Disability Royal Commission
In response to widespread reports of harm to people living with disability, in April 2019 the Federal Government established a National Royal Commission to listen to stories of people living with disability, their families, carers and support services.
The purpose of the Royal Commission is to listen to the stories of people living with disability and those who care for them. The Commission will then write a report and make recommendations to the Government on how to prevent harm to people living with disability, improve reporting and complaint processes when harm occurs and to create a more inclusive society that supports people with disability to be independent and live free from violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. The Disability Royal Commission will run until September 2023.
The Royal Commission has a particular focus on listening to the stories of First Nations people living with disability because of the additional barriers and challenges they face. One of the Commissioners is Andrea Mason OAM, a Ngaanyatjarra and Karonie Australian woman from Western Australia.
More information is available here: https://disability.royalcommission.gov.au/
Free Legal Advice and Support Available
Free legal advice and support is available for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People living with disability, their families and carers who would like to share their stories with the Disability Royal Commission. The service is called ‘Your Story Disability Legal Support’.
For more information, you can find their website here: https://yourstorydisabilitylegal.org.au/Home
To contact Your Story call 1800 77 1800 and ask to speak with the Indigenous Helpline Officer. They can give you information and advice about any issues arising from engaging with the Disability Royal Commission, make referrals and link you in with any other supports such as counselling and disability advocacy.
We also have a lawyer in the VALS Civil Team who is part of Your Story Disability Legal Support, Anna Potter. Anna has experience working with Aboriginal families in Central Australia and is available to provide detailed advice and support to help you share your story with the Royal Commission and to make sure that you will be safe, protected and supported in sharing your story.
There is also free counselling available for anyone who engages with the Disability Royal Commission to have a yarn with, through the Blue Knot Foundation who can be called on 1800 421 468.
Are you or someone you know living with a Disability? Have they been mistreated? If you would like information, advice and assistance to share your story with the Disability Royal Commission, please complete the confidential online form below and we will follow up with you. Please write down your preferred contact method.
You can also call Your Story Disability Legal Support on
1800 77 1800.