On 3 April, over 70 national, state and territory disability organisations (including DANA and many advocacy organisations around the country) released an Open Letter to the National Cabinet to urge Australian governments to take the urgent action we need to keep people with disability free of the COVID-19 virus.
On 2 April, DANA along with Inclusion Australia and Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) urged the closure of Australian Disability Enterprises until the pandemic passes. Read the joint media release.
On 27 March a coalition of nearly 30 community sector organisations and advocates has urged the Federal Government to address the affordability of communications services and equipment to support Australians in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a letter to the Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety Cyber and the Arts, Paul Fletcher, cross-sector community organisations including Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN), CHOICE and The Australian Council of Social Services (ACOSS), outlined several recommendations that would enable communities to keep connected, work remotely, and access essential services such as education, government services, and telehealth. Find the letter and full statement on the ACCAN website.
On 26 March the Disability Royal Commission called for urgent action, publishing a media release and a Statement of Concern
On 24 March, 11 organisations including DANA called for the inclusion of Disability Support Pension recipients in the Coronavirus Supplement.
On 19 March, DANA, along with seven other national peak organisations called for Urgent measures to support people with disability during COVID-19 crisis
On 15 March, researchers at the Centre of Research Excellence in Disability and Health (CRE-DH) called for urgent action from State and Federal governments to better meet the care needs of people with disability through the health and disability service sectors. (Read their statement and recommendations)
On 11 March, People With Disability Australia (PWDA) has called for the inclusion of a range of measures in the Federal Government’s response to support Australians with disability. See their Information page and Media release for more detail.