Third Progress Report

Third Progress Report

Introduction

The Disability Royal Commission has published its Third Progress Report. It covers our activities from 1 July to 31 December 2020.

This Auslan video is a brief summary of the progress report. The full report is available on our website, in the ‘Publications’ section.

Key updates

Three significant activities happened in October.

The Chair of the Royal Commission wrote to the Prime Minister requesting an extension to our deadline. We need more time to finish our work. If granted, we would be required to deliver our final report and recommendations by 29 September 2023. This extended deadline will allow us to continue the important work of examining the experiences of people with a disability in all settings and contexts.

Also in October, the Australian Government announced the introduction of new laws to keep information provided to the Royal Commission confidential beyond the life of the inquiry. The laws would protect what people tell us in submissions and keep key information confidential. This is expected to happen in the first half of 2021.

We released our Interim Report in October. The report includes accounts from people with disability, and says they are experiencing violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation across all aspects of their lives.

Public hearings

The Royal Commission held 6 public hearings in the second half of 2020.

The hearings looked at:

• experiences of people with disability during the COVID-19 pandemic
• issues relating to psychotropic medication
• barriers to accessing a safe, quality and inclusive school education
• experiences of First Nations people with disability and the child protection system
• pathways and barriers to open employment
• education and training of health care professionals.

Community engagement

In the second half of 2020 we held several key community engagement activities.

We held 3 meetings of our First Nations Peoples Strategic Advisory Group. This group is an expert panel of 7 First Nations people in the disability sector.

We also held virtual and face-to-face meetings with First Nations communities and organisations that support them.

We established our Disability Strategic Engagement Group. This group aims to improve our engagement with the disability sector.

We also held virtual and face-to-face meetings with First Nations communities and organisations that support them.

We established our Disability Strategic Engagement Group. This group aims to improve our engagement with the disability sector.

We also set up quarterly meetings with disability representative organisations.

We took part in summits, held focus groups, forums and discussions with:

• stakeholders from culturally and linguistically diverse communities
• people with cognitive and intellectual disabilities
• women and girls with disability
• young people with disability.

Other publications

In the second half of 2020 we published 2 research reports.

We also published 3 issues papers seeking feedback on:

• how safeguards and quality services may prevent and reduce violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation
• violence and abuse in the home
• promoting an inclusive society

Submissions and private sessions

In the second half of 2020 we received 669 submissions about people’s experiences of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation.  Many of the submissions described ‘systemic neglect’, like limited educational opportunities and supports.

During the same period we held 119 private sessions. Some of the themes to come out of these private sessions included:

• patients with disability not being offered the same level of medical care as patients without disability
• people with disability facing discrimination and lack of accessible facilities in the workplace.

More information: www.disability.royalcommission.gov.au