Responsibility: Australian, state and territory governments
Joint Response: Accept in principle
Status: Further work required
What has been achieved to date
All governments have recognised the benefit of a nationally consistent approach to data collection and reporting. The Data Improvement Plan 2024, including a Disability Royal Commission (DRC) Action Plan, was published on 3 December 2024 and outlined tangible next steps to improve data over the next 18 months.
There is an opportunity to consider the data collection on support and representation arrangements further as part of the First Major Independent Evaluation of Australia’s Disability Strategy commencing in 2025-26.
What the Disability Royal Commission said in the final report
The Australian Government and states and territories should develop and implement a national approach to collecting and publishing de-identified data on support and representation arrangements, led by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
The national approach should consistently use definitions of ‘disability’, ‘representation’ and ‘support’ arrangements proposed in this Final report, and should employ methodologies which enable reporting on comparisons across jurisdictions and trends over time. The national approach should include collection and publication of data on:
- numbers of formally appointed representatives and supporters, disaggregated appropriately
- the extent to which people with disability who are the subject of the proceedings participate in the proceedings and the manner in which they participate (for example, in person or via alternative technological means)
- numbers of representative agreements commenced, terminated, revoked, varied or reviewed
- the extent to which people with disability who are the subject of the proceedings are legally represented.
The data should identify, to the greatest extent practicable, types of impairment, age, First Nations people with disability, culturally and linguistically diverse people with disability, LGBTIQA+ people with disability, women with disability and National Disability Insurance Scheme participants.
Joint Government response July 2024
The Australian Government and state and territory governments recognise the benefits of a nationally consistent approach to data collection and reporting on support and representation arrangements to support an evidence-based approach to reform in this area.
In January 2024, Disability Ministers agreed Commonwealth, state and territory officials focus and accelerate work to resolve data gaps in relation to the reporting requirements under Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-2031 Outcomes Framework by the end of 2024. All governments are also working together to develop an action plan, with agreed timeframes, to drive data collection (including gender disaggregated data) and reporting on data-related Disability Royal Commission recommendations. The action plan is expected to be published in 2024.
More recommendations
View progress on other recommendations made by the Royal Commission.