The Albanese Labor Government continues its commitment to people with disability, today releasing a Progress Update in response to the Disability Royal Commission’s final report, along with publishing new Disability Employment Services guidelines.
The two releases coincide with a First Nations Roundtable to be held in Darwin today to canvas feedback to inform the Governments formal response to the final report of the Disability Royal Commission.
The Progress Update highlights the significant steps the Government has already taken to improve outcomes for people with disability while the Disability Royal Commission was running and the Government’s commitment to prioritise engagement and consultation with the disability community as it prepares its formal response to the Disability Royal Commission’s final report and considers connections with other disability reform.
Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth said the Government will continue to take action to create more opportunities for people with disability and build a stronger ecosystem of supports.
“The Government is dedicated to creating a safe and inclusive Australia, where all people with disability are supported to thrive,” said Minister Rishworth.
“The Royal Commission handed down 222 recommendations after four and a half years of inquiry, and we must take the time to work with states and territories and the disability community to carefully develop a response that will create lasting change.”
The Government introduced several policies and programs during the Royal Commission’s proceedings, and further reforms are set to be delivered in the coming months.
Minister Rishworth said “we are taking tangible actions to improve access to employment for people with disability through reform to Disability Employment Services, including an immediate lift in quality, and have strengthened safeguarding arrangements for people with disability outside the NDIS through enacting the new Disability Services and Inclusion Act 2023”.
The Government is working closely with DES providers to increase the quality of services delivered by putting the views of people with disability at the centre and active monitoring and reporting of provider performance, as well as the introduction of new Quality Guidelines.
Under the new Quality Framework, DES providers will be rated on whether their services exceed expectations, meet expectations, or require further improvement. The Department of Social Services has analysed the National Standards for Disability Services audit results from 2023 against the relevant elements of the Disability Employment Services Quality Framework. Initial results indicate 85 per cent of providers are meeting requirements and 15 per cent need further improvement. Quality assessments commenced in January 2024 with initial assessments results due in the second half of the year.
Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill Shorten recently announced a suite of measures in response to the Independent Review of the NDIS.
“The findings of the Disability Royal Commission and the NDIS Review highlighted that all governments must do more to foster a safer Australia for people with disability,” said Minister Shorten.
“We have established the NDIS Provider and Worker Registration Taskforce that will investigate how we can reduce the risk of harm and lift the quality of disability supports people with disability are accessing. We want to see a regulatory system that helps ensure no one is invisible or forgotten on the NDIS."
Minister Shorten said by working together to rebuild a modern user-friendly regulatory system, more workers, providers, family businesses and start-ups will be willing to sign up and meet the minimum requirements.
"Participants and providers will benefit from the new system being designed, which will ensure the level of regulation matches the risk. That gives participants more choices in the future."
The Commonwealth Disability Royal Commission Taskforce is driving the coordinated consideration of the final report by Government and ensuring that the diverse perspectives of people with disability, families and other stakeholders are understood and heard.
Hundreds of people with disability, representative and advocacy organisations and families have responded to a questionnaire or provided a submission during the recent public consultation period. This is in addition to other disability and stakeholder forums that are exploring potential responses to particular recommendations. These important perspectives will help inform the Government’s response to the final report.
Today in Darwin, First Nations disability stakeholders will meet with Minister Rishworth and Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney to provide their feedback.
“It is important our responses to the Royal Commission recognise the distinctive experiences of First Nations people with disability,” Minister Burney said.
“This is an opportunity for First Nations people to help inform government on the development of policies and programs.
“We will continue to partner with First Nations peak organisations so that we can find ways to improve outcomes for First Nations people with a disability.”
The final report of the Disability Royal Commission emphasised that creating a disability-inclusive Australia requires national action, with 85 of the recommendations joint between the Australian and state and territory governments.
“Strong national collaboration is crucial, and we’re working closely with all levels of government in areas of joint responsibility, and with the disability community, on the best way to drive better outcomes,” Minister Rishworth said.
More information on the Government’s consideration of the Disability Royal Commission is available on the Department of Social Services website
People with Disability Australia (PWDA) is calling for people with disability to be recognised as equal partners in determining reforms flowing from the Disability Royal Commission and NDIS Review. The call comes in the wake of today’s release of the Federal Government’s Progress Update in response to the Disability Royal Commission’s final report.
The Progress Update has outlined deeper consultation and consideration is needed before the Australian Government delivers their formal response to the Disability Royal Commission in mid-2024. PWDA is calling on governments to not simply consult but be led by people with disability as they develop their responses.
PWDA President Marayke Jonkers said, “People with disability want action, they want closure, they want an end to the violence abuse, neglect and exploitation we have endured and continue to experience.
“Our community and our representative organisations must be equal partners to ensure reforms deliver genuine change, improve our lives, and end the violence once and for all. This Progress Update recognises the need for consultation, and we stand ready to work together with governments to ensure our Royal Commission delivers justice and change.”
PWDA has welcomed the Australian Government’s commitment to advancing the human rights of people with disability outlined in the Progress Update.
PWDA President Marayke Jonkers has called on governments to outline in their formal responses how they will not only advance but fully enshrine and enforce the rights of people with disability.
“The Disability Royal Commission confirmed what people with disability already knew - our rights are not currently being upheld or respected in Australia. We look forward to firm commitments to legal protections which uphold and enforce our rights. PWDA will continuing advocating for the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to be fully upheld,” Ms Jonkers said.
The Progress Update has identified Achieving an Inclusive Australia as a key theme for reform. PWDA has called for firm commitments to full inclusion and an end to segregation across all settings.
“We need firm commitments to end the segregation of people with disability. Across our whole lives we are too often separated from the community – where we live, work and learn. We demand full inclusion and PWDA will continue advocating for all governments to commit to the desegregation of housing, education and employment,” Ms Jonkers said. PWDA has welcomed the Progress Update’s recognition of the need to enhance the quality and availability of disability and mainstream supports and services.
“All governments must make further firm commitment to speed up making mainstream services more inclusive. All people with disability must be able to use and access services like education, transport and health – no matter where they live,” Ms Jonkers said.
PWDA remains concerned that the elimination of restrictive practices is absent from the Progress Update.
“For too long people with disability have endured violent practices like restraint and seclusion. The silence in this Progress Update on restrictive practices is deeply concerning. PWDA will continue advocating for a firm commitment from governments to eliminate all restrictive practices,” Ms Jonkers said.
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