Disability Royal Commission
MDAA’s Disability Royal Commission (DRC) funding was dedicated to free and independent advocacy support for people with disability and carers taking part in the DRC process. This Royal Commission was into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of people with disability.
The DRC team concluded its final reporting period with 380 consumers, reached through 20 workshops in the time of January to July 2023. These workshops gave the participants the opportunity to raise their concerns and speak to someone who may understand their situation and experiences. In many instances, participants relayed that these workshops were also an opportunity to meet new people to whom they can relate and engage with in different activities they may not have experienced before.
As part of our post DRC submission role, the team has been tirelessly engaging with external community partners to deliver trauma informed art and self-care workshops, and My Rights workshops. The team held workshops across Sydney, with a few held in the regions of Wollongong and Griffith in 2023, and Bega in 2022.
In addition to coordinating and running wellness and trauma informed workshops for DRC consumers, the team had developed three systemic submissions on behalf of MDAA.
They address the following topics:
- The rising cost of living and its impact on people with disability from CaLD backgrounds
- National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Annual Pricing Review
- The 2026 Census and the gaps identified in the way the census defines disability with its focus on an overwhelmingly broad basis
Through our engagement, the most common issues experienced by DRC consumers relate to:
- Neglect and abuse including physical, psychological, and financial
- Neglect and abuse of people with disability in care homes
- Systemic barriers to access and navigation of the NDIS and its appeals process
- Employment including discrimination and systemic barriers around workplace recruitment, training, and support
- Legal, including visa and immigration issues
