Phasing out segregated education by 2051, establishing a federal minister for disability inclusion and creating a disability rights act are among 222 recommendations made by Australia’s largest-ever investigation into the lives of people with disability.
Key points:
- The royal commission says a “history of exclusion” has shaped the lives of people with disability
- It has made 222 recommendations for change across areas including education and employment
- The royal commission began in 2019 and held 32 public hearings
The final report by the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability was tabled in federal parliament on Friday, four-and-a-half years after it began.
The commissioners were split 3-3 on the recommendation to phase out segregated education.
The inquiry also recommended establishing a disability rights act, changing guardianship legislation, improving data collection and setting specific targets for disability employment in the public sector.
Commissioners said:
“The social transformation needed to make Australia truly inclusive requires us to take account of the history of exclusion that has shaped the settings, systems and daily lives of people with disability through to today.
“Inclusion involves social transformation that enables people with disability to live, learn, work, play, create and engage alongside people without disability.”
Disability advocates, who fought for decades to get the inquiry set up, have been eagerly awaiting the report.
The royal commission began in 2019, and held 32 public hearings, which scrutinised the experiences of the 4.4 million Australians who live with disability.
Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth and NDIS Minister Bill Shorten will hold a media conference today.
More to come.