ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - The Deaf Society · services we provide. • Increase in the surplus from FY2016 to FY2017 of $621,699. • The rollout of the National Disability ... and zest

ANNUAL REPORT 2017

T H E D E A F SO CI E T Y A N N UA L R EP O RT 2017

VISION Equity for deaf people

PURPOSE‘Deaf life: Your way, your language’.

We work with deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing people. We work to break down barriers, create choice and support

you to reach your goals.

PATRON

PATRON His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Ret’d) Governor of NSW

Highlights of the Year ............................................................................................................................. 3

Message from the Chair ......................................................................................................................... 4

Overview from the Chief Executive Officer ......................................................................................... 5

In memory of Vice Patron Nola Colefax OAM .................................................................................... 6

Our People ............................................................................................................................................... 7

Our Strategy – how we performed ....................................................................................................... 8

Chair, Finance and Audit Committee’s Report .................................................................................... 13

Financial Report ...................................................................................................................................... 14

Membership & Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................... 19

CONTENTS

T H E D E A F SO CI E T Y A N N UA L R EP O RT 2017 3

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR

2016 Deaf Festival

The annual Deaf Festival

was a wonderful success

with community

members young and old

joining in activities such

as the Auslan Spelling

Bee and the family

classic, traffic light game.

Resilient Australia Award

In October 2016, The Deaf Society

and emergency service partners won

the NSW Resilient Australia Award in

the community category. The award

recognised the Get Ready program

which has empowered the Deaf

Community to prepare for natural

disasters like fire, flood and storms.

Auslan at NRL Grand Final

The 2016 NRL Grand Final was the first time an Auslan performance of the

Australian National Anthem was included at a major sporting event. An

audience of over 80,000 people witnessed this historic and proud moment for

the Deaf Community.

My Interpreting App

In 2016, we designed and

launched a new website which

makes it easier for deaf people

to book an interpreter using

their mobile, tablet or iPad.

Now to book an interpreter with

NDIS funds, it is 4 simple steps

plus a once-off registration.


The 2017 financial year (FY2017) was

another successful year for the Deaf

Society. Not only did we grow our

operating profit to $475,080 compared

to the previous year’s trading loss of

$146,619. The Board, along with the senior

management has developed a strategy

to build the capacity and services that

we deliver to the community. This plan

is aimed to drive revenue to $20 million,

by 2021, and significantly increase the

services we provide.

• Increase in the surplus from FY2016 to

FY2017 of $621,699.

• The rollout of the National Disability

Insurance Scheme.

• Increase in interpreter services the Deaf

Society provides.

• Increase in sign language course

enrolments by 36%.

These are very pleasing results, considering

the changing business environment

the Deaf Society works within and

the constant challenges including; the

complete rollout of the NDIS, changing

government policy, reduced funding

opportunities, and aligning our services to

customers’ needs.

However, the challenges we face are only

opportunities for the organisation to grow

and prosper, provide better services to our

customers and improve our engagement

with the broader community.

If the Deaf Society is going to continue to

grow and flourish, we must build a business

model that is substantial, resilient, and

delivers quality services to our customers.

We must continue to listen to our

customers and develop strategies that will

promote and assist, those people in the

deaf community that require support.

This is my first year as Chairperson of the

Deaf Society, and there are so many people

to thank. To the staff of the Deaf Society,

you are the face of the organisation. For

your determination, devotion and drive to

deliver the many programs and projects,

a big thank you.

It would be remiss of me, not to

acknowledge the two Directors who

have left the organisation over the past

year, both made enormous contributions

to the Deaf Society during their tenure

with the organisation.

Vivek Prabhu, sat on the Finance &

Audit Committee for several years

and oversaw the financial audits and

management of the investment portfolios.

Vivek’s skills in understanding financial

markets and his ability to work with the

investment advisers to build long-term

investment portfolios for the Deaf

Society will benefit the organisation for

many years to come.

Ken Deacon, sat on the Board for more

than ten years and held the position of

Chair for many years. Ken has made many

significant contributions to the Deaf

Society during this time. He has guided

the organisation in the employment of a

new CEO and understood the changing

environment including the implications of

the NDIS. All should appreciate his desire

for the organisation to strive and improve

the services it provides to the

deaf community.

To my fellow Board members, who have

devoted energy and time to assist and

guide the organisation over the past year,

thank you.

Brian Halse

Chairperson

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR


OVERVIEW FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

This year, we have seen many new

challenges and exciting opportunities to

improve the quality of our services and

support for our deaf, hard of hearing and

deafblind customers.

As we prepared for the full roll-out of the

National Disability Insurance Scheme

(NDIS) in NSW, the Deaf Society team

have been listening to our customers and

implementing changes or introducing new

services to make their journey easier. This

would have not been possible without a

team who are very focused and passionate

about their customers ensuring that we

give 100% to all of you.

The Board and leadership team have also

been working strategically so that we may

continue to provide high quality customer-

focused support and proactively respond

to the significant changes in the sector

including NDIS and My Aged Care.

In December 2016, the Deaf Society

experienced great sadness with the passing

of our beloved Vice-Patron, the late

Nola Colefax, OAM. Nola‘s funeral was

well attended with many people in the

community paying tribute to a remarkable

and loyal woman who has inspired many

people. Her legacy and contribution to the

Deaf Society and the community will never

be forgotten.

I would like to thank the many people

who have tirelessly supported the Society

during the past 12 months.

Firstly, I would like to thank past Chair,

Todd Wright for his guidance and hard

work. Brian Halse accepted the Chair

position when Todd stepped down in

February 2017 and has been a wonderful

support to me and the Executive Team

during this dynamic time.

I would like to especially thank Vivek

Prahbu and Kenneth Deacon for their

years of dedicated service and loyalty to

the Society. Michael Boneham, Kashveera

Chanderjith and Vince Lam have joined

the board in February 2017 and brought in

continuity of financial knowledge as well

as their individual perspectives to drive the

Society forward.

Secondly, I would like to thank the

Executive Managers; Ivana Krunes, David

McQuiggin, Sharon Nann and John O’Neill.

Each one of them are strongly committed

to making the Deaf Society stand out as

a thought leader in the deafness sector,

one that provides high quality service

and support to deaf, hard of hearing and

deafblind people as well as their families,

friends and employers.

Thirdly I would like to thank the whole

Deaf Society team across NSW and

the ACT for showing me every day, the

difference they make for our customers

and importantly our community. The team

has been phenomenal as they worked

towards equity for deaf people.

Lastly I would like to thank our members,

donors and supporters. Without you, we

cannot achieve equity for deaf people. I

look forward to continuing to work toward

the Deaf Society’s vision and ensuring that

together, we achieve equity for everyone.

Leonie Jackson

Chief Executive Officer


In 2016, we farewelled a dearly loved

member of the Deaf Community, our

Vice Patron Nola Colefax OAM. Nola died

peacefully on 15 December 2016, a few

months after celebrating her 95th birthday.

We would like to pay tribute to Nola’s

astonishing determination, deep generosity

and the lasting impression she made on the

Deaf Community by recognising some of

her greatest achievements.

In 1973, at the instigation of Kenneth Tribe,

the Deaf Society attempted to establish

a drama group. When few people showed

interest, they asked Nola to round up a

group of 20 who were to become the future

NSW Theatre of the Deaf. It was at this

time that Nola discovered a deep passion

for theatre and the visual arts.

Whilst working full time on a factory

assembly line, Nola dedicated most of her

spare time to the theatre company. In 1978,

six months before she was due to retire

from factory work, Nola accepted a full

time position in the Theatre of the Deaf as it

was launched as a professional company.

She had a full life in the theatre -

participating in the American National

Theatre of the Deaf’s summer programme,

performing Brecht and Shakespeare,

working in theatre-in-education, and

representing Australia at international

seminars such as UNESCO’s visual theatre

event in Paris.

It was in Paris that Nola met with the

budding linguist Trevor Johnston, an

encounter that served as the catalyst for the

1989 publication of the Auslan Dictionary

of which he was the editor.

In 1981 Nola Colefax was awarded an

Order of Australia for her services to

the Theatre of the Deaf. She continued

trailblazing her way towards the

formation of the Concerned Deaf Group,

the publication of an autobiography

Signs of Change, ongoing involvement

in Deaf Society Committees, the Deaf

Senior Citizens group and Deaf Christian

Fellowship. In 2010, she was appointed Vice

Patron of the Deaf Society, the first deaf

person to be given this honour.

Nola has impacted and inspired hundreds

of people in her lifetime and will always be

remembered for her graciousness, tenacity

and zest for life.

IN MEMORY OF VICE PATRON NOLA COLEFAX OAM


We aim to lead by example, our workplace is bi-lingual

and bi-cultural where both Auslan and English are used

and valued. We value our diverse employees including

those engaged on a casual basis and appreciate the skills

they bring as we work toward equity for deaf people.

Our team works in partnership with not-for-profit,

corporate and government organisations to achieve

greater impact. Most importantly, our team empowers

our customers to access all areas of life on an equal

basis with others.

Andrew Niklaus

Community Worker

Andrew is a passionate

Community Worker

who works tirelessly

to ensure that our

support for deafblind

customers including

meetings and outings,

are of high quality.

He is always willing

to go the extra mile

for customers and

works with colleagues

at any level to ensure

the best outcomes

for our customers.

Teresa Thomson

Support Coordinator and Parent to Parent Coordinator

Teresa has developed

a great relationship

with all of her

customers. She works

closely with hard

of hearing people,

supporting them

to understand and

implement their NDIS

plan. Additionally,

her experience and

dedication to supporting

parents of deaf children

ensures that families

are supported on

their journey.

Kate Matairavula

Manager, Customer Service Team

Kate works tirelessly

to ensure the Deaf

Society’s customers

receive the best

possible service and

inspires her team

to exceed customer

expectations. In a

changing environment

and with a new

team, she has led

the establishment

of new systems with

each service area to

ensure the customer

experience is easy.

Kathy Wright

Interpreter

Kathy has been

an interpreter and

interpreter mentor

for the Deaf Society

for over 17 years. Her

passion, dedication and

professionalism makes

her a role model for

all in the interpreting

industry. This year

Kathy has decided to

reduce her workload

as she eases into

retirement. Thank you

Kathy for your long and

outstanding service.

Renee Pratt

Customer Service Officer

Renee is our unflappable

and welcoming face

at the Deaf Society

Parramatta reception.

She is bilingual so

able to interact

confidently with all

our customers. Apart

from answering 50

calls a day, numerous

emails and greeting

customers when they

arrive, she also steps in

to assist other members

of the team during

peak periods.

STAFF PROFILES

OUR PEOPLE


OUR STRATEGY – HOW WE PERFORMED

To work effectively towards or vision of

equity for deaf people, we set ourselves

five strategic directions for 2015-2018:

1. Improve and expand services for

individuals and communities

impacted by deafness

2. Increase workforce participation

3. Strengthen communities impacted

by deafness

4. Continue to develop a customer-focused

Deaf Society

5. Growth for sustainability

The following pages (8 – 12) contain

a summary of outcomes against the

five strategic priorities during the

2017 year.

In 2017, we continued to improve and

expand services for individuals and

communities across a range of service

areas including interpreting, education and

training, everyday living skills, employment

and support coordination.

Interest in Auslan courses continues to

grow exponentially. In 2017, a record

1,208 students enrolled in a beginner

community course while 355 enrolled in

an accredited course. The growth in Auslan

students fosters greater awareness and

understanding of the Deaf Community, its

unique language and culture. It also creates

a pathway to a career in Auslan/ English

interpreting which is experiencing high-

demand at present.

It has also been wonderful to see an

increase in the number of families with

deaf children requesting Auslan tutoring

in the home. Due to National Disability

Insurance Scheme (NDIS), families are now

able to access Auslan training at a time

and location that suits the family. In 2016,

we were proud to support 12 families and

expect the demand for this service to grow

in the future not just among families but

hard of hearing adults too.

The Deaf Society is also expanding

services in the areas of assistive

technology, support for hard of hearing

people and services for regional areas.

For the past six years, the Deaf Society

has delivered the Smoke Alarm Subsidy

Scheme (SASS) in partnership with Fire

and Rescue NSW and NSW Government.

The scheme reduced the cost of visual/

tactile smoke alarms to just $20, making

them affordable to deaf people. Of the

over 2,000 smoke alarms that were

distributed through the scheme, 531

were distributed in 2017 alone.

While the SASS program has come to a

close, we recognised the new opportunities

for deaf people to access the technology

they need through the NDIS and My Aged

Care. With this in mind, we have added the

provision of assistive technology to our

suite of services.

Recently, we have also recognised a

growing need for support services for

hard of hearing people. In 2017, the Deaf

Society was successful in receiving an NDIA

Information, Linkages and Capacity Building

(ILC) grant to research the barriers to

accepting and seeking help for hearing loss.

The research will inform the development

of a progressive, impartial online service

which provides individuals and families with

emotional, clinical and practical support.

We look forward to realising this project in

the next 12 months in consultation with the

community and stakeholders.

In preparation for the final NDIS rollout

stage which includes Northern NSW, Mid

North Coast and the Illawarra Shoalhaven

among other areas, the Deaf Society has

employed a Country Services, Manager

to oversee regional service delivery in line

with the NDIS. The support provided by

the NDIS is particularly important for our

regional customers and we look forward

to continuing to improve and expand our

service provision in these areas.

IMPROVE AND EXPAND SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY DEAFNESS


3,609 hours of independent living support provided

INCREASING WORKFORCE PARTICIPATION

The continued rollout of the NDIS across

NSW has created an increased need for

an Auslan skilled workforce. To meet the

growing demand, the Deaf Society has

provided a range of training programs

across education, individual support

provision and interpreting.

With an increasing number of people

enrolling in Auslan courses and families

requesting Auslan tutoring in the home, we

recognised the need to upskill more deaf

people with the Certificate IV in TAE10

(Training and Assessment) required for

teaching. Eight people have successfully

completed the course in 2017. We look

forward to welcoming them to the Deaf

Society team.

Working in partnership with TAFE, the Deaf

Society supported 16 people to achieve the

Certificate III in Individualised Supports

which in turn services our increased need

for support workers under the NDIS. In

total, 20 Support Workers were added to

our pull of casual staff and is expected to

grow in 2018 as service bookings increase.

Recognising the increasing demand for

interpreters, the Deaf Society once again

delivered the Diploma of Interpreting. For

the first time, the cohort comprised of

deaf and hearing students with 12 students

achieving their NAATI accreditation and

joining the workforce.

In 2017, we partnered with Uber to deliver

an information session in Auslan. Dozens

of community members took the

opportunity to learn about; becoming

an Uber driver, as well as the accessible

Uber app features for riders and drivers. It

is wonderful to work with an organisation

that embraces accessibility and encourages

the employment of deaf and hard of

hearing people.

100+ Support Coordination customers

18,965 hours of Auslan/English Interpreting

531 tactile smoke alarms distributed


STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY DEAFNESS

In terms of community engagement, we have

provided a range of events that allow for

skills and information sharing. Our specific

focus has been; 1) continuing to build the

capacity of deaf people around the NDIS

and emergency preparedness, and 2) social

activities that strengthen our community.

In preparation for the final stage of the

NDIS rollout, we delivered nine NDIS

workshops across NSW with a total of 195

people attending. The workshops were

an opportunity for the community to

understand the potential of the NDIS and

learn about the application process.

In the new year, we will shift our

focus to NDIS plan management and

implementation, by delivering workshops

to support customers in understanding

their NDIS plan and how to use online

portals such as My Gov and the NDIS

participants portal.

We have also expanded on the success of

the Get Ready – Emergency Preparedness

project. With the support of NSW

Government - Women in Leadership grant,

we were able to train our existing Deaf

Liaison Officers (DLOs) in mentorship.

The training enables the DLOs to mentor

new volunteers in the areas of community

leadership, effective communication, conflict

management and community development.

Following the training, an additional nine

deaf volunteers were recruited and are being

mentored by the DLOs.

Following the training, the mentors and

mentees in partnership with emergency

services have delivered 13 community

emergency preparedness workshops with a

total of 299 people in attendance.

Perhaps most significantly, the DLOs

delivered a workshop in Lismore following

the March 2017 flooding. The workshop

was not only an opportunity for the local

community to heal but also learn about

what steps they can take to prepare for

future natural disasters.

To strengthen our community, we provided

a series of social events engaging with a

broad range of people including families

with deaf children. The annual Deaf

Festival was once again a great success with

community members young and old coming

out to enjoy the day and engage in the

activities such as the Auslan Spelling Bee

and the family classic, traffic light game.

We also hosted screenings of the ground-

breaking American film No Ordinary

Hero: The SuperDeafy Movie in Gosford,

Sydney and Canberra with over 300

people in total attending the screenings.

The family-friendly film was written and

directed by deaf people which meant the

story strongly resonated with community

members and families.

The Turning Point

“Both my husband & I have found being

connected to Fiona deeply helpful – a really

important part of the support we received

as we began this journey of parenting our

son with hearing loss.

Speaking to Fiona on the phone when my

son was ten weeks old was a turning point

for us, as she was able to provide a sense of

hope and possibility by sharing her own son’s

story. We felt inspired, motivated and also

relieved as many of our fears were addressed.

As time has gone on, further conversations

and meetings with Fiona (including being

generously invited over to her home to

meet her family) have provided really

useful information and support.“

Rosanna Pajak, participant in the

Parent-to-Parent Mentor Program.


CONTINUE TO DEVELOP A CUSTOMER FOCUSED DEAF SOCIETY

With a focus on continuous improvement,

we have further developed systems, skills

and processes to improve and measure

the customer experience.

Late in 2016, we launched the My

Interpreting mobile web app. First of its

kind in Australia, the app is designed to

make it easier to book an interpreter using

your mobile phone, tablet or iPad. Now to

book an interpreter with your NDIS funds,

there are only four steps plus a simple

once-off registration.

Since the launch of the app, interpreter

bookings from NDIS customers has risen

to approximately 20% of all bookings

demonstrating the growing market and

need for a simple booking tool.

Additionally, the Deaf Society embarked

on a redesign of the website with the aim

of making it easier to find information and

make enquiries/ book services. The new

website was launched in March with an

overwhelmingly positive response from

the community: “Love the new website

more clear and easy to find information”.

Engagement with the website has

grown significantly;

• Email subscriber rate has quadrupled.

• Enquiries have increased 98%

compared to the same time last year.

• Page views have increased 32%

compared to the same time last year.

Aside from a customer’s online experience,

we have also been working on improving

their interactions with the organisation.

In May, the Customer Service Team

undertook a full day of training in

excellence in customer service with a

focus on managing and enhancing the

customer’s experience.

The Customer Service Team also led the

implementation of a customer satisfaction

tool across all service areas. Following

an analysis of current tools used in the

organisation, the team implemented a

plan to streamline the collection of

customer feedback and satisfaction

ratings by transitioning the organisation

to the Net Promoter Scale tool. The

project is in its early stages and we look

forward to reporting on our outcomes

next year.

We were also fortunate to receive the

Stronger Communities grant from the

Australian Government to upgrade

the Parramatta reception area. The

refurbishment has opened the space

and created a welcoming, deaf-friendly

reception area for our customers and

their families.


GROWTH FOR SUSTAINABILITY

We recognise that to grow and be

sustainable we need to implement

systems that improve our processes

and efficiency, and work in partnership

with other organisations.

In 2017, we implemented a new finance

system which included integration with

key operational systems in interpreting,

education and community services. The

new system has significantly improved

finance processes and provides more

accurate and timely information.

In the year ahead, we look forward to

upgrading our case management system

and implementing a customer relationship

management system. The changes will

enhance the customer experience across

all key service areas.

Over the past year, we have also continued

to develop partnerships and productive

relationships to support our customers

and community;

• Fire and Rescue NSW have been a

valuable and committed partner of

the Smoke Alarm Subsidy Scheme by

assigning local fireman to support

with the installation of visual/ tactile

smoke alarms.

• NSW State Emergency Services, Fire

and Rescue NSW and Red Cross

continue to be enthusiastic and dedicated

partners of the Get Ready project. In

particular, we look forward to working

closely with NSW State Emergency

Service in creating a formal volunteer

program for deaf and hard of hearing

people within their organisation.

• Thank you to our 2016 Deaf Festival

sponsors; Uber, Google, Australian

Hearing and Cochlear for their support.

• In 2017, the Break the Sound Barrier

campaign celebrated its one year

anniversary. We continue to be proud

partners and stand behind the campaign

which aims to put the health of deaf,

deafblind and hard of hearing people

on the national political agenda. This

year the campaign has made significant

progress toward this aim by instigating

a Federal inquiry into the hearing health

and wellbeing of Australians.

We also continue to be part of an

interagency meeting group including

ASLIA NSW, Deaf Australia (NSW), The

Shepherd Centre, Royal Institute of Deaf

and Blind Children, NSW Deaf Sports,

Accessible Arts, Ephpheta Centre, Hear for

You and Deafness Forum. We look forward

to growing our existing relationships and

creating new partnerships in 2018.

The Deaf Society was successful

in attaining a NSW Government

Communities Grant to deliver a Youth

Camp in Northern NSW. It was the first

time a youth camp had been hosted in

Northern NSW and was attended by 25

young deaf and hard of hearing people.

Over 4-days, the youth enjoyed a full

program of outdoor activities and

personal development workshops in a

deaf-friendly environment.

The camp began with an empowerment

workshop giving the participants the

opportunity to discuss with their peers

the barriers they face living in a hearing

world. For many of the campers, it was

the first time they were able to share their

challenges with people that can empathise.

They also learned about their rights

and responsibilities in school and the

workplace which gave them the tools

and confidence to meet some of the

challenges they face.

The camp was led by young deaf adults, who

role-modelled deaf-friendly communication

and inclusiveness. The experience of being a

camp leader has inspired one deaf adult to

further their studies enrolling in an Outdoor

Recreation course.

“I feel more confident and have found my

passion for leadership and working with

deaf people. I can’t stop talking about the

camp with my family and friends. Thank

you so much for accepting me as a leader,

I’ve learnt lots of valuable skills”.

Northern Rivers Deaf Youth Camp


CHAIR, FINANCE & AUDIT COMMITTEE’S REPORT

This is my first report on behalf of the

Finance and Audit Committee. I wish to

acknowledge the efforts of the previous

Chair, Vivek Prabhu, who retired from the

Board during 2016.

Vivek worked tirelessly with the

Management team led by the CEO to

robustly structure the Society’s financial

processes and reporting system, ensuring

that the Society was, and is, in a positive

financial position to meet the challenges of

an ever changing environment, particularly

with the ongoing roll out of the NDIS.

Thank you Vivek for your commitment and

contribution to the Deaf Society during your

tenure as a Director and Chair of the Finance

and Audit Committee.

As a result of the implementation of these

processes and systems, and the hard work

of the Operating team, the Society has

delivered a positive financial outcome for

members during financial year ending

June 30, 2017.

This year the Society delivered a surplus of

$474,080 (2016: $146,619 deficit). Total

comprehensive income (after including the

changes in market value of investments held)

for the year was a surplus of $907,229 (2016:

$634,184 deficit). Pleasingly, this surplus was

delivered along with revenue growth this

year to $7,492,679 (2016: $6,798,631). At

the close of the financial year, the Society

had net assets of $16,746,945 (2016:

$15,839,716). I appreciate the support of our

members and recognise the efforts of our

Directors and staff that have worked hard to

make these results possible. The support of

the Commonwealth and State Governments

and the generosity of our donors is also a

critical contributor to the ongoing viability

and success of the Society.

The net income from fundraising activities

in 2017 was $32,121 (2016: $39,865) . The

Society is indebted to those individuals and

organisations that choose to support the

Society in this manner.

During the 2017 financial year the Society

made a change to one of its financial

advisers, moving from Duetsche Bank (who

no longer operate in this field) to Escala. We

retained our other investment adviser, JB

Were. During the year, income generated

from investments totalled $644,533 (2016

FY $686,700). The value of investments

held increased by $798,908 (2016: $487,565

decline). This gain was further supplemented

by realised gains of $722,106 (2016:

$244,391) on the sale of some investments.

The return (including franking credit) on the

Society’s externally managed investment

portfolio for the year was approximately

9.5%, exceeding the CPI+5% (7.1%) objective

set out in the Investment Policy for the

financial year. We would like to thank our

external financial advisers for this creditable

performance. The present extremely low

interest rate environment, in which the

Reserve Bank has maintained the official

cash rate at a record low of 1.5%, and the

Society’s conservative investment policy to

ensure retention of capital, will necessitate

an ongoing review by the Finance & Audit

Committee and the Board of the objective

return in the Investment Policy.

This year’s total comprehensive income

of $907,229 (2016: $634,184 deficit) is an

indication of the commitment and focus of

the Board and Management Team on running

the business robustly, whilst ensuring

that the ongoing investments made by

the Society in readying itself for the full

implementation of NDIS and positioning the

Society for a sustainable future.

I wish to thank the members of the Finance

& Audit Committee, the Board and the

Management Team for their ongoing

commitment and support.

Michael Boneham

Chair, Finance and Audit Committee


CORPORATE INFORMATION

ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2017

ABN 21 952 195 236

Directors

David Atkinson

Kenneth Deacon

Kashveera Chanderjith

Vivek Prabhu

Susanne Alexandra Rae

Julie Tait

Todd James Wright

Evan Kidd

Elizabeth Wee

Brian Peter Halse

Michael Boneham

Vince Lam

Company Secretary

Louise Hicks

Registered Office and Principal Place

of Business

Suite 401 Level 4

69 Phillip Street

Parramatta NSW 2150

Bankers

Commonwealth Bank of Australia

90-92 Audley Road

Petersham NSW 2049

Investment Managers

JB Were

Level 42, Governor Phillip Tower

1 Farrer Place

Sydney NSW 2000

Escala Partners Ltd.

Level 25, Governor Macquarie Tower

1 Farrer Place

Sydney NSW 2000

Auditor

Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu

Eclipse Tower

Level 17

60 Station Street

Parramatta NSW 2150

Page 8 Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation. Member of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited

Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu ABN 74 490 121 060 Eclipse Tower 60 Station Street Parramatta Sydney, NSW, 2150 Australia Phone: +61 2 9840 7000 www.deloitte.com.au

17 October 2017 Dear Board Members

The Deaf Society (previously known as The Deaf Society of NSW) In accordance with Subdivision 60-C Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Act 2012, I am pleased to provide the following declaration of independence to the directors of The Deaf Society. As lead audit partner for the audit of the financial statements of The Deaf Society for the financial year ended 30 June 2017, I declare that to the best of my knowledge and belief, there have been no contraventions of:

(i) the auditor independence requirements as set out in the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Act 2012 in relation to the audit; and

(ii) any applicable code of professional conduct in relation to the audit. Yours sincerely DELOITTE TOUCHE TOHMATSU David Sartorio Partner Chartered Accountants

The Board of Directors The Deaf Society Level 4 69 Philip Street Parramatta NSW 2150

For the detailed financial report, visit our website www.deafsocietynsw.org.au.


2017 2016

$ $

Revenue 7,492,679 6,798,631

Investment gain 722,106 244,391

Employee benefits expense (5,625,445) (4,868,683)

Depreciation expense (42,241) (52,235)

Administrative expenses (595,141) (450,442)

Occupancy expenses (366,490) (338,378)

Consulting and marketing expenses (419,219) (1,023, 937)

Other expenses (691,097) (455,966)

(Deficit)/surplus for the year 475,080 (146,619)

Other comprehensive income:

Items that may reclassified subsequently to profit or loss:

Fair value (loss)/gain on available-for-sale assets 432,149 (487,565)

Total comprehensive (deficit)/surplus income for the year 907,229 (634,184)

STATEMENT OF PROFIT OR LOSS AND OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2017

2017 2016

$ $

Current assets

Cash and bank balances 512,572 327,472

Trade and other receivables 822,433 846,774

Other financial assets 316,033 532,197

Other assets 202,225 174,441

Total current assets 1,853,263 1,880,884

Non-current assets

Other financial assets 16,674,308 15,875,400

Property, plant and equipment 87,164 132,681

Intangible assets 43,006

Total non-current asset 16,804,478 16,008,081

Total assets 18,657,741 17,888,965

Current liabilities

Trade and other payables 1,407,299 1,546,375

Provisions 456,947 408,081

Total current liabilities 1,864,246 1,954,456

Non-current liabilities

Provisions 46,550 94,793

Total non-current liabilities 46,550 94,793

Total liabilities 1,910,790 2,049,249

Net assets 16,746,945 15,839,716

Equity

Reserves 7,025,499 6,593,350

Accumulated surplus 9,721,446 9,246,366

Total equity 16,746,945 15,839,716

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AS AT 30 JUNE 2017


Fundraising income excludes bequests, as it is not considered to represent income from active fundraising. There were no fundraising activities conducted jointly with traders.

Declaration by the President in respect of fundraising appealsI, Brian Peter Halse, Chair of The Deaf Society (previously known as The Deaf Society of NSW) declare, that in my opinion: (a) The accounts give a true and fair view of all income and expenditure of The Deaf Society with respect to fundraising appeals;(b) The statement of financial position gives a true and fair view of the state of affairs with respect to fundraising appeals;(c) The provision of the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 (NSW) and the regulations under the Act have been complied with;(d) The conditions attached to the authority have been complied with; and(e) The internal controls exercised by The Deaf Society are appropriate and effective in accounting for all income received and applied by the

Society from any of its fundraising appeals.

Brian Peter HalseChairSydney, 17 October 2017

DIRECTORS’ DECLARATION FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2017

The directors declare that:(a) in the directors’ opinion, there are reasonable grounds to believe that the company will be able to pay its debt as and when they become

due and payable; and(b) in the directors’ opinion, the attached financial statements and notes thereto are in accordance with the Australian Charities and Non-

for-profits Commission Act 2012 and the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 (NSW) including compliance with accounting standards and giving a true and fair view of the financial position and performance of the company.

Signed in accordance with a resolution of the directors made pursuant to s.60.15 of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Regulation 2013.

On behalf of the directors

Brian Peter Halse Kashveera Chanderjith CA(SA)Chair DirectorSydney, 17 October 2017

INCOME AND EXPENDITURE OF FUNDRAISING APPEALS FOR THE YEAR 30 JUNE 2017

2016 2016

$ $

Income

Annual mail appeal - -

Donations 31,481 39,965

Merchandise Sales 15 249

Total fundraising income 31,496 40,214

Expenditure

Postage, printing, stationary 1,654 2,245

Total cost of fundraising 1,654 2,245

Net Surplus 29,842 37,969

The surplus for the year is used to ameliorate the deficits incurred by the society in providing vital services, in particular support for members of the Deaf Community and their families. In 2017 year, the deficit amounted to $479,362 (2016: deficit $405,586).

% %

Total cost of fundraising on fundraising income 5 6

Net surplus on fundraising income 95 94


Independent Auditor’s Report to the members of The Deaf Society

We have audited the accompanying financial report of The Deaf Society, which comprises the statement of financial position as at 30 June

2017, the statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income, the statement of cash flows and the statement of changes in equity

for the year ended on that date, notes comprising a summary of significant accounting policies and other explanatory information, and the

directors’ declaration as set out on pages 9 to 33. In addition, we have audited The Deaf Society’s compliance with specific requirements of

the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 for the year ended 30 June 2017.

Directors’ Responsibility for the Financial Report and for Compliance with the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991

The directors of the company are responsible for the preparation of the financial report that gives a true and fair view in accordance with

Australian Accounting Standards and the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Act 2012 and for compliance with the Charitable

Fundraising Act 1991. The directors are also responsible for such internal control as the directors determine is necessary to enable compliance

with requirements of the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 and the preparation of the financial report that gives a true and fair view and is free

from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

Auditor’s Responsibility

Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the company’s compliance with specific requirements of the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991

and the financial report based on our audit. We conducted our audit in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards. Those standards

require that we comply with relevant ethical requirements relating to audit engagements and plan and perform the audit to obtain

reasonable assurance whether the entity has complied with specific requirements of the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 and the financial

report is free from material misstatement.

An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about the company’s compliance with specific requirements of the Charitable

Fundraising Act 1991 and amounts and disclosures in the financial report. The procedures selected depend on the auditor’s judgement, including

the assessment of the risks of non-compliance with specific requirements of the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 and material misstatement

of the financial report, whether due to fraud or error. In making those risk assessments, the auditor considers internal control, relevant to the

company’s compliance with the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 and preparation of the financial report that gives a true and fair view, in order

to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of

the company’s internal control. An audit also includes evaluating the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of

accounting estimates made by the directors, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial report.

Inherent Limitations

Because of the inherent limitations of any compliance procedure, it is possible that fraud, error, or noncompliance with the Charitable

Fundraising Act 1991 may occur and not be detected. An audit is not designed to detect all weaknesses in The Deaf Society’s compliance with the

Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 as an audit is not performed continuously throughout the period and the tests are performed on a sample basis.

Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu A.B.N. 74 490 121 060

Eclipse Tower Level 17 60 Station Street Parramatta NSW 2150 PO Box 38 Parramatta NSW 2124 Australia

Tel: +61 2 9840 7000 www.deloitte.com.au


Any projection of the evaluation of compliance with the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 to future periods is subject to the risk that the

procedures, may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with them may deteriorate.

We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinion.

Opinion

In our opinion:

(a) the financial report of The Deaf Society is in accordance with Division 60 of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission

Act 2012, including:

a. giving a true and fair view of the company’s financial position as at 30 June 2016 and of its performance and cash flows for the

year ended on that date; and

b. complying with Australian Accounting Standards and with Division 60 of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Regulation

2013;

(b) the financial report agrees to the underlying financial records of The Deaf Society, that have been maintained, in all material

respects, in accordance with the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 and its regulations for the year ended 30 June 2017; and

(c) monies received by The Deaf Society, as a result of fundraising appeals conducted during the year ended 30 June 2017, have been

accounted for and applied, in all material respects, in accordance with the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 and its regulations.

DELOITTE TOUCHE TOHMATSU

David Sartorio

Partner

Chartered Accountants

Parramatta, 17 October 2017


MAJOR DONATIONS AND SPONSORS

MEMBERS AS AT 30 JUNE 2017

Mr Adam Salzer

Mr Alastair McEwin

Mr Alex Jones

Ms Alexandra Hynes

Ms Alison Toft

Ms Amy Cavestany

Mr Andrew Niklaus

Mr Andrew Wiltshire

Ms Anne Woods

Ms Anne M Smith

Mr Anthony Gorringe OAM

Mr Anthony Mackrodt

Mr Barry Duggan

Mr Ben Gelin

Ms Betty O’Brien

Mr Brendan McQuiggin

Mr Brian Halse

Mr Brian Johnston

Mr Brian Surtees

Ms Bridget Carty

Ms Bridget Nunan

Mr Bruce Drabsch

Ms Carol Tiley

Ms Charlene Grace

Mr Christian James

Mrs Christine Bible

Mr Colin Allen

Mr David Atkinson

Mr David London

Mr David McQuiggin

Mr Dennis Johnston

Ms Elizabeth Wee

Mrs Ethel Goff

Ms Evelyn Christie

Mr Frances Whiteley

Mr Frank L Peterson

Mr George Barbouttis

Mr George Krams

Mr Glenn A Welldon

Mr Graeme Stevenson

Mr Harry Roberts

Ms Helen Nicholson

Ms Helen Trendos

Ms Inge Jahn

Ms Jacqueline Endicott

Miss Jane Brewer

Ms Jennifer Maclaughlan

Mrs Jennifer Hannan

Ms Jitka Navratil

Mr John Gould

Mr John Grant

Mr John Mooney

Mr John O'Neill

Ms Jordanna Smith

Mrs Judith Delawsky

Ms Judith Watson

Ms Judy Clews

Ms Julie Tait

Miss Kashveera Chanderjith

Mrs Kate Matairavula

Mr Ken Deacon

Mrs Kerry Priem

Mr Kevin Mitchell

Ms Kristen Whiteley

Ms Leonie Jackson

Ms Louise Hicks

Ms Lynette Hartmann

Ms Margaret Dale

Ms Margaret Day

Mrs Margaret Drabsch

Mrs Martha Gelin

Mr Martin Budd

Ms Mary Cook

Mr Matt Dempsey

Ms Megan Hannon

Miss Michelle Norberry

Mr Michael Boneham

Mr Michael Hedley

Ms Natalie Kull

Ms Norma Giuffre

Mrs Olive Watson

Ms Patricia Mutton

Mr Peter Hannan

Mr Peter Miller

Mr Ray Todd

Mr Ray Whitten

Ms Robyn Stanton

Mr Roger Ashworth

Mr Ron Bryant

Mr Ron Nicholson

Ms Rosalie Kassulke

Ms Sharon Everson

Ms Sharon Nann

Mrs Sharon Xabregas

Mr Stephen Barr

Mr Stephen Nicholson

Mr Steven Turner

Mrs Sue Rae

Mr Thomas Bennett

Mr Todd Wright

Ms Toni Rose Robson

Mr Trent McMillan

Dr V D Bear

Mr Vince Lam

Mr Vivek Prabhu

Ms Wanda Stewart

Ms Young-Joo Byun

$10,000 AND OVERJLDJS Foundation

$5,000 AND OVERJ ChurchUber

$1,000 AND OVERAustralian HearingCochlearGoogleP Hunt

$500 AND OVERC GraceL JacksonC Richardson

$200 AND OVERE AshD BeaverO BolligerJ BonnerI H CampbellJ HarlandC V HoodR J HowsonE HuntM MacAuthurC MaherF MueckeV PhillipsQuota International of QuirindiP Ryba

N WeaverC R WilhelmWhelan Project Co Pty LimitedJ Wiseman

$100 AND OVERD BrownY J ByunV CaradusR EarnshawEsty’s Southern American Sausage SizzleB W GlockemannJ GouldP M GriffinC Harris

M HertzbergC JacobsL G JohnsonL Jones H LearoydNew England Sector of HealthShare NSWM R ParkerJ RoachJ RockeyJ RosethD RouvrayL WhitemanR A Wood

Level 4, 69 Phillip Street Parramatta NSW 2150

Phone: (02) 8833 3600

SMS: 0427 741 420

Email: [email protected]

Skype: deafsocietyofnsw

Website: www.deafsocietynsw.org.au

Documents

ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - The Deaf Society · services we provide. • Increase in the surplus from FY2016 to FY2017 of $621,699. • The rollout of the National Disability ... and zest