This report summarises the responses received to the Discussion Paper, meetings with stakeholders by phone, in small groups and in large forums, and relevant research and review findings. It describes the themes and strategies identified, and provides some clarification of aspects of disability advocacy.
Rethinking our assumptions about people with impairments is a critical step towards more inclusiveness Social epidemiologist Professor Eric Emerson argues that “disability” and “being disabled” really refer to the effects of social and economic marginalisation of people with certain types of physical or mental impairments, and not the personal impact of the impairments themselves.
This report reveals that although online participation is increasing across Australia, gaps continue to exist- and widen- between those who are digitally “included” and “excluded”. The report found that Australians with low levels of income, education and employment are less digitally included – as well as Indigenous Australians and people with a disability.
This study investigated the interconnections between housing, community infrastructure and quality of life for Indigenous people living with disability. It incorporated three case studies from Yalata and Point Pearce in South Australia and Greater Geelong in Victoria that revealed poor health and disability are major issues facing the Indigenous populations in these areas. The research … Continued
This publication presents information from the 2015 Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC). It follows the release of the First Results in April 2016, which are also included in this publication. A short podcast about the SDAC highlighting the key findings from 2015, and a video animation about Australia’s carers is also available as … Continued
This matter was referred by the Senate to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee for inquiry and report: on 11 February 2015. Over 160 submissions were received and public hearings were held across Australia from April to October 2015. This is the final report from the Inquiry. The committee finds that violence, abuse and neglect … Continued
In many developed countries, the provision of disability services has undergone significant transformations, from institutional to community based care, and from organisational to personalised funding. Yet delivering disability support remains an ongoing challenge for governments. Specifically, the relative success of different types of disability support governance is convoluted and problematic given the diversity and complexity … Continued
This is the final report from the inquiry looking into the impact on service quality, efficiency and sustainability of recent Commonwealth community service tendering processes by the Department of Social Services. Additional recommendations have been added since the interim report was released in May with this one being most welcome to the disability advocacy sector: … Continued
This report focuses on people with disabilities who need communication supports or who have complex and multiple support needs and who have come in contact with the criminal justice system. Negative assumptions and attitudes, coupled with a lack of support services and minimal provision of adjustments, often means that people with disabilities are viewed as … Continued
Despite international and national guarantees of equal rights, there remains a great deal to be done to achieve global employment equality for individuals with disabilities. In OECD countries, the employment rate of persons with disabilities was just over 40%, compared to 75% for persons without a disability; in many low- and middle-income countries, the employment … Continued
Access to education is a critical factor in eliminating disadvantage and protecting vulnerable children, and is essential to lifelong economic and social wellbeing. For these reasons, the Commission undertook research examining the experiences of students with disabilities in Victorian Schools to learn how schools are meeting students’ needs, as well as understanding where practice might … Continued
Many of the large institutions that housed generations of people with disabilities—out of sight and out of mind—are now closed. Australians with disabilities are now largely free to live in the community. Once shut in, many people with disabilities now find themselves shut out. The institutions that once housed them may be closed, but … Continued
This report highlights the struggles vulnerable Victorians are facing when trying to access the private rental market. It indicates that some people experience discrimination and stereotyping because of race, disability or having children, making it difficult for them to secure a home.
In August 2007, the Attorney-General appointed former Victorian Public Advocate, Mr Julian Gardner, to conduct a review of certain aspects of the Equal Opportunity Act 1995. The review was conducted between September 2007 and June 2008. A Discussion Paper was released in November 2007 and was followed by an Options Paper in March 2008. The … Continued
Acquired brain injury (ABI) is a common cause of disability among people of all ages. Disabilities related to ABI are often complex and may cause limitations in many areas of life. This bulletin examines ABI in Australia: its causes, the prevalence and severity of disability related to ABI, and the needs of people with ABI … Continued