Under Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031, federal, state, and territory governments have committed to improving health services to create better health outcomes for people with disability. Notwithstanding this, it was brought to the committee’s attention that people with disability continue to face a range of barriers including accessing appropriate, accessible, responsive and equitable reproductive health services and education.
Throughout this inquiry, the committee heard that enabling universal access to reproductive healthcare has the profound capacity to improve community health and well-being, develop a culture of inclusion and safety, and enhance workforce participation.
As evidence received during the inquiry unequivocally demonstrates, Australians do not currently have consistent access to sexual, reproductive and maternal healthcare services, and that this particularly disadvantages people living in regional and remote Australia.
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