Issues papers

Issues papers are an important part of our engagement with the community. We publish issues papers so that we can get feedback on topics from people with a disability as well as other people.

Issues papers ask questions about a topic that is important to our enquiry. You don’t have to answer every question - you don’t have to answer any of the questions, if you don’t want to. But you are welcome and invited to send us any information you think will help the Royal Commission do its work.

All issues papers ask people to respond by a deadline. This is so that your response can be included in initial analysis and help inform any related public hearings. You can provide a response after the deadline and your input will contribute to the ongoing work of the Royal Commission.

The Commission recognises that it is important that responses to issues papers are available to the community and that they are accessible in a range of formats.

Unfortunately, responses to issues papers are often not delivered to the Royal Commission in an accessible format. Should any of the responses to issues papers be required in a different format, our staff will work with you to the best of our ability to try and provide this.

If you require a response to an issues paper in an accessible format please contact our staff by one of the channels below:

  • email DRCenquiries@royalcommission.gov.au
  • telephone 1800 517 199 or +61 7 3734 1900 Monday to Friday, excluding national public holidays
  • post GPO Box 1422, Brisbane Qld 4001

Our publications

The impact of and responses to the Omicron wave of the COVID-19 pandemic for people with disability Issues paper

  • Issues papers
Our issues paper is asked the public to share their views on the impact of, and responses to, the Omicron wave of the COVID-19 pandemic for people with disability.

The experiences of culturally and linguistically diverse people with disability

  • Issues papers
This issues paper asked the public to share their views about the particular challenges faced by people with disability from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The paper asked 13 questions, although  respondents were not limited to responding only to those questions.

Promoting inclusion

  • Issues papers
This issues paper asked the public to share their views about what an inclusive society looks like, the barriers to inclusion, how we can become a more inclusive society, and how inclusion might prevent violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation.

Violence and abuse of people with disability at home

  • Issues papers
This issues paper asked the public to share their views about how people with disability experience violence and abuse where they live.

Safeguards and quality

  • Issues papers
This issues paper asked the public to share their views about how people with disability experience safeguards, what promotes quality in services, and how these may prevent and reduce their exposure to violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation.

The experience of First Nations people with disability in Australia

  • Issues papers
This issues paper asked the public to share their views about what they think governments, institutions and communities can do to prevent violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of First Nations peoples with disability.

Restrictive practices

  • Issues papers
This issues paper looks at the use and impact of restrictive practices on people with disability. We want to know about the effects of restrictive practice on people with disability.

Employment

  • Issues papers
This issues paper looks at the experiences of people with disability in employment. We want to understand why people with disability are less likely to be employed and have lower incomes than people without disability.

Rights and attitudes

  • Issues papers
This issues paper looks at the awareness and recognition of the rights of people with disability. We want to learn more about the level of awareness that people with disability, and the wider community, have about the rights of people with disability.

Emergency planning and response

  • Issues papers
People with disability can be severely affected by emergencies and may be at a higher risk of experiencing violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation at these times. The purpose of this issues paper is to invite information from the public on emergency planning and response.

Criminal justice system

  • Issues papers
This issues paper states that people with disability, including young people and First Nations people, are over-represented across the criminal justice systems in Australia and are at heightened risk of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. The paper includes nine questions to help people and organisations to provide responses.

Health care for people with cognitive disability

  • Issues papers
This issues paper outlines our preliminary understanding of the key issues experienced by people with cognitive disability when accessing health care. The paper includes 10 questions to help people and organisations to provide responses.

Group homes

  • Issues papers
This issues paper explains our understanding of the key issues experienced by people with disability who live in group homes. The paper includes 10 questions to help people and organisations to provide responses.

Education and learning

  • Issues papers
This issues paper explains our understanding of the key issues and barriers experienced by students with disability. The paper includes 13 questions to help people and organisations to provide responses.