The Disability Royal Commission is seeking information about the experiences of people with disability during recent emergencies in Australia.
The Emergency Planning and Response Issues Paper published this week seeks feedback about what can be done to improve the safety and wellbeing of people with disability during similar emergencies in the future.
Read more about Emergency Planning and Response Issues Paper published by DRC
The Australian Government’s Department of Health website is the central source for up-to-date information and advice on Coronavirus (COVID-19).
We have also compiled a list of other available resources that may be useful for those supporting people with disability and the managers and staff of disability advocacy organisations.
People with disability, and their organisations, across Australia are calling for urgent action, to keep us safe during the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Over 70 national, state and territory disability organisations have come together to urge the National Cabinet to take the urgent action we need to keep people with disability free of the COVID-19 virus.
Read more about Now is the time to act on pandemic measures for people with disability
Australian workers with intellectual disabilities and their families are concerned they are being exposed to a high risk of contracting coronavirus at work at their Australian Disability Enterprise. Yesterday (1 April), a worker with intellectual disability at a West Australian ADE was diagnosed with COVID-19. Disability advocacy groups expect numbers to rise dramatically right across Australia if all ADEs do not close their doors immediately until the pandemic passes.
The Royal Commission is calling on all Australian governments to ensure that responses to COVID-19 include dedicated strategies and take all necessary measures to protect and support people with disability.
Australian governments should seek input from people with disability, leading disability experts and advocates in developing their dedicated strategy, and in particular, in its COVID-19 Coordination Commission initiative.
Read more about Disability Royal Commission calls for urgent action
People with disability who are in receipt of DSP are experiencing and facing additional, unforeseen costs in this time of crisis, which is causing significant levels of distress and anxiety, and only serving to further entrench DSP recipients into poverty. We urgently ask that the Australian Government act swiftly to include DSP recipients in the Coronavirus Supplement to ensure that people with disability are not further disadvantaged by the impact of the Coronavirus.
Read more about Increase Disability Support Pension now to deal with coronavirus
