Recommendation 9.10 – First Nations Disability Forum

What has been achieved to date

The Australian, state and territory governments are engaging with First Nations people with disability to develop options for a First Nations Disability Forum or other shared decision-making mechanism. A workshop on 13 December 2024 brought together First Nations individuals and organisations, and government officials, from across Australia. The workshop was co-chaired by First Peoples Disability Network, Department of Social Services and the National Indigenous Australians Agency. An engagement paper was released for submissions from 12 December 2024 to 25 February 2025. A workshop was held in September 2025 that brought together First Nations individuals and organisations from across Australia to reflect ‘what we’ve heard’ and to consider next steps for progression.

What the Disability Royal Commission said in the final report

The Australian Government and state and territory governments should support the establishment of a First Nations Disability Forum to lead further development and implementation of the Disability Sector Strengthening Plan (DSSP) by the end of March 2024. The Forum should consist of representatives of:

• First Peoples Disability Network
• First Nations Community Controlled Organisations
• both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak bodies
• First Nations people with disability.

The Forum should be supported by a First Nations disability investment fund, with the purpose of:

• supporting the operation of, and participation in, the Forum
• implementing the DSSP
• developing the First Nations Disability Workforce.

The Forum should have the capacity to direct funding under the DSSP to:

• enable First Nations people with disability to provide advice and guidance from their lived experience to the Forum
• enable community-controlled organisations to develop their capacity to design and deliver disability-specific services and supports
• enable community-controlled organisations to work with other organisations to drive national leadership in disability policy and services reform
• enable community-controlled organisations to deliver on specific priority areas as identified in the DSSP
• enable the participation of community-controlled organisations not engaged in the Coalition of Aboriginal Peaks process
• support First Nations community-based organisations across the health, criminal justice and early childhood sectors to improve workforce disability competency to ensure First Nations people with disability receive appropriate disability support
• take into consideration the recommendations of the Royal Commission.

The Forum should develop and implement a strategy, supported by the First Nations disability investment fund, to build disability-specific expertise into First Nations Community Controlled Organisations.

Joint Government response July 2024

The Australian Government and state and territory governments recognise the value of shared decision-making mechanisms and formal partnerships in line with Priority Reform One under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.

All governments will work in partnership with First Nations people with disability, their families, carers and representatives, the Joint Council on Closing the Gap, peak bodies, and other key stakeholders through 2024 to develop options for the establishment of a First Nations Disability Forum or other appropriate shared decision-making mechanism for the cross-cutting outcome of disability under Closing the Gap.

More recommendations

View progress on other recommendations made by the Royal Commission.