Human Rights Commission complaint lodged over disability access to MP offices
Fed up of feeling like a second-class citizen when she tries to visit MPs, Sam Connor lodged a discrimination complaint with the Human Rights Commission.
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Vic disability abuse probes strengthened
Victorian police and an independent commissioner will work more closely to investigate the abuse of disabled people after rape allegations were not reported to police.
Woman with intellectual disabilities faces deportation after mother’s visa rejection
A 50-year-old woman with severe intellectual disabilities faces possible deportation next month and the prospect of spending the rest of her life in an Indian institution, after her mother’s visa application was rejected.
NDIA loses appeal in test case for transport funding
An attempt by the National Disability Insurance Agency to appeal a ruling that the agency must fully fund supports accepted as “reasonable and necessary” under the National Disability Insurance Scheme, has been dismissed by the Federal Court.
Cruel paradox in repeat child abuse cases
It is unacceptable that children who have suffered the most extensive sexual abuse may be less able to receive justice in the criminal courts, the child abuse royal commission says. Commission chair Justice Peter McClellan says it is increasingly apparent that changes to the process of, and evidence admitted at, a criminal trial may be … Continued
A deaf Victorian man will spend 25 years in custody over Ringwood murder
A Deaf Melbourne man who murdered another by pushing him off a balcony, but was unfit to stand trial, will spend 25 years in custody.
National approach crucial to make Australians with disability equal before the law
As an ABC journalist for almost two decades, one issue I have reported on that has rattled me more than any other is the discrimination against people with a disability in Australia’s justice system.
Prisoners are excluded from the NDIS – here’s why it matters
Inadequate disability-specific services in prison make this exclusion inconsistent with conditions in the United Nations’ “Mandela Rules”. These set out minimum requirements for the treatment of prisoners. They state health care in prison must be equivalent to that in the community. Excluding prisoners from the NDIS is also inconsistent with Articles 12 and 13 of … Continued
No pathway to release
The justice system doesn’t know how to respond to disability, particularly for Indigenous Australians, writes Patrick McGee who addressed the inaugural Australian Lawyers for Human Rights National Human Rights Conference in Melbourne on Friday.
Disabled teenager instructed to perform sex act on school bus by another disabled student
The parents of a Melbourne teenager with intellectual disabilities are seeking legal advice after he was commanded to perform a sexual act by another student on a school mini-bus which was supposed to be supervised by a chaperone. Victorian Education Minister James Merlino told 7.30 he had commissioned an independent investigation into the school’s handling … Continued
Disabled employees still offered $2.79 an hour despite it being ruled discriminatory
Many people with disabilities are still working for less than $3 an hour almost four years after Australia’s High Court ruled they were being underpaid at Government-supported workshops.
Victims of Crime in the Criminal Trial Process: Report (
The Victorian Law Reform Commission’s report on the role of victims of crime in the criminal trial process was tabled in the Victorian Parliament on 22 November 2016. The victim’s role has evolved over the past three decades and the report takes an evolutionary approach in proposing further reform. The Commission recommends that the victim’s … Continued
New Data Reveals Picture of Disability, Aging and Carers in Australia
Almost one in 12 Australians with disability – or more than 281,000 people – reported that they had experienced discrimination or unfair treatment because of their disability, according to new data from Australian Bureau of Statistics. The figures were revealed in the latest survey data called Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Summary of Findings.
Disability discrimination persists in the public service
Closing date: October 13, 2016
Almost one quarter of Victorian public servants with a disability have experienced discrimination at work, according to workplace survey data released by the Victorian Public Sector Commission.
Securing their future
Caring for a person who has a decision-making disability can be both challenging and rewarding, however, you may be naturally concerned about what will happen, once you are no longer able to care for them. This guide has been created to help you put in place some safeguards to ensure the person with disability you … Continued