The future of special schools, segregated workplaces and group homes remains unclear but the Federal government has promised to invest millions of dollars to improve the lives of people with disability as part of its initial response to damning Royal Commission findings.
Ten months after the government was handed the landmark report and its 222 recommendations, and four months after the recommended deadline, the Albanese Government on Wednesday unveiled its initial response.
It confirmed 130 recommendations had been outright accepted, or accepted in principle, while the remainder are to be further considered or noted. None have been outright rejected.
Of the recommendations handed to the Government last year, 84 fall solely to the Commonwealth, a further 85 are a joint responsibility between the States, Territories and the Commonwealth, 50 are entirely for the states and territories, and three are the responsibility of the Commonwealth and non-government organisations.
But the six commissioners were split over whether or not schools should remain segregated, and the timeframe around phasing out group homes, ultimately handing the government alternative options.
The commissioners were divided over whether a concerted effort should be made to phase out group homes within 15 years, or in stages “over a generational time frame”.
There was a further split over the future of differentiated schooling, with three commissioners recommending special schools abolished within 28 years, while the other three recommended greater integration and partnerships between “mainstream” and “non-mainstream” schools.
The Government’s response on Wednesday noted the differing recommendations regarding schools, and said that State and Territory governments “will continue to be responsible for making decisions about registration of schools in their jurisdictions, with the intent to strengthen inclusive education over time”.
On the future of group homes, the Federal, State and Territory governments said they supported the development of a “diverse range” of inclusive housing options of people with disability “that support them to exercise choice and control over their living arrangements”.
“All governments will consider this recommendation further, alongside recommendations of the NDIS review,” the official response said.
The commission also recommended a roadmap to phase out segregated employment by 2034, to which the Federal government said it would seek further consultation.
Further consideration will also be given to the establishment of a new Australian Disability Rights Act but the Government noted it had progressed “a range of reforms and measures” to better protect and advance the rights of people with disability.
As part of its initial response, the Government has committed to a multi-million dollar investment package across improving rights and anti-discrimination efforts, safety, inclusion and access, and employment.
NDIS Minister Bill Shorten said this would be a driving force towards a safer, accessible, and inclusive Australia.
“Violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of people with disability is completely unacceptable, and our response to the Disability Royal Commission’s findings shows our commitment to making real changes to better safeguard people with disability,” he said.
Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth paid tribute to the thousands of people who contributed to the Royal Commission over its 4.5 years.
“We are deeply grateful to the thousands of people who shared their trauma and experiences and took part in the Royal Commission, as well as in our consultations on what form the response should take,” she said.