Disability royal commission plan expected

Advocacy groups and the Greens expect the disability royal commission to be formally announced on Monday, after draft terms of reference were circulated.

Advocacy groups expect the proposed disability royal commission to be announced on Monday with broad terms of reference to investigate widespread abuse in the sector.

Social Services Minister Paul Fletcher has met with disability groups this week to discuss the draft terms of reference, which are expected to be revealed next week.

People With Disabilities Australia co-chief executive Matthew Bowden has seen some draft terms and said the investigation should include people with mental health disabilities.

"The terms of reference we've seen have a very broad look at disability, so people with psychosocial disability would definitely be included in the royal commission," he told ABC radio on Friday.

Mr Fletcher stopped short of saying when the commission will be officially announced.

"Consultations on a royal commission into the disability sector are ongoing and I understand we're yet to hear back formally from all states and territories after the prime minister wrote to them," the minister said in a statement.

"If it goes ahead we'll do it properly with full involvement from people with disabilities, the states and territories and all relevant stakeholders."

Greens senator Jordon Steele-John is "hopeful" the commission's terms of reference will be broad enough to investigate abuse in all parts of the disability sector.

"Ultimately what we need to see from this royal commission ... is a broad terms of reference that allows the commission to investigate violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation everywhere disabled people experience it - not everywhere politicians think that it exists," he told AAP.


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Published 8 March 2019 12:22pm
Source: AAP


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