National Interim Update 2024

On 29 September 2023 the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability (Royal Commission) delivered its Final Report.

It included 222 recommendations and set out a vision for an inclusive Australia where people with disability live free from harm; where human rights are protected; and where individuals live with dignity, equality and respect, can take risks, and develop and fulfil their potential.

On 31 July 2024, the Joint Australian, State and Territory Response to the Royal Commission was published.

All governments also released their own responses (except the Northern Territory, which was in caretaker at the time).

There is a strong and ongoing focus on engaging with people with disability, representative organisations and disability advisory groups about how best to proceed with reform associated with recommendations that were accepted or accepted-in-principle by governments.

The National Interim Update 2024 has been developed to provide a snapshot of some of the key areas of implementation progress in response to Royal Commission recommendations.

The update includes selective examples from each jurisdiction and does not represent a comprehensive view of all action taken by individual governments.

Recommendation 4.31: Disability discrimination and migration law

Amendments to the Migration Regulations 1994 (October 2024) changed the health requirement for visa applicant children born in and ordinarily living in Australia with a health condition or disability.

Recommendations 6.29: Improve specialist training and continuing professional development in cognitive disability health care and

6.32: Increase capacity to provide supports and adaptations through improved guidance, funding and accessible information

The Intellectual Disability Health Capability Framework, published in April 2024, sets out core capabilities and learning outcomes for undergraduate health students.

Updated versions of both the Adult and Young Person versions of the Comprehensive Health Assessment Program were published in 2024 to assist GPs to provide health assessments to people with intellectual disability.

The Australian Government is nearing completion of the National Roadmap to Improve the Health and Mental Health of Autistic People (Autism Health Roadmap) through a collaborative co-design process and public consultations.

Recommendations 7.18: Establish specific and disaggregated targets for disability employment in the public sector and

7.21: Introduce consistent adjustment principles and adjustment passports

The Australian Public Service Commission is investigating best practice relating to disability passports and workplace adjustments.

The team is also considering the benefits of setting employment targets and assessing whether targets achieve the outcomes they intend to.

Recommendation 5.2: Review and update Australia’s Disability Strategy

The Review of Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-2031 (ADS) was published in December 2024.

The review has informed an updated ADS and three new

ADS Targeted Action Plans: Inclusive Homes and Communities, Safety Rights and Justice, and Community Attitudes.

Recommendation 6.34: Introduce disability health navigators to support navigation of health care for people with disability

The Australian Government is working with state and territory governments to review current disability health navigation activities and discuss the scope for a nationally consistent disability health navigation framework.

Recommendations 7.3: Improve policies and procedures on the provision of reasonable adjustments to students with disability;

7.6: Student and parental communication and relationships;

7.8: Workforce capabilities, expertise and development;

7.13: National Roadmap to Inclusive Education

The Australian Government Department of Education is developing new training modules on the Disability Standards for Education 2005 to support teachers and school leaders across Australia to build an inclusive culture within schools where students with disability can access and participate in education on the same basis as students without disability.

Recommendation 8.23: Disability-inclusive definition of family and domestic violence

Through the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022–2032, all governments agreed that the findings of the Royal Commission would guide future work to end violence against women and girls with disability.

Work is underway on the development of a framework that applies a disability lens across the

First Action Plan 2023-2027 which was released on 16 August 2023.

Recommendation 9.11: Disability Sector Strengthening Plan

The Department of Social Services and the National Indigenous Australians Agency are working with the First Peoples Disability

Network on the implementation of the Disability Sector Strengthening Plan, and a framework to strengthen all sector plans.

Recommendations 7.29: Embed an ‘open employment first’ approach in the NDIS Participant Employment Strategy and

7.30: Support the transition to inclusive employment

A revised Participant Employment Strategy 2024-2026, released in March 2024, includes 16 priority actions across four focus areas to improve NDIS participant employment outcomes.

Recommendation 9.6: National Disability Insurance Agency Board and

Recommendation 9.7: Participation in cultural life

Under the NDIS Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Act 2024, the Minister must now ensure that at least one Board member other than the Chair is an Indigenous person.

Transitional Rules 2024 now specifically recognise participation in cultural activity as an NDIS support for First Nations participants.

Recommendation 10.2: Independent support coordination

The NDIS provider market campaign is focussed on educating NDIS participants and NDIS providers on conflict of interests,

reminds NDIS providers of their responsibilities, and details steps to manage conflicts of interest in the NDIS provider market.

Recommendations 10.6: Supported decision-making in disability services and

10.7: Practical guidance on supported decision-making

The NDIS Commission is developing a set of e-learning modules to improve capacity of direct support workers to deliver high quality positive behaviour support to NDIS participants.

The modules will be freely available from July 2025.

Recommendation 10.15: Complaint handling and investigative practice guideline

The NDIS Commission has been progressing work on legislative changes to strengthen the

NDIS Commission’s powers and ability to better safeguard NDIS participants.

Recommendation 6.32: Increase capacity to provide supports and adaptions through improved guidance, funding and accessible information

The ACT Disability Health Strategy 2024-2033 and its First Action Plan 2024-2026 were launched in December 2023.

The Strategy will ensure people with disability have healthcare services that are accessible,

with barrier-free and inclusive physical spaces, reasonable adjustments, and affordability.

Recommendations 7.1: Provide equal access to mainstream education and enrolment;

7.5: Careers guidance and transition support services;

7.8: Workforce capabilities, expertise and development;

7.12: Improving funding

In December 2023, the ACT Government released

Inclusive Education: A Disability Inclusion Strategy for ACT Public Schools 2024-2034 and its First Action Plan 2024-2026.

Disability Justice Strategy Second Action Plan (2024-2028)

The ACT Disability Justice Strategy (DJS) Second Action Plan (2024-2028) was released on 28 August 2024.

The DJS and Second Action Plan address a suite of Royal Commission recommendations.

The Second Action Plan sets out a roadmap for 2024-2028 to ensure the rights and need of people with disability are at the forefront of the ACT’s justice system.

Recommendation 5.3: Review and update of disability strategies and plans

NSW’s Disability Inclusion Plan 2025-2029 will progress key national disability reforms including the Royal Commission, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Review and revisions to the ADS and Targeted Action Plans.

Recommendations 6.21: Additional funding for advocacy programs and

6.22: Improved data collection and reporting on met and unmet demand for disability advocacy

In March 2024, the NSW Government announced $28 million in funding to extend the

NSW Disability Advocacy Futures Program (DAFP) for a further two years.

In November 2024, the NSW Department of Education announced a further $3.1 million for DAFP to enhance providers’ capacity to support students with disability who attend, or wish to attend a NSW public school.

Recommendation 7.1: Provide equal access to mainstream education and enrolment

As a result of an equity focused review of its enrolment policy, adjustments are being made to student enrolments in NSW commencing in Term 1 2025.

Schools will also prioritise non-local enrolments for students with learning and wellbeing needs requiring reasonable adjustments and/or additional educational support.

Recommendation 7.11: Stronger oversight and enforcement of school duties

New laws with a focus on improving the safety and wellbeing of students in all schools came into effect on 2 January 2024 in the Northern Territory under the Education Act 2015.

Recommendation 7.10: Complaint management

In July 2024, the Northern Territory Department of Education and Training released a new complaint resolution framework.

Recommendation 7.19: Establish specific disability employment targets for new public service hires in agencies and departments

The Northern Territory Public Sector EmployAbility Strategy 2024-2027, launched on 20 June 2024, aims to foster an inclusive workplace culture and create a safe environment with equitable employment opportunities for people with disability in the Northern Territory Public Sector.

Recommendation 5.3: Review and update of disability strategies and plans

The Queensland Disability Reform Framework – the Next Chapter was released

alongside the Queensland Government response to the Royal Commission final report.

The Framework identifies three focus areas: inclusion, rights and voices; quality services and supports; and commitment and accountability.

The Queensland Disability Stakeholder Engagement and Co-Design Strategy outlines the required governance mechanisms and

structures to put people with disability and stakeholders at the heart of the reforms process through co design and consultation processes.

Recommendation 6.33: Develop specialised health and mental health services for people with cognitive disability

An election commitment of $10.45 million from the new Queensland Government will deliver eight Neuro Wellness Hubs over five years,

providing comprehensive and coordinated care and support, specialised therapies and peer support groups for

Queenslanders with neurological conditions.

Recommendations 5.3: Review and Update of disability strategies and plans and

5.7: Focal points across jurisdictions to implement the CRPD

The Disability Inclusion (Review Recommendations) Amendment Act 2024 makes several amendments to the Disability Inclusion Act 2018,

South Australia’s legislative framework to promote the full inclusion of people with disability.

Recommendations 7.3: Improve policies and procedures on the provision of reasonable adjustments to students with disability and

7.8: Workforce capabilities, expertise and development

The South Australian government has committed $28.8 million to fund access to an Autism Inclusion Teacher in every public primary school, designed to improve support for autistic students and their families.

Recommendation 7.19: Establish specific disability employment targets for new public service hires in agencies and departments

The South Australian public sector’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategy 2023-2026 (launched in December 2023)

includes 8 deliverables focussed on improving disability employment outcomes.

Tasmanian Disability Rights, Inclusion and Safeguarding Bill 2024

The Tasmanian Disability Rights, Inclusion and Safeguarding Bill 2024 addresses many issues raised by the

Royal Commission and will play a critical role in creating a safer and more inclusive Tasmania for people living with disability.

Recommendation 5.3: Review and update of disability strategies and plans

Work has commenced on Tasmania’s Disability Strategy 2025-2027 which is designed as a short-term transitional plan until the realisation of the planning and accountability framework set out in the Disability Rights Bill.

Recommendations 6.5: Objects of guardianship and administration legislation;

6.7: Decision-making ability;

6.9: Representatives as a last resort;

6.10: Decision-making process

6.12: Public disclosure and confidentiality restrictions

On 1 September 2024, amendments to Tasmania’s Guardianship and Administration Act 1995 came into effect.

The new system aims to increase the confidence of those who are placed under guardianship and administration.

Recommendation 6.36: Immediate action to provide that certain restrictive practices must not be used

The Victorian Senior Practitioner has issued a Direction that prohibits disability service providers and registered NDIS providers from using seclusion on persons under 18 years of age in Victoria.

Inclusive Victoria: state disability plan 2022-26

The Victorian Government’s Inclusive Victoria: state disability plan 2022-2026 has six focus areas which consider numerous Royal Commission recommendations.

Recommendation 8.20: Improving police responses to people with disability.

The first tranche of Victoria Police Disability Liaison Officer’s (DLOs) commenced in their roles in April 2024.

Since the publication of the Victorian Government’s response to the Royal Commission on 31 July 2024, the number of DLOs has increased from 68 to approximately 78 across the state.

Review of the School Education Act 1999 (WA)

A review of the School Education Act 1999 commenced in 2024 to identify any barriers to access and inclusion within the Act and make recommendations for change.

The review examined potential areas for reform, including alignment to human rights, enrolment, reasonable adjustments, communication and consultation, exclusionary discipline, complaint management, and data collection).

Western Australia Youth Detention Operating Philosophy

The Department of Justice Western Australia is implementing a trauma-informed model of care to support young people in detention.

Disability awareness training continues to be a focus for Youth Custodial Officers.

The Youth Detention Neurodevelopmental and Mental Health Service has developed a screening program to support the identification and management of mental health risk among young people in detention.

An Aboriginal Advisory Committee has also been established, to ensure screening and assessment processes are culturally appropriate.

Recommendation 8.12: Implementation of the National Principles

The Western Australian Government is also implementing the new Criminal Law (Mental Impairment) Act 2023 (CLMI Act) which commenced from 1 September 2024.

The CLMI Act establishes new legal provisions, hearings and supports for people who are unfit to stand trial or found not guilty by reason of mental impairment in the criminal justice system.