Disability rights groups 'devastated' by government's Royal Commission response

Key Points

The federal government has responded to the recommendations in Disability Royal Commission Report.
Thirteen of the 172 recommendations under the federal government’s remit were accepted in full.
The response was criticised in a joint statement endorsed by twelve Disability Representative Organisations.

In 2015, a Senate report found that there was widespread violence and abuse of people with a disability in institutional and residential settings.

In 2019, the Disability Royal Commission was established.

Formally known as the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability, it was given about $600 million and tasked with investigating experiences and conditions in schools, workplaces, the justice system, disability and mental health facilities, group homes and boarding houses, family homes, and hospitals.

Over four years, more than 10,000 people across Australia shared their stories, with evidence from 837 witnesses heard across 32 public hearings in every state and territory.

In September 2023, the royal commission handed down 222 recommendations to reduce the violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of the nearly 5.5 million Australians living with disability.

On Wednesday, the federal government released its response to the Disability Royal Commission Report. Here are the key takeaways.

Thirteen recommendations were accepted in full

A table showing the government's responses to the recommendations, with 130 'accepted' or 'accepted in principle', 36 requiring 'further considerations' and 6 listed as 'noted'.

Of the 222 recommendations handed down in the report, 172 were addressed in the federal government response. Source: SBS News / Lilian Cao

Of those 222 recommendations, 172 are considered under the remit of the federal government and were addressed in Wednesday’s response. The remaining 50 are the responsibility of the states of the territories.

Of the 172 recommendations responded to by the government, just 13 were accepted in full.

List of the 13 recommendations accepted by the government.

‘Accept’ means the Australian government accepts or supports the recommendation in full. A further 117 recommendations were accepted in principle. Source: SBS News / Lilian Cao

Those accepted are mostly small legislative suggestions, with many already underway.

A further 117 recommendations were “accepted in principle” by the government, meaning the government “accepts or supports the overarching policy intent but may consider different approaches to implementation”.

When asked why the government stopped short of fully implementing certain recommendations, Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth told reporters while the general policy has been agreed with, the prescriptive nature of some of the recommendations means further work is needed to appropriately implement them.

Noted, or in need of further consideration.

One of the report’s more contentious recommendations was to phase out special schools, which the government response says has been “noted”.

Recommendations to improve disability inclusion and bring an end to harmful segregation included calls to phase out segregated employment by 2034 and group homes within 15 years were listed as needing further consideration.

A block of text reads: "We consider that contemporary segregated settings continue to deny people with disability meaningful choice and control over key aspects of their daily lives, and prevent them from being included in mainstream settings."

Note: The report also clarifies that “segregation does not occur in spaces where people with disability choose to come together, share culture and values, seek support for their individual needs, or are encouraged and supported to engage with the broader community. These are the same choices available to people without disability”. Source: SBS News

The Greens’ disability rights spokesperson, senator Jordon Steele-John says the government’s response is insulting to the disability community.

“The Labor government has not committed to ending the cycle of segregation that so often leads to the abuse, violence, neglect, and exploitation of disabled people uncovered by the Commission. They made little to no mention of education, housing, or employment in their response,” he said in a statement.

“Only 13 out of 222, or less than 6 per cent, of the recommendations were accepted. Disabled people and our families gave so much to this commission, and this government has given so little in return.”

Jordon Steele-John raising a fist in the air in parliament. Adam Bandt is sitting near him, applauding.

Greens senator Jordon Steele-John said people with disability and their families “gave so much” to the commission and that the government had “given so little in return”. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch

In response to reporters’ questions about the lack of commitment to ending cycles of segregation, Amanda Rishworth said: “The disability royal commissioners were divided on those recommendations.”

Rishworth said the government response has addressed other recommendations related to inclusive education and is taking further consideration into the more divisive concerns.

Also listed as needing further consideration were the co-design of a new complaints system and a new scheme that would allow employees with disability to be paid at least half the minimum wage.

Where’s the money going?

The funding response focuses on improving job pathways as part of a broad $371 million package.

A table outlining how the government's disability package funding will be allocated.

The government has pledged $369 million towards this initial response. Source: SBS News / Lilian Cao

The most significant portion of the funding will go toward designing a specialist disability program announced in the May budget.

This is designed to assist those with disabilities prepare for, find, and maintain suitable employment.

‘Devastated, disappointed and completely caught off guard’

Simon Burchill, executive officer of Physical Disabilities Australia, Marayke Jonkers, Matilda Alexander, CEO of Queensland Advocacy Incorporated and Michelle Moss, CEO of Queenslanders with Disability Network together during a press conference in Brisbane.

People with Disability Australia president Marayke Jonkers (centre) said the government’s response had “devastated” its members. Source: AAP / Darren England

Disability advocacy groups say the government response is devastating.

In a endorsed by twelve Disability Representative Organisations, disability rights advocates said the government’s response “is deeply disappointing and fails to respond to the scale of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of people with disability”.

Among those groups is Down Syndrome Australia, which says it is particularly disappointed in the lack of action committing to end segregated settings.

“The importance of ending segregated education is reflected in how that flows through to employment. The Disability Royal Commission heard that it is very rare for people who are in segregated education to end up in full, open employment,” said Down Syndrome Australia CEO Darryl Steff.

The joint statement released by People with Disability Australia says it welcomes the commitment to the reform of the Disability Discrimination Act and funding increase for advocacy organisations.

But the organisation’s president, Marayke Jonkers, told reporters the response had left the organisation and its members “devastated, disappointed and completely caught off guard”.

Inclusion Australia says the response was underwhelming, calling it a frustrating day for Australians with intellectual disabilities.

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