhaul of its technical infrastructure. Digital Radio will be implemented in 2010, thanks to a federal government grant, and we look forward to the exciting opportunities this second channel will enable in providing diverse programs and expanded access to information. 

As less than 0.3% of all cinema sessions are accessible to people who are deaf, hard of hearing, legally blind or have vision impairment, more Australians are seeking better access to the arts.

•	Vision Australia is meeting this challenge by finalising agreements with Opera Australia, Sydney Opera House, Queensland Theatre Company, Queensland Opera, Melbourne Theatre Company, Victoria Opera, Australian Ballet Company and state-based theatres that will see audio- described performances.

•	As a result of discussions facilitated by the Australian Human Rights Commission and involving Vision Australia, the Australian Visual Software Distributors Association (AVSDA), representing the global film and television industry, has agreed to make audio description and English captioning available on the majority of films released on DVD. This initiative has seen a steady increase in the proportion of new DVDs incorporating audio description from 10% to 30% over the last 12 months.

•	Vision Australia was involved in a meeting at which the heads of major cinemas committed to a timetable that will see the captioning and audio description of 242 cinema screens across Australia by the end of 2014.

i-access® Advisory Committee

The i-access® Advisory Committee facilitates communication between Vision Australia Community Information Access service and the recipients of its services. The 13-member committee provides advice to management on library, accessible formats, audio description and radio broadcasting services. 

Text accompanying image: “The library was the best thing to have happened in my life since my sight went. I don’t know what I would have done without my talking books. I was always an avid reader. I also have a CCTV to read the paper. Vision Australia’s support has been terrific. Their staff can’t do enough for you. They have really helped me to rebuild my confidence to get out and about and remain as independent as possible.”
Jeffrey Carter (left).
Meeting today’s challenge by making the most of technology

The introduction and application of assistive technology has made a significant difference to the amount of information that clients who are blind or have low vision can access. However the challenge is still enormous to provide the depth of access and support required to enable full participation in life.

Assistive technology encompasses all equipment and technology that assist people who are blind or have low vision to access or participate in a particular activity or range of activities. This includes signature guides, large button phones, magnifiers, DAISY players, refreshable braille displays, and screen magnification software.

Talking barcode scanners that can differentiate between a can of beans and a can of tomatoes, a device that beeps when a cup is full, and money-handling equipment can make a huge difference in maintaining independence.

The organisation achieved a number of milestones over the past year for its assistive technologies, including:

•	Growth of average units sold through the online shop increased from 253 per month to 406 per month, with a total of 4,875 items sold online for the year.

•	Through cooperative relationships with international organisations, Vision Australia introduced a range of cheaper products for customers and clients and the Department of Veterans Affairs increased the range of assistive technology that it funds.

•	There was an increase in free and recycled products available to clients. Over 6,000 free products, valued at over $125,000, were issued including approximately 2,000 canes and cane tips. We recycled 95 donated video magnifiers and stand-alone reading machines, with a total value of $142,500.

•	Seventy five assistive technology products were evaluated, including the Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, Oricom EZY100 big-button mobile phone, the full-screen magnifier in Windows 7, low cost PENFriend audio labeller, the Next Generation Perkins Brailler, louder rattling soccer and rugby balls and a number of lower cost portable video magnifier options.

Text accompanying image: Dawson Ko, who lost his sight at 15, uses assistive technology to get places.  He has won the Equity Award from TAFE, the Young Aussie Award NSW in the 2007 and a Further Education Bursary Award from Vision Australia. He also runs a fashion website ‘Fashionable eye for the blind guy...& gal’

Training
To support the adoption and use of technology over the past year Vision Australia has continued its commitment to training clients to use computers and assistive technology.

Vision Australia Further Education Bursaries continued to strengthen the opportunities for study for 21 clients who are now enrolled in a range of tertiary education courses that include Chemical Engineering, Music, Arts, Fine Art, Psychology, Social Science, Criminology, Early Childhood Education, Community Welfare, Management, Massage Therapy and Landscape Architecture.

Bursary applications open at the beginning of August and close at the end of October each year. 86% of our recipients graduated, compared to 72% of the general student population. 56% are now in paid employment.

Text accompanying image: Vision Australia Bursary recipient, Ria Andriani, who has been blind since the age of five, topped the 2009 NSW Higher School Certificate in the subject of Indonesian Background Speakers.

The organisation is grateful for additional funding it received for service delivery in 2009/2010:

•	Queensland’s Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation funded a $203,000 Stepping Forward Program for clients undertaking work skills training and work placements.

•	Queensland’s Department of Education and Training provided an additional $60,000 for equipment and therapy services to children.

•	Queensland’s Department of Communities funded the purchase of $20,000 of equipment for service delivery in Maroochydore.

•	The Northern Territory’s Department of Employment, Education and Training provided an additional $40,000 to deliver adaptive technology services to children.

•	Victoria’s Department of Education and Early Childhood Development granted an additional $50,000 to support staff development.

•	Victoria’s Department of Human Services, Home and Community Care Program provided $35,000 for the purchase of equipment.

•	The New South Wales Department of Education and Training gave $10,000 to conduct workshops for parents and carers of children with disabilities.

•	The City of Sydney provided $15,000 to help set up a Low Vision Clinic.

Leveraging expertise
Vision Australia launched an assistive technology podcast webpage where people can listen to the features of a product and how to use it.

The Regional Alternate Format Technology initiative introduces the capacity for Vision Australia centres to allow clients to convert small amounts of written material into audio, braille or large print. This can be used for information such as service appointments.

Kenny Johar, our Manager Architecture, Innovation & Accessibility, has received the prestigious Most Valuable Professional award from Microsoft.  Kenny is the first person who is blind to receive the award which recognises his contribution to the international technical community.

Text accompanying image: “I open my eyes in the morning and all I see is black. Going to the Quality Living Group gave me independence. Talking to a lot of other blind people made the world of difference.  It made me rethink my life. My next goal is to get a job.”
Gaye Gutteridge, Quality Living Group participant

Meeting today’s challenge by working together

Vision Australia is a team player and throughout the year has encouraged individuals and organisations to work in collaboration to achieve mutually desired outcomes. We work together for clients and the broader community by partnering with each other and with like-minded organisations.

We worked with more than 200 organisations to assist them make their information more accessible, including the Country Fire Authority in Victoria, the Commonwealth  Departments of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, as well as Health and Ageing, the Australian Red Cross, Centrelink, Australian Tax Office, ANZ Bank and the Sydney Festival. In conjunction with EnergyAustralia, we have produced industry-leading bill summaries in Braille, e-text format, audio CD and large print.

Vision Australia was involved in the evaluation of 75 websites for accessibility and undertook major projects with Telstra, Australia Post, Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations and the Bureau of Meteorology. We were also commissioned by the Australian Government to undertake a study of international significance on the accessibility of PDF (Portable Document Format) files for people with a disability. This was a key part of the Australian Government’s Web Accessibility National Transition Strategy that endorsed Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.0. This will bring Australian websites closer to international best practice.

As another example of working together, Vision Australia, the Centre for Eye Research Australia and Beyond Blue are undertaking unique research into the effectiveness of depression screening and onward referral outcomes for clients who are identified as being at risk of depression.

Vision impairment is a known risk factor for depression, so this screening program places the Centre for Eye Research Australia and Vision Australia at the forefront of psychosocial care in low vision services internationally.

Continuing in health services, Vision Australia and the University of Sydney successfully tendered under the National Health Medical Research Council Partnership Scheme Project to develop policies for Australians with dual sensory impairment (hearing and vision loss) to identify unmet needs and facilitate client access to necessary services. Vision Australia will provide $167,210.50 cash support and in-kind support valued at $120,140 over three years.

Text accompanying image: This tandem bike crew, from left (Grant, Dean, Lorin and John) rode a 4,000 km fundraising journey across the Nullarbor. Lorin, who is blind, was also presented with an Individual Community Services Award for his volunteer and advocacy work.

Our valued staff and volunteers 
As our staff demonstrate their passion and professionalism tirelessly, we are proud to have achieved a Fair and Flexible Employer Recognition Award from the Victorian Government, recognising the organisation’s efforts to support our greatest asset – our people. Vision Australia employs 819 full and part-time staff of which 177 (22%) are blind or have low vision. 

Our staff are admirably supported by our fabulous volunteers. The Vision Australia family was extended by 620 new volunteers over the past year. We now have 5,114 registered volunteers who worked 264,129 hours. Valuing their time at an average $25 per hour, they have collectively contributed over $6.6 million.

Text accompanying image: Janet Etchells and her Seeing Eye Dog, Rocky.

Our community
Vision Australia advocates for the rights of clients at individual and universal levels. We fully embrace the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities to support our clients to make decisions which affect their lives based on their free and informed consent.

Our advocacy team continued to work directly with 250 clients and their families to address discrimination relating to blindness and low vision. This included 25 submissions to government.

Maryanne Diamond continued her role as President of the World Blind Union. She led our organisation on committees and programs aimed at addressing the barriers to inclusion for clients who are blind or low vision such as the Avoidable Blindness Initiative Consortium, the Vision Alliance, the Advisory Committee on the National Compact, and the Board of the Global Partnership on Disability and Development.

In November 2009 Vision Australia and the Australia and New Zealand School of Government partnered to organise the visit of prominent UK politician and blindness advocate, the Hon David Blunkett, MP. He met with Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard and gave a number of high-profile addresses to raise awareness of the issues facing people who are blind.

Raising awareness of specific needs of the blindness community was further strengthened through several Vision Australia sites being used as pre-poll voting booths, particularly to enable people who are blind or have low vision a secret ballot vote. This has occurred for both the 2010 Federal and Victorian elections.

OH&S key indicators	08	09	10	
Lost time Injury Frequency Rate	21.1	5.4	9.8	
Lost Time Injury Severity Rate	675	411	416	
Vision Australia’s Workers Compensation premium fell by $47,031 through greater OH&S awareness of staff and careful claims management.	

Our environment
Vision Australia continues to implement new initiatives across the organisation to better measure, manage and reduce our impact on the environment. This includes Coorparoo achieving a five-star sustainability rating.

At Vision Australia’s Carols by Candlelight® event we used Greenhouse Friendly™ ENVI Carbon Neutral Paper for the program, 100% renewable energy through EnergyAustralia and enviro bags to reduce plastic. Using a range of different garbage bins, a recycling rate of 71% was achieved compared with 59% in 2008.

Text accompanying image: “I feel ecstatic about coming so far in two years. It’s given me my life back again. I’m now Jo Ann Sherman again! Attending the Quality Living Group has given me support and confidence to maintain my independence.”
Jo Ann Sherman, Quality Living Group participant

Meeting today’s challenge with Seeing Eye Dogs

Susan Rafferty (top right) has been one of our most dedicated volunteer puppy carers since 2004. Her eighth puppy, Bronte, a beautiful black female Labrador, is learning about all the situations that a person encounters in a day.

Clients like Cynthia Manson (bottom right), who learnt she was losing her sight at 27 years of age, welcomed baby Mykhan into the world with the confidence that her Seeing Eye Dog Oggy was supporting her. 

This year, Seeing Eye Dogs Orientation and Mobility, a division of Vision Australia, marks 50 years of training people who are blind to move about safely and independently. We are the only national provider of Seeing Eye Dogs.  This service plays a vital role in assisting our clients maintain their mobility and independence.

To meet the increased demand as the number of people who are blind or have low vision doubles by 2020, the number of puppies in training needs to also increase by 120 over the next three years. To achieve this significant increase, we need the support of the Australian public.

Text accompanying image: Nick Gleeson, father of two, is Vision Australia’s Speakers Network Officer.  Pictured with his Seeing Eye Dog Unity, he has conquered a myriad of day to day challenges plus sky-dived, bungee-jumped, scuba-dived and climbed Mt Kilimanjaro.

It costs $30,000 to train a puppy. We seek puppy sponsors who give $25 each month to enable a pup to become a working dog. All puppy sponsors receive photos and updates to follow their puppy from when they begin their training, right though to graduation.

We thank high-profile Australians like Toll-Holden Racing Team star, Will Davison, who is an Ambassador for Vision Australia’s Seeing Eye Dogs. Over the past year, Will has supported a number of key events including SEDA’s November Open Day and kick-starting its 50 years of service celebrations on 10 April 2010. Will also caught up with Davo, the Seeing Eye Dog (named after Will ) that he has generously supported through training.

In the 50th year of Seeing Eye Dogs, 42 dogs graduated, bringing the total number of ‘best friends’ to 163. 

Year	10	09	08	
Graduate Dogs	42	30	35	
Seeing Eye Dog Clients	192	163	147	
Working dog population	163	133	120	
Orientation and Mobility Services	7,200	1,681	1,594	
Awards highlights

The PricewaterhouseCoopers Transparency Awards 
The PricewaterhouseCoopers Transparency Awards, in collaboration with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and the Centre for Social Impact, are designed to recognise the quality and transparency of reporting in the not-for-profit sector.

All nominations for the Awards are assessed on criteria based on PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Reporting Framework, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia’s research into reporting by the not-for-profit sector and the Global Reporting Initiative’s reporting guidelines.

Vision Australia has entered the Awards in each year since its inception. Our 2008/2009 Annual Report reached the final-five shortlist for the Awards. 

We are strongly committed to providing our stakeholders with clear and accessible information beyond the scope of conventional financial reporting.

Fair and Flexible Employer Recognition Award 
Vision Australia has received a Fair and Flexible Employer Recognition Award this year from the Victorian Government’s Working Families Council. The Award is given to organisations that have developed fair and flexible workplace practices as part of innovative methods to improve the work and family balance of their employees.  

This recognition as a progressive employer assists us to retain the best employees and promote our workplace as an Employer of Choice.

The Australian Employers’ Network on Disability 
Vision Australia supports the principles and practices of workplace equity and diversity.  As a member of The Australian Employers’ Network on Disability, we seek to take a leadership role in advancing the equitable inclusion of people with disability in all aspects of our business.  We strive to improve internal systems and procedures to ensure they are accessible to people with a wide range of disabilities.

Meeting today’s challenge through our new strategic plan 

Extensive discussion with clients through the Client Representative framework, regular satisfaction surveys and recent focus groups confirm the need for Vision Australia to provide services which enable clients to live a rich and full life of their choosing.  

Clients need a variety of skills to enable them to get the most out of what they do. This gives confidence. Clients want inclusiveness in society at all levels and in every way. This will be achieved through Vision Australia’s advocacy for the rights of the individual. Clients also want a community that understands their disability and help to make the most of their abilities. This gives clients a sense of belonging.

This diagram demonstrates the linkages between each of these:

Description of diagram: 
The diagram appears as a pyramid with ‘Advocacy’ at the apex and the word ‘Confidence’ and ‘Belonging’ at the two base points. Under ‘Advocacy’ at the apex are the words: ‘Promote inclusiveness in society’. Above ‘Confidence’ are the words: ‘Facilitating independence by developing skills’. The word ‘Belonging’ is expanded as: ‘A community of likeminded people who understand my disability’. On the wall of the pyramid between ‘Confidence’ and ‘Advocacy’ are the words: ‘Vision Australia’s expertise and authority’. On the wall of the pyramid between ‘Advocacy’ and ‘Belonging’ are the words: ‘The place’. At the base of the pyramid between ‘Belong’ and ‘Confidence’ are the words: ‘The People’. Within the pyramid is a circle that links all these elements and the words: ‘Enabling life change’.

Our strategy is linked to our five key goals
In coming years, we will focus on:

•	Providing services to more people who are blind or have low vision.
•	Increasing our income to better meet the growing need.
•	Finding more efficient ways to use our resources.
•	Creating greatest client satisfaction possible.
•	Ensuring Vision Australia develops as the major authority in blindness and low vision services

Through delivering this strategy Vision Australia will keep the trust of our donors, volunteers and staff, while providing high quality services to our clients.

Text accompanying image: From left, Brian Gear, Assistant Supervisor, Vision Australia Enterprises with Karen Clark and Cyril Lutchner from Pre-School Equipment Pty Ltd, a long-standing and loyal customer of Enterprises.

Our key supporters answering today’s challenges

Text accompanying image: In recognition of the significant contribution of John and Janet Wicking to the development and sustainability of Vision Australia and the blindness and low vision community, the head office of Vision Australia in Kooyong, Victoria is now known as the JO and JR Wicking Centre. (From left, Board Director, Paul Gleeson, CEO Gerard Menses, Managing Director ANZ Trustees, Roberto Scenna, and Chair, Dr Kevin Murfitt).

Vision Australia is immensely grateful for the strengthening of commitment from individuals, trusts, foundations, auxiliaries, fundraising groups, corporations and government. This support gives Vision Australia the resources to meet today’s challenges and presents us with opportunities for tomorrow.

“From time to time, an organisation has an opportunity to recognise the contribution of our significant supporters.”

The JO and JR Wicking Trust, managed by ANZ Trustees, is a major contributor to Vision Australia’s i-access® campaign to harness new digital and Internet-based technologies. The Trust has given a million dollars each year since 2007, which will result in a total contribution of $5.7 million by 2011. Vision Australia is incredibly honoured to be the recipient of such generosity.

We owe enormous gratitude to the Gandel Charitable Trust, which was established 34 years ago by two passionate philanthropists, John and Pauline Gandel. As well as providing significant financial support, Pauline has gone above and beyond to promote i-access® through her valuable network of friends and business peers and as National Campaign Benefactor of our i-access® Capital Campaign. Pauline opened doors for Vision Australia’s i-access® project, including her own in 2007 when she hosted an elegant and intimate event in her home to help spread the word about our digitisation project. 

We warmly commemorate Edward Cook who was born in Holland in 1917 and passed away on 7 August 2009. Ed Cook migrated to Melbourne, where he ran a successful electrical contracting business. He was a caring and generous person whose munificence will be long remembered and cherished by the whole Vision Australia family, with the value of his estate to Vision Australia estimated to be $3 million.

Sylvia and Charles Viertel’s extraordinary generosity will also continue to touch the lives of Australians who are blind or have low vision through the Sylvia and Charles Viertel Charitable Trust, also managed by ANZ Trustees. Last year their pledge of $657,154 funded our new low vision clinic rooms at Vision Australia Coorparoo and funded specialist staff to support Queenslanders with vision loss.

Vision Australia gratefully attributes the development of the Coorparoo Centre to the generosity of the Queensland Government, which provided $10 million in funding towards this project. 

A special thank you goes to the property developer Harry Triguboff, who generously donated $100,000 to i-access®. Recognition also goes to the Heritage Building Society for its support assisting in fundraising for the training of Seeing Eye dogs.

Text accompanying image: From left, our CEO, Gerard Menses, our Chair, Dr Kevin Murfitt and Myer CEO and valued i-access® supporter, Bernie Brookes at Vision Australia’s Carols by Candlelight®.

We are also most grateful to Microsoft Australia, who granted us $6 million in software in 2009. This is the largest donation of its kind in Australia. This year we have established a new donor database that centralises all our supporter information.

A total of $37,817 million has been raised from government funding programs.

Vision Australia appreciates each and every supporter and sincerely thanks everyone who continues his or her involvement with us.

Our Executive

Gerard Menses, BA (Hons), MA, MAICD, FAIM 
Chief Executive Officer  
Gerard joined Vision Australia in 2004 with qualifications in psychology. Gerard has led some of Australia’s largest not-for-profit organisations and has served on many government and industry advisory bodies. He was the Australian Institute of Management’s (Queensland) Professional Manager of the Year in 2001. He currently serves on the Boards of Vision2020, the Centre for Eye Research Australia, and the National Roundtable of Nonprofit Organisations.

Glenda Alexander, BSocWk, Grad Dip Comm, Grad Dip Man, Cert IV Training and Assessment 
General Manager Independent Living Services  
Glenda has many years of experience working in the disability sector. Prior to joining Vision Australia in 2008, Glenda worked in senior management roles in government and the not-for-profit sector. For several years she presided on tribunal panels and served as Chair of Queensland’s Child Care Forum, which provides strategic advice to the Minister for Communities. 

Maryanne Diamond, BSc, Grad Dip IT
General Manager International and Stakeholder Relations
Maryanne is the current president of the World Blind Union. She was the Executive Officer of Blind Citizens Australia and was the inaugural CEO of the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations following a career in the Information Technology industry.  Maryanne joined the Executive in 2008.Maryanne is on the boards of ACOSS, the Global Partnership on Disability and Development and the AMD Alliance International. She is a member of Australia’s National People with Disability and Carer Advisory Council and a member of the National Compact Sector Advisory Group. 

Trish Egan, BBus, MFIA, AIMM
General Manager Marketing and Fundraising
Trish joined Vision Australia in 2005 with extensive experience in marketing, having trained and worked with Unilever in Sydney, London and New York for 10 years. On returning to Australia, she worked on many large global brands and within global marketing and project teams. At Kellogg’s, Trish embraced broader management opportunities, including leadership of the Export Division and establishing a new, company-wide integrated planning process.

Leigh Garwood, MA (Comm) AIMM, MFIA
General Manager Seeing Eye Dogs, Orientation and Mobility 
Leigh has run several not-for-profit health organisations, including Seeing Eye Dogs Australia, the Gawler Foundation and Arthritis Foundation of Victoria prior to joining Vision Australia in 2008. He also has considerable marketing and advertising experience, having been publisher and general manager of a newspaper group.

Michael Hansen B Econ (Monash), MBA (Monash), FAIM
General Manager Organisational Development
Michael joined Vision Australia in September 2010. He has experience as a human resources consultant and senior executive in a diverse range of large organisations in retail, manufacturing, health, tertiary education, church and charitable, and not-for-profit sectors. Early in his career he specialised in industrial relations, but Michael has since focused on organisational development as the key driver for building employee engagement and organisation effectiveness. 

Julie Rae, AALIA, BA Librarianship, Grad Cert Bus. Admin
General Manager Community Information Access 
Julie joined Vision Australia in 2008 with extensive experience in senior local government roles and private enterprise. Julie is currently the Chair of the IFLA Libraries Serving Persons with Print Disabilities Standing Committee, President of the Roundtable on Information Access for Print Disabilities, Secretary of RPH Australia, and on the boards of DAISY and the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA).

David Speyer, ACA
General Manager Corporate Services
David joined Vision Australia in 2006 working on the Royal Blind Foundation Queensland and Seeing Eye Dogs Australia mergers until assuming his current role in March 2009.  As a Chartered Accountant he has considerable audit and finance experience including working at Price Waterhouse and as a Divisional Financial Director for a UK multinational. As Vice President for a US conglomerate overseeing operations across 12 Asian countries, he has extensive operational management experience.

Text accompanying image: From top left: Leigh Garwood, David Speyer, Trish Egan, Gerard Menses, Michael Hansen, Julie Rae, Glenda Alexander, Maryanne Diamond

Our Board

Dr Kevin Murfitt, BA (Hons), Chair  
Kevin was conferred his Doctor of Philosophy from Deakin University in 2006 after researching employers’ attitudes towards people with a disability. He now lectures at Deakin, where he was previously a Disability Liaison Officer, and also coordinates the Willing and Able Mentoring Program. Kevin was Vice President of the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind and received a 2002 HREOC Human Rights Award for contributing to the Disability Discrimination Act (1992) Accessible Public Transport Standards.
Appointed to the Board in May 2004. 

Professor Ron McCallum, AO, BJuris LLB (Hons) (Monash), LLM Qu, Deputy Chair
A former Dean of Law at Sydney University, Ron was the first person who is blind to be appointed to a full professorship at an Australian university. He is Chair of 2RPH and served on the former Royal Blind Society Board. Ron taught labour law in the United States and in Canada and has written widely on industrial law. He has also worked on industrial relations taskforces for several State Governments.  He is the 2010 Chair of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 
Appointed to the Board in January 2006. 

Owen van der Wall, Deputy Chair
Owen worked for Westpac Banking Corporation for 37 years, both in Australia and overseas. He was Group Executive for Retail Banking and Investment and International Banking and Director of Public Affairs. Owen is a former President of the Australian Foreign Exchange Association, a committee member of Cambiste Internationale and Director of Mastercard International as well as a member of the Finance Management Committee of Girl Guides (NSW). He is currently chairman of Aragon Consultants Pty Limited. Owen joined the Royal Blind Society Board in 2001 and Vision Australia’s Board in 2004.

Lyn Allison, BEd 
Former teacher Lyn was elected to the Senate in 1996 and was Parliamentary Leader of the Australian Democrats from 2004 to 2008. She held the Health and Disabilities portfolios, among others, and initiated a Senate inquiry into education services for people with disabilities in 2002. Lyn was appointed to the Board in July 2008.  She also serves on the boards of the Mental Illness Fellowship of Victoria, Orygen Youth Health, Women’s Health Council of Victoria, Family Planning Victoria, Berry Street, Alzheimers Australia Vic and chairs the committee of management of her local nursing home.
Appointed to the Board in July 2008.
 
Dr (Ronald) Keith Barton, BSc, FTSE
Keith graduated with degrees in Chemical Engineering from the University of New South Wales. He retired from full-time employment in 1999 after a career in manufacturing in Australia and the USA working for companies such as BHP, CSR and James Hardie. He is a Non-Executive Director of Air Liquide (Australasia) Ltd.  Previously a Non-Executive of Amcor Ltd (1999 to 2009), Coles Ltd (2003 to 2007) and Tower (Australia) Ltd (2001 to 2007).
Appointed to the Board in May 2004.

Nick Carter, FRICS, FAPI, FAICD
Nick has been active in blindness and low vision organisations since 1992, when he was appointed to the Board of the Singapore Association for the Visually Handicapped.  In Brisbane he was Chair of The Royal Blind Foundation Queensland at the time of its amalgamation with Vision Australia in 2006. Nick heads his own commercial, industrial and retail property company, Hillier Carter Properties. 
Appointed to the Board in December 2006. 

Dr Donald Fraser, BSc (Hons), Dip. Ed, MBA, FACS, FAICD
Donald has been involved in information technology for more than 30 years, teaching at CIT (now Monash) and working for US technology companies. He has leadership roles in an Australian multinational technology company and a yacht club. His 15 years experience on corporate and not-for-profit boards has been enhanced by Australian Institute of Company Directors membership, doctoral and law studies. He joined the Board of Seeing Eye Dogs Australia in 2007.  Director QSR International Pty Ltd, QSR International (Americas) Inc, QSR International (UK) Ltd, Donen Pty Ltd, ORCV Inc.
Appointed to the Board in July 2008.

Paul Gleeson, BSc, LLB, LLM
Paul is a solicitor practising in intellectual property, corporate and commercial law. With a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Laws, he is a Principal and Managing Director of law firm Russell Kennedy and a member of the Intellectual Property and Information Technology Committee of the Law Institute of Victoria. Paul joined the Vision Australia Foundation Board in 1999 and Vision Australia’s Board in 2004. He also serves on several not-for-profit Boards, including Inclusion Melbourne.
Appointed to the Board in May 2004.

Tony Hanmer
Tony has more than 25 years’ leadership experience and a track record of company management acquisitions and leveraging new technologies to build professional organisations. He was a Senior Vice President of McCann Erickson Worldwide and Regional Director Asia and South Pacific, responsible for 29 offices in the Asia Pacific region. Tony is a Non-Executive Director and Board advisor specialising in strategy, marketing and research for a number of Government, public and private companies. Before joining our Board, he was Deputy Chairman of the Endeavour Foundation.
Appointed to the Board in June 2007.

Professor Jan Lovie-Kitchin, QUT, MSc (Optom) (Melb), Grad Dip (Rehab Stud) (La Trobe)
Jan is currently appointed as an Adjunct Professor at Queensland University of Technology’s School of Optometry and as Chair of the QUT Human Research Ethics Committee.  She has lectured on low vision internationally and the Bailey-Lovie visual acuity charts, which she co-created, are used worldwide. In 1993 Jan established the QUT Vision Rehabilitation Centre, where she is a consultant optometrist. She is also Assistant Editor of Clinical and Experimental Optometry, the journal of the Optometrists Association of Australia. 
Appointed to the Board in June 2007.

Ross McColl, BEcon (Monash) FCA
Melbourne-born Ross has recently retired as a partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers. Prior to his retirement  Ross had been a Partner for more than 21 years. He specialises in the areas of corporate governance, risk management, regulatory compliance and internal audit. Ross completed a Bachelor of Economics at Monash University and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia. Ross is blind, having lost his sight completely seven years ago.
Appointed to the Board in July 2006.

Dr Theresa Smith-Ruig, BCom
Theresa is a lecturer in the School of Business, Economics and Public Policy at the University of New England. She gained a PhD in 2006, specialising in Human Resource Management and has research interests in work-life balance, career development and disability and employment. Vision impaired since 10, she was Vice-President of Blind Citizens Australia, serving on their Board from 2003-05 and as Secretary of its National Women’s Branch. In 2004-05, she was a delegate to the World Blind Union. 
Appointed to the Board in June 2007.

Financial Summary

Total revenue for the period 2009-10 was $95.919M (2008-09 $79.523M). The major sources of income were:
•	Legacies, Bequests and Donations - $30.544M (31.8%)
•	Government grants - $37.817M (39.4%)
•	Investment and other income - $8.289M (8.6%) 
•	Revenue from the sales of goods and services - $8.015M (8.4%)
•	Gain on disposal of investments and property - $11.254M (11.7%). Includes $2.813M derecognition of prior year’s impairment losses and $8.214M profit on disposal of assets classified as held for sale

Total expenditure for the period totalled $82.295M (2008-09 $106.786M).  Expenditure was applied as follows:
•	Client Services and Information Library Service - $60.098M (73.0%)
•	Marketing and Fundraising - $11.185M (13.6%)
•	Corporate Services - $9.485M (11.5%)
•	Other expenses - $1.526M (1.9%)

Three-year financial performance 
	2010
$’000	2009
$’000	2008
$’000	

Revenue	
Legacies, bequests and donations	 30,544 	 32,564 	 34,368 	
Government grants	 37,817 	 29,786 	 29,066 	
Investment income and other revenue	 8,289 	 8,920 	 6,813 	
Revenue from the sale of goods	 8,015 	 8,253 	 8,005 	
Gain on disposal of investments and property 	 11,254 	-	7,774	
Total revenue	 95,919 	 79,523 	 86,026 	

Expenditure	
Client Services and Information Library Service	 60,098 	 65,222 	 57,853 	
Marketing and Fundraising	 11,185 	 11,229 	 8,988 	
Corporate Services	 9,486 	 10,091 	 10,775 	
Other expenses 	1,526	17,798	3,743	
Loss on disposal of investments and property 	-	2,446	-	
Total expenditure	 82,295 	 106,786 	 81,359 	
Surplus/ -Deficit	 13,624 	-27,263 	 4,667 	

Three-year financial position 
	2010
$’000	2009
$’000	2008
$’000	

Assets	
Cash, debtors and inventories	 14,227 	 10,512 	 15,732 	
Investments	 67,720 	 67,872 	 81,586 	
Property plant and equipment	 118,829 	 126,561 	 111,186 	
	 200,776 	 204,945 	 208,504 	

Liabilities	
Payables and provisions	22,339	26,240	17,458	
Interest bearing loans	-	12,310	-	
Other (including income in advance and deposits on property sales)	 3,269 	 8,875 	 6,156 	
	 25,608 	 47,425 	 23,614 	
Net Assets	 175,168 	 157,520 	 184,890 	

At a glance

	2010	2009	2008	
Clients (active)	47,011	46,200	39,900	
Client satisfaction (overall %)	88%	90%	91%	
Submissions to government	25	34	40	
New employment services clients 	257	289	273	
Workplace modifications	216	193	192	
Tele-Groups	42	25	19	
Orientation and mobility services	7,200	1,681	1,594	
Free canes	2,000*	2,057	677	
Feelix titles available for loan	367	300*	250*	
Total loan items	801,346	759,700	787,956	
Total downloads: i-access® online	7,069	5,348	N/A	
Seeing Eye Dog clients	192	163	147	
Graduate dogs	42	30	35	
Total working dogs	163	133	120	
Bursary recipients	24	22	25	
National Contact Centre calls	150,000	108,000	N/A	
Total employees (FTE)	721	743	799	
Total volunteers	5,114	4,562	4,283	
Staff turnover rate per month	0.93%	1.68%	1.02%	
Staff with blindness or low vision	22%	18%	18%	
Lost time injury frequency rate 	9.8	5.4	21.1	
Lost time injury severity rate 	416	411	675	
Total Revenue	95,919,000	79,523,000	86,026,000	
Total Expenses	82,295,000	106,786,000	81,359,000	
Total Government Grants	37,817,000	29,786,000	29,066,000	
Total Fundraising	30,544,000	32,564,000	34,368,000	
Total Investment Income	8,289,000	8,920,000	6,813,000	

* = approximate numbers

Text accompanying image: Stephen Cavell and Neela Datta volunteering at Vision Australia’s Carols by Candlelight®

Call 1300 84 74 66 or visit
www.visionaustralia.org
ACN 108 391 831   ABN 67 108 391 831

Combining the skills and resources of several blindness organisations to create one 
national voice, Vision Australia is committed to delivering exceptional and efficient 
services that open up exciting possibilities for our community.