Responsibility: Australian Government
Response: Accept
Status: In progress
What has been achieved to date
The Government is committed to supporting the fullest participation of all people with disability in society and through the 2023-24 Budget, committed $52.7 million to improve the supported employment sector. This includes providing a wide range of employment opportunities, improving pathways to open employment and providing support to people with disability with high support needs who want to work.
This investment includes establishing a new Disability Employment Advocacy and Information program. This program will be delivered by Inclusion Australia, and will provide advocacy support and information to job seekers with high support needs along with their families and carers. This program will include a focus on education and information about wages and rights at work, and will build the capacity of people with disability and their families to engage with employers about wages and the use of the Supported Wage System.
Inclusion Australia and Disability Advocacy Network Australia Limited (DANA) under a consortium arrangement, have been funded $9.8 million for the program which commenced mid-May 2024 and ceases 30 June 2027.
What the Disability Royal Commission said in the final report
The Australian Government should fund Disability Representative Organisations to deliver an information campaign for employees with disability in Australian Disability Enterprises. This campaign should provide information about:
- open employment, including wage conditions
- how receipt of the Disability Support Pension (DSP) interacts with a person’s wages, including –
- assistance with financial literacy materials
- supports for individuals to calculate how changes to their DSP or wages impact their overall income and financial situation
- options for a person to suspend their DSP if they are earning above the threshold
- who to contact to ask questions or obtain further information.
This information should be available in a range of accessible formats.
Australian Government Response July 2024
To deliver information supports for people with disability, the Australian Government is implementing a new Disability Employment Advocacy and Information Program. The $9.8 million program will run till 30 June 2027, and be delivered by Inclusion Australia, in partnership with Disability Advocacy Network Australia. Under this program, people with high support needs and their families and carers will be provided with advocacy supports and information to build their confidence and understanding about their rights and options at work. The program will deliver:
- Case-based advocacy support, where people with high support needs and their families would have the opportunity to access short term, on-on-one assistance to solve a particular issue.
- Group-based workshops, events, or information sessions for people with high support needs, both online and in person.
- Group-based workshops, events or information sessions for families and carers of people with high support needs, both online and in person.
More recommendations
View progress on other recommendations made by the Royal Commission.