Home | Disability Advocacy Network Australia

Joint statement on the Australian Government’s planned reforms to the NDIS

People with disability, their families and the organisations that represent them are all worried about changes the Australian Government wants to make to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

These changes will fundamentally alter the individualised and personalised nature of the NDIS. While we all want greater consistency, we are very concerned this increasingly automated process will not adequately consider individual need and circumstance.

This is not the NDIS we fought for.

Time needed for people with disability to tell their stories

To truly reap the benefits of the substantial public investment in this historic Royal Commission, granting the requested 17 month extension is essential. This extension must include extended funding of DRC support services including individual and systemic advocacy and counselling (through DSS) and legal support (through the Attorney-General’s Department) for people who have experienced disability violence, abuse, neglect and/or exploitation.

We urge the Commonwealth Government to ensure that Australians with disability have the opportunity to have their voices heard.

“Stand with us!” – Queensland disability advocacy matters

Queenslanders with disability and disability advocacy organisations are calling on the state government to continue funding for essential advocacy services, and today have launched their campaign, Stand with us!

The Queensland Government currently provides $4.9 million to the non-government sector to deliver disability advocacy services. However, funding ceases on 30 June 2021 and no further commitment has been made.

#MakeItSafeToSpeak – DRC confidentiality still not protected

The Disability Royal Commission has been running for almost two years (of a three-year Royal Commission) without proper protections in place for survivors and witnesses to tell their stories. As it stands, people who provide information in a private session can have their privacy protected, but anyone providing written submissions to the Disability Royal Commission is only guaranteed confidentiality until the Royal Commission concludes in April next year. For many survivors and witnesses, this a barrier to telling their story.

#MakingTime makes a difference

We know it’s been pretty tough times for disability advocates lately.

Australians living with mental ill health, mental distress and those who care for them have told the National Mental Health Commission the one thing that has helped them through difficult moments is making time for what matters to them.

AdvoKit – Holiday edition

AdvoKit is here to help people get the advocacy resources they need to support people with disability during the pandemic and beyond. The final AdvoKit Newsletter of 2020 includes lots of info about vaccines and vaccinations and what we know about when and how they will work in Australia, plus more.