The Final Report of the Disability Royal Commission was tabled in parliament on 29 September 2023. It contains 222 recommendations. The recommendations aim to promote the human rights of people with a disability:
- reduce violence and exploitation
- build a more inclusive community
- improve the quality of services
Recommendations address inclusive education and employment, accessible housing, the justice system and the specific needs of people in communities.
The Royal Commisssion found that
“The experiences of First Nations people with disability cannot be separated from the ongoing impacts of colonisation, intergenerational trauma and racism experienced by First Nations people more generally.
These ongoing impacts are evident in the over-representation of First Nations people with disability in child protection and criminal justice systems, and the high rates of child removal, poverty and unemployment.
The legacy of the Stolen Generations includes the rupture of connection with family, culture and Country. In turn, it has created feelings of shame and guilt about disability. Due to the intersection of racism and disability discrimination, First Nations people with disability experience a ‘double disadvantage’.
The recommendations aim to address this disadvantage through improved access to services, and to address the over representation of Aboriginal people in the criminal justice and child protection systems.
To get more information about the findings follow these links:
https://disability.royalcommission.gov.au/publications/final-report
https://disability.royalcommission.gov.au/document-library (Auslan versions)