Overview

In August, the Special Rapporteur on the rights of person with disabilities released a Questionnaire focused on “the right of persons with disabilities to participation in decision-making” – that is, decision making at a legislative, policy or organisational level, through consultation, engagement and involvement, either directly or through representative organisations.

Disability organisations are recognised in the National Disability Strategy as “essential in promoting the rights of people with disability”.  Despite the UN Committee recommending (in their Concluding Observations in 2013) that Australia “take initiatives to increase the resources available for independent organisations of persons with disabilities” the scarce amount of funding allocated for representative organisations has been substantially reduced by the Federal Australian government. Independent advocacy, including self-advocacy training, is crucial to ensuring all people with disabilities can actively contribute to and participate in decision making processes, yet continues to be grossly underfunded. There has also been a failure to incorporate the perspectives of people with disabilities through their appointment within government and in other leadership positions.

In this Reply to the Special Rapporteur Advocacy for Inclusion underlined the need for governments to commit to leadership and decision making by people with disabilities, including through the commitment of resources. Until this commitment is made disabled people’s representative and advocacy organisations will continue to be called upon to retrofit and adjust policies and program development with their scarce resources. While some improvements have been made, they exist due to ad hoc processes. There is no current systemic commitment to ensure consistent and meaningful engagement and representation in line with the expectations of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.