The Disability Royal Commission welcomes Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine national roll-out strategy and its prioritisation of people with disability and disability care staff

The Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability has welcomed the release of ‘Australia’s ‘COVID-19 vaccine strategy’. 

The Royal Commission strongly supports giving priority to disability care residents and disability care staff (Phase 1a) and to younger adults with a disability (Phase 1b).

The Chair of the Royal Commission, Ronald Sackville AO QC, noted while the Australian Government has not yet formally responded to the Royal Commission’s recent report on Public hearing 5 (‘Experiences of people with disability during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic’), the COVID-19 vaccine strategy is consistent with its recommendations.

Mr Sackville said that the Royal Commission hopes to hear from people with disability, their families and supporters about their experiences, once the roll-out commences.

In due course the Royal Commission will consider whether the roll-out of the COVID 19 vaccine as it affects people with disability raises any issues within the terms of reference and, if so, whether any further inquiries are appropriate.

The Disability Royal Commission was established in April 2019 in response to community concern about widespread reports of violence against, and the neglect, abuse and exploitation of, people with disability.

Visit our schedule to review the Royal Commission’s public hearings that have been planned for 2021.