This is the final year for people to share their stories with the Disability Royal Commission. There are now only 65 days to go until the final date for written submissions on 31 December 2022.
If people need technical, live interpreting, legal, advocacy or counselling support to make a submission, the DRC is encouraging people to submit prior to the holiday shutdown.
- Book a time to make submissions in Auslan to a Royal Commission staff member by 12 December
- Make a submission over the phone by 23 December
- Request assistance to lodge submissions before 23 December
- Send written submissions by 31 December
Here are some resources to help spread awareness about this: Share your stories with the Disability Royal Commission.
NEDA recently held a webinar focused on the issues facing culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and how people can share their story. Useful information and links were circulated to attendees following the webinar, and you can find these below, along with some of the other useful DRC resources available in a range of community languages
Department of Social Services
- Call the National Counselling Referral Service on 1800 421 468
- Website: http://www.dss.gov.au/disability-royal-commission-support
The DSS website includes a range of accessible materials:
- Translated fact sheets and communication toolkits
- Translated radio ads
- Easy Read fact sheets
- Auslan videos
- Links to order Braille and large print material
TIS National is a free service for those who need support in another language:
- Call the National Counselling and Referral Service on 1800 421 468 and ask for an interpreter
or
- Call TIS National on 131 450 and ask to be connected to the National Counselling and Referral Service on 1800 421 468
Your Story Disability Legal Support
Free, independent legal support to share your story with the Disability Royal Commission.
- Phone: 1800 77 1800 (free call)
- Website: http://www.yourstorydisabilitylegal.org.au/
Blue Knot Foundation
- National Counselling and Referrals Service (NCRS):
- Phone: 1800 421 468, 9am-6pm Mon-Fri (AEST), 9am-5pm Sat, Sun & PH (AEST)
- Email: ncrscounsellors@blueknot.org.au
- Live-Chat: Blue Knot-NCRS Web Page (https://blueknot.org.au/national-counselling-referral-service-disability/)
National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA)
Fact sheets translated into 12 different languages (Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Greek, Hindi, Spanish, Croatian, Turkish, Serbian, Assyrian and Vietnamese) (http://www.neda.org.au/disability-royal-commission-information):
- What is the Disability Royal Commission?
- What does the Disability Royal Commission Do?
- NEDA’s Statement on the Disability Royal Commission
- What is Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation?
- How to Make a Submission
- Royal Commission Guidebook
More resources you can find on our DRC resources page:
Action on Disability within Ethnic Communities Inc. (VIC)
- Booklet about the Disability Royal Commission (also available in Chinese [Simplified])
Kin
- DRC advocacy factsheets available in translated versions in community languages: Vietnamese, Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Dari, Farsi and Karen
North East Citizen Advocacy
- NECA’s DRC Advocacy Brochure in Italian,Mandarin, Hindi and Arabic *(not accessible for screen readers)
Women With Disability Australia (WWDA)
- Our Royal Commission videos (3-5 minutes) in English, Auslan, Arabic, Assyrian, Burmese, Punjabi, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Thai, Vietnamese, Farsi, Warlpiri, Arrernte and Pitjantjatjarra
Speak My Language (Disability)
- Turkish language Interview with Sera Yilmaz (an advocate at Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association)
- Kiswahili language Interview with Sifa Mtango (Solicitor at Your Story Disability Legal Support)