A Shorten Labor Government will establish a Royal Commission into violence and abuse against people with disability.

The countless harrowing accounts of people with disability being abused and assaulted cannot be ignored. 

People with disability experience much higher rates of violence than the rest of the community, and in many cases, this violence occurs in places where they are meant to be receiving support.

Children with disability are at least three times more likely to experience abuse than other children.

These facts cannot be ignored.

A Royal Commission is needed so that people with disability, their families and carers can tell their stories to the highest level of judicial inquiry and seek justice.

This will be a vital part of a national healing process.

Only a Royal Commission has the weight, authority and investigative powers to examine these horrific accounts of violence and abuse against people with disability. 

A Royal Commission will have the power to compel witnesses, evidence and testimony.

We will not allow these sickening incidents to be swept under the carpet.

People with disability and their families have known this abuse has been occurring for far too long. The time has come to bring these accounts of abuse out into the light.

A Royal Commission has been recommended by both the Senate Community Affairs References Committee Inquiry into violence, abuse and neglect and the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into abuse in disability services. People with disability, their families and advocates have been urging the Government to act.

The community is calling for a Royal Commission, and Labor is listening.

Unfortunately the Turnbull Government has failed to adequately respond to horrific accounts of abuse against people with disability.

Labor understands that nothing can erase the pain and trauma of the abuse experienced by people with disability, but they deserve to have their voices heard at a Royal Commission.

We need a Royal Commission to bring about systemic change to ensure that this horrific abuse never happens again.

Labor calls on the Turnbull Government to begin the work to establish a Royal Commission immediately. If they don’t, a Shorten Labor Government will get this done.

You can find more information on Labor’s announcement here.

FRIDAY, 26 MAY 2017