Posted September 17, 2021
Respondents proposed a raft of changes for the Royal Commission to consider including The lack of focus on prevention of abuse and neglect of people with disability and the need to identify the factors that potentially place individuals at higher risk of abuse. The importance of creating a service culture amongst disability service providers and support workers that respects human rights and does not tolerate violence or other abuses was also highlighted.
Posted September 2, 2021
Legislation has passed the Australian parliament today to protect confidential information provided to a Royal Commission beyond the life of the Royal Commission. Chair of the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability, the Hon Ronald Sackville AO QC, has welcomed the passage of the Royal Commissions Amendment (Protection of Information) Bill 2021.
Posted September 2, 2021
The report examines existing research to gain a better understanding of both risk and protective factors relating to why some members of society cause harm to people with disability. A rapid review process was used to identify 168 papers in the peer-reviewed literature. The researchers found that the majority of studies focused on the risks for people with disability while only few looked at the risk factors which enable perpetrators, or systemic issues that enable violence.
Posted August 31, 2021
Disability advocates are welcoming strengthened privacy protections for people who testify at the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability. New legislation will protect the identity of those who make written submissions to the Royal Commission even after the final report is delivered.
Posted August 30, 2021
Ballarat-based Grampians disAbility Advocacy (GdA) has launched a video to encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to share stories with the Disability Royal Commission. This Is My Story gives voice to the experiences of Ballarat-based Indigenous elder Lisa Sansbury.
Posted July 30, 2021
The report provides a general description of how Commonwealth funding for education operates; a detailed explanation of how laws regulating education for students with disability function in each jurisdiction; and an examination of each jurisdiction’s anti-discrimination laws as they apply to education (including the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) and the Disability Standards for Education 2005 issued under that Act.)
Posted June 15, 2021
The report analyses and summarises the evidence presented during public hearing 6. It suggests that psychotropic medication, which are drugs that affect a person’s mind, emotions or behaviour, is being over-prescribed to people with cognitive disability to deal with what are commonly described as ‘behaviours of concern’. Medical evidence along with observations from family and carers indicate people with cognitive disability often experience serious negative consequences from using psychotropic medication And there is not much evidence to support the effectiveness of psychotropic medication as a way to address behaviours of concern
Posted May 28, 2021
“And the reason Sunnyfield refused to participate in a conciliation is that you had already decided to evict Melissa and you did not wish to have any conciliation until after the eviction had occurred. That’s right, isn’t it?” Ms Eastman said.
Posted May 27, 2021
She argued Melissa’s complex needs required individualised care from highly trained professional caregivers, but Sunnyfield was unwilling to deviate from the default level of care it provided in its contract.
Posted May 18, 2021
The Morrison government has announced it is extending the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability by 17 months, following strong campaigning from the sector.
Posted April 30, 2021
Almost three months into the COVID-19 vaccination program the federal government is still working out the best way to immunise people with disabilities despite their inclusion in the first two phases of the vaccine rollout.
Posted April 29, 2021
People with disability are often called ‘inferior’, ‘a burden’, or ‘a menace’. They say people assume they are ‘of no value’, ‘not fully human’, ‘objects of pity’, ‘eternal children’ or ‘better off dead’. Many respondents talked about the long term harm such language can have and how this language reflects the ingrained attitudes and discrimination which still exists in Australia towards people with disability.
Posted April 20, 2021
Closing date: June 30, 2021
People with disability experience violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation at highly disproportionate rates, and our voices must be heard. The Hon. Ronald Sackville, Chair of the Disability Royal Commission, has requested a 17-month extension. People withDisability Australia support this call, and we ask you to do the same by writing to the Attorney-General, Michaelia Cash. You can use our sample letter, or edit as you like.
Posted April 16, 2021
Restrictive practices limit a person’s rights or freedom of movement and come in various forms. Seclusion, such as locking someone in a room, using restraints like handcuffing someone to a bed or medicating someone to control their behaviour are all examples of restrictive practice. Respondents said restrictive practices can have negative effects on people with disability. This includes trauma, poor health, shorter lifespan and death. They said using restrictive practices can be degrading and cruel. Their use can create a culture which does not value people with disability, and make denying them their rights seem normal.
Posted April 16, 2021
Disability Employment Services (DES) were singled out and concerns were raised about their design and implementation. Some responses said the very service that was established to help people with disability find and keep a job, is falling far short of what it was set up to do. Responders described how some DES consultants didn’t have specialised disability knowledge or qualifications, and didn’t act in their client’s best interest.
