Public hearing 5: Experiences of people with disability during the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic

Noting the Royal Commission's Statement of Concern released on 26 March 2020 about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people with disability, and Issues Paper on Emergency Planning, the hearing highlighted the experiences of a people with disability during the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic.

The scope and purpose of this hearing was to inquire into:

• the impact on people with disability, including First Nations people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and women with disabilities and the barriers and challenges they are facing

• the response of the Commonwealth government and agencies to the COVID-19 pandemic, as it relates to people with disability (noting the Royal Commission expects to examine the particular response of states and territories at a later time)

• how some disability service providers responded to the COVID-19 pandemic

• the question of how the impact of COVID-19 on people with disability has developed over the period since the pandemic began

• what should be done in the near, medium and long term to better protect people with disability from violence, abuse neglect and exploitation, and promote the inclusion of people with disability during the COVID-19 pandemic.