State of play: Disability Advocacy Sector 2019

This session opens with an address from the Minister responsible for the disability portfolio in Victoria. Following this, leaders from Disability Advocacy Network Australia and Disability Advocacy Victoria, will outline the issues that are currently hindering organisations from delivering equal rights for people with disability.

When

Monday 2nd September, 2019: 10:30am - 11:00am

Where

The Hall

Speakers

The Hon Luke Donnellan MP, Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers; Minister for Child Protection

Luke Donnellan is Minister for Child Protection, Disability, Ageing and Carers in the Victorian Labor Government led by Premier Daniel Andrews.

Luke was elected as the State Member for Narre Warren North in November 2002.

He was born in Melbourne and attended Xavier College 1977 – 1984. He received a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne in 1987. After finishing university, he worked as a commercial real estate agent, financial planner and client services manager.

Luke is married to Charlotte and together they have two sons. In his spare time Luke enjoys going to the footy with his boys, running and gardening.

Photo of The Hon Luke Donnellan MP, Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers; Minister for Child Protection

Mary Mallett, Chief Executive Officer, Disability Advocacy Network Australia (DANA)

Disability Advocacy Network Australia (DANA) is the Canberra based national peak body for independent disability advocacy in Australia. DANA supports organisations in every state and territory that work to promote and advocate for the rights of people with disability. With the advent of the NDIS independent advocacy will be even more important in assisting people … Continued

Photo of Mary Mallett, Chief Executive Officer, Disability Advocacy Network Australia (DANA)

Melanie Muir, Disability Advocacy Victoria Board Member and Advocate, Leadership Plus

Melanie has been working in community services for the past thirty years. She leads the advocacy team at Leadership Plus which is funded through the National Disability Advocacy Program and delivers disability advocacy, NDIS Appeals work and runs the Decision Support Project. Leadership Plus provides advocacy to hundreds of people each year and is committed to working with the disability advocacy sector to strengthen the rights of people living with disability.

Photo of Melanie Muir, Disability Advocacy Victoria Board Member and Advocate, Leadership Plus

Session Summary

10:30 – 10:45am

The Victorian Daniel Andrews Labor government has been generous in ramping up programs that support disability advocacy agencies to continue their vital work in supporting people with disability to uphold their rights and have their voices heard during this very challenging time of reform.

The Minister told us how these programs are tracking and how an ongoing commitment to promoting inclusion and pursuing policy measures are delivering equality for Victorians with a disability through new initiatives and opportunities associated with the Victorian Disability Advocacy Futures Plan. He is introduced by Emma King, CEO of Victoria Council of Social Services (VCOSS).

Then leaders from the advocacy sector take the stage to talk about the difficulty of measuring the state of play for advocacy. Funding bodies are reluctant to share data in ways that truly reflect the work of advocacy. Is there any evidence to justify waitlists? Is advocacy plugging holes in service provision?

Disability Advocacy Victoria conducted a survey asking Victorian agencies about their current experiences. Melanie Muir, Disability Advocacy Victoria Board Member reveals what the data isn’t telling us.

Meanwhile, Disability Advocacy Network Australia (DANA) has been reviewing existing data provided by the federal Department of social Services. Mary Mallett, CEO at DANA presents some of what the data is saying.