The Albanese Labor Government has today released its initial response to the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability.

The Disability Royal Commission was Australia’s largest inquiry into the experiences of people with disability. The experiences of harm, exclusion and discrimination documented by the Disability Royal Commission are unacceptable and must stop.

Governments – both Commonwealth, state and territory – are committed to working to sustain long-term meaningful change for Australians with disability. Our initial response to the Disability Royal Commission gives us a strong path towards a more equitable and inclusive Australia, where people with disability can be safe and thrive.

This response and actions are guided by four key pillars that reflect what we have heard from people with disability on what is important to them, including:

• better safeguarding
• promoting inclusion and accessibility
• upholding human rights, and
• recognising the unique perspectives and experiences of First Nations people with disability.

The Royal Commission’s Final Report, released last year, made 222 recommendations in total.

Of the recommendations, there are 84 that fall solely to the Commonwealth, a further 85 are a joint responsibility between the states, territories and the Commonwealth and 50 recommendations are entirely for the states and territories. A further 3 recommendations are the responsibility of the Commonwealth and non-government organisations.

After careful consideration and broad community consultation, the Commonwealth has accepted or accepted in-principle 130 recommendations. The remaining recommendations which are the joint or sole responsibility of the Commonwealth are for further consideration or noted.

States and territories will also be releasing responses to recommendations that are within their sole or joint responsibility.

Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth said the Government’s response was an important step to realising the vision for an inclusive Australia where people with disability can live with dignity, equality and respect.

“We are deeply grateful to the thousands of people who shared their trauma and experiences and took part in the Royal Commission, as well as in our consultations on what form the response should take,” Minister Rishworth said.

“Ensuring people with disability are at the centre of the work we do is paramount and, importantly, our Government did not wait for the findings of the Royal Commission to begin significant investment into improving the lives of people with disability in Australia.

“We are committed to continued and sustained effort across all jurisdictions, and all levels of government, to ensure the implementation of agreed recommendations leads to real and lasting change for people with disability.

To support the Commonwealth’s initial response, the Government will make investments in:

Rights and Anti-Discrimination

• $6.9 million to review and modernise the Disability Discrimination Act;
• $39.7 million to establish a new disability advocacy program;
• $12.1 million to amend the Migration Health Requirement to be fairer and more inclusive for children with disability;

Safety

• $15.6 million to unify national disability quality and safeguarding arrangements;
• $4.4 million for consistent approaches to community visitor schemes as a safeguarding mechanism;
• $2.6 million for the continued delivery of the National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline and the Complaints Resolution and Referral Service;
• $2 million towards improving the safety of women and girls with disability;
• $1.2 million to develop targets to reduce and eliminate restrictive practices;

Inclusion and Access

• $12.3 million to improve national approaches to accessible information and communications, including Auslan;
• $3.7 million to continue the Primary Care Enhancement Program for People with Intellectual Disability; 
• $19.6 million to support grassroots efforts to improve community attitudes around disability

Employment

• $23.3 million to establish a Disability Employment Centre of Excellence;
• $227.6 million to implement a new specialist disability employment program;

This builds on the significant investment made over the last three Budgets totalling more than $3 billion to build a more inclusive Australia.

The Government will continue to work closely with state and territory governments, as well as people with disability to implement the reforms.

Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, Bill Shorten said the Government’s initial response to the Disability Royal Commission would be a driving force towards a safer, accessible and inclusive Australia.

“It was Labor who called for this Royal Commission in 2017, and we’ve been on this journey ever since,” Minister Shorten said.

“Violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of people with disability is completely unacceptable and our response to the Disability Royal Commission’s findings shows our commitment to making real change to better safeguard people with disability. I have been focused on quality and safeguards.

“We have been making record investments in people and technology at the NDIS Commission to ensure they have the resources they need to keep participants safe. This has happened over the last two Budgets while the Disability Royal Commission’s findings have been considered by government.

“We have not wasted a second in getting the NDIS back on track so we can deliver a Scheme that people can trust and that can safely and effectively support the people who need it most.”

Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler, said the Royal Commission has focussed the attention of all health ministers on ways that all governments can improve the health system for people with disability.

“The measure of a country is in the support and care it gives to its most vulnerable,” Minister Butler said.

“Improving access and quality across the health system for people with disability is a responsibility that I know I, and all my health minister colleagues, take very seriously.”

The Government is still considering its response to 36 of the recommendations which relate to open or recently closed inquiries or negotiations and require further consideration and consultation. Responses to these outstanding recommendations will be published once this work concludes.

The Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus and Education Minister Jason Clare, along with other Ministers, also have responsibility for leading on several of the Commonwealth-only and joint recommendations.

The full Government response, including the list of recommendations and responses, is available on the DSS website.

If you are concerned about the abuse and neglect of people with disability contact the National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline – which is a free, independent and confidential service for reporting – on 1800 880 052.