Disability Royal Commission Progress Report 2025

Volume 11 – Independent oversight and complaint mechanisms

Volume 11 examined violence and abuse against people with disability at home, in public places and on-line platforms such as social media and the range of oversight and complaint mechanisms and gaps that exist in Australia for people with disability.

Volume 11 examined violence and abuse against people with disability at home, in public places and on-line platforms such as social media and the range of oversight and complaint mechanisms and gaps that exist in Australia for people with disability.

This volume included 18 recommendations that propose changes across six areas: adult safeguarding functions; independent complaint reporting, referral, and support mechanisms; the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT); disability death review schemes; and reportable conduct schemes.

The table below outlines progress made against recommendations in this volume.

Read more about the status definitions in the Reader's Guide.

Adult safeguarding functions

NumberRecommendationLead JurisdictionResponseStatus
11.1Nationally consistent adult safeguarding functionsAustralian, state and territory governmentsSubject to further considerationSubject to further consideration
11.2An integrated national adult safeguarding frameworkAustralian, state and territory governmentsSubject to further considerationSubject to further consideration

Complaint reporting, referral and support

NumberRecommendationLead JurisdictionResponseStatus
11.3‘One-stop shop’ complaint reporting, referral and supportState and territory governments

Accept: ACT

Accept in principle: NSW, QLD, TAS, VIC, WA, NT

Subject to further consideration: SA

Please see individual state and territory updates
11.4Creating accessible complaint pathwaysAustralian, state and territory governmentsAccept in principleFurther work required
11.5Complaint handling and investigative practice guidelinesAustralian, state and territory governmentsAccept in principleFurther work required

Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT)

NumberRecommendationLead JurisdictionResponseStatus
11.6Enshrining key provisions of OPCAT in legislationAustralian GovernmentAccept in principleFurther work required
11.7Resourcing and wider definition of places of detentionAustralian, state and territory governments

Accept in principle: Commonwealth, ACT, NT, TAS

Subject to further consideration: NSW, QLD, SA, VIC, WA

Further work required
11.8Legislating National Preventive MechanismsState and territory governments

Accept: ACT, TAS

Accept in principle: WA, NT

Subject to further consideration: NSW, QLD, SA, VIC

Please see individual state and territory updates
11.9Designating National Preventive Mechanism bodiesState and territory governments

Subject to further consideration: NSW, QLD, VIC

Note: ACT, SA, TAS, WA, NT

Please see individual state and territory updates
11.10Improved consistency and coordinationAustralian GovernmentAccept in principleIn Progress
11.11Disability inclusive approach to implementing OPCATAustralian, state and territory governments

Accept in principle: Commonwealth, ACT, NT, TAS

Subject to further consideration: NSW, QLD, SA, VIC, WA: 

Further work required

Community Visitor schemes

NumberRecommendationLead JurisdictionResponseStatus
11.12Nationally consistent community visitor schemesAustralian, state and territory governmentsAccept in principleIn progress
11.13Integration of community visitor schemes with the NDISAustralian, state and territory governmentsAccept in principleFurther work required

Disability death reviews

NumberRecommendationLead JurisdictionResponseStatus
11.14Establishing disability death review schemesState and territory governments

Accept in principle: ACT, VIC, NT

Subject to further consideration: NSW, QLD, SA, TAS, WA

Please see individual state and territory updates
11.15Disability death review scheme requirementsState and territory governments

Accept in principle: ACT, VIC, NT

Subject to further consideration: NSW, QLD, SA, TAS, WA

Please see individual state and territory updates
11.16National agreement on disability death reviewsAustralian, state and territory governmentsSubject to further considerationPlease see individual state and territory updates

Reportable conduct schemes

NumberRecommendationLead JurisdictionResponseStatus
11.17Nationally consistent reportable conduct schemesState and territory governments

Accept: NSW

Accept in part: SA

Accept in principle: ACT, QLD, WA, NT

Subject to further consideration: SA and TAS

Please see individual state and territory updates
11.18Dual oversight of reportable conduct and incidentsAustralian, state and territory governmentsAccept in principleIn progress
Date last updated:

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