ࡱ> ;=:;@ Objbjkk * O| | | |  $RV V V   V :   V  J 6Qi P<| .1 0M 8ii 4 ^ L x | | HUMAN RIGHTS AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION DISABILITY SUMMIT MEETING 4-5 DECEMBER 2001 IAN SPICER CHAIR, NATIONAL DISABILITY ADVISORY COUNCIL At the beginning of the United Nations International Decade of Disabled Persons 1983 - 1992 there were some groups representing the interests of people with disabilities but many people with disabilities were invisible to society. At that time, people with disabilities were still being placed in institutions. Disability was associated with health issues. People with disabilities couldnt live autonomously because Australian society did not accept disability as a state of life and the world was not set up to meet needs. Changes/achievements over the past 10 years 鱨վ born with disabilities are more likely to reach old age than in the past. With our ageing population more people are acquiring disabilities as they age. This means that there are more people with disabilities in the community. People with disabilities have a face in society and are recognised as contributing members of the community. People with disabilities are less likely to be institutionalised and are encouraged to live autonomously. We support our Paralympians strongly and feel proud when people like Louise Sauvage win gold for Australia. Buildings are easier to access. People with disabilities with access problems can resolve them, frequently without having to go through the trauma of making a complaint under the DDA, but the DDA is there to support them. Some people with disabilities are employed in a variety of types of employment and living more independent and happy lives. However: People are still subjected to discrimination and are not accepted by all of society. This is especially so for indigenous people with disabilities. But there are also concerns around culture and ethnicity relating to: acceptance of people with disabilities within all communities; language barriers, we still do not have a universal sign language so that people who are deaf can communicate. Some children with disabilities are still refused entry to a mainstream school. Parents who want their child to go to a mainstream school and cannot resolve the issue through negotiation must make a complaint under the DDA. Education standards would make expectations explicit for schools and parents. We still occasionally hear about a person with a disability who has been locked away by their family and not allowed to take their place in society. In recent years government has started to recognise that policies need to recognise the whole person in order to assist them to achieve their potential. Family structures challenge the ability of families to care for their members with disabilities, especially where they need assistance in their everyday lives. People with disabilities receive more representation than they did, but the disability community in general has such diverse needs that it has problems finding common ground on which it can work towards a more inclusive society. National Disability Advisory Council (NDAC) NDAC was established on 3 December 1996 as a part of the Commonwealth Governments commitment to create better links between government, people with disabilities and their families; Representation on NDAC includes people with disabilities, families, carers and service providers. Members have diverse interests and abilities and represent NDAC widely on government bodies and within community forums. NDAC's recent achievements include: providing advice to the minister on issues to be included in the 3rd Commonwealth/State Disability Agreement; an ongoing monitoring role in the development and implementation of the Commonwealth Disability Strategy; provided extensive input in the development of DDA Standards (through participating in various DDA Standards working groups); holding regular public consultations around Australia, and consultations with national peak disability consumer and service provider organisations; and providing detailed input in the Australians Working Together and other Welfare Reform initiatives. Conclusion The top issues that will make Australia inclusive are: DDA Standards Health Ageing Housing Carers Families Choice Whole of government approach Australia and the rest of the world has travelled a long way since 1983 in recognising the rights of people with disabilities and their abilities. We are working towards achieving an inclusive society. One of the greatest barriers to this though is the disability community itself. It is diverse, and this diversity often guides judgement and decisions. The disability community needs to work together to find common ground and build on it. We need to agree between ourselves so that we can work towards our common goals. The development of DDA standards is one issue that would benefit greatly from a common voice from the community. How can we expect the rest of the community to meet our needs when we cant agree on what they are? How the DDA and HREOC can drive reform We currently have legislation that enables DDA standards to be established, there is a long way to go to get all the standards established and working. In the meantime we work within a complaints driven system which is stressful and complicated for many people. We need a system that is less confrontational for users. HREOC also has a role in conducting public inquiries under the DDA. These inquiries enable all people with an interest in the issue to make representations without having to go through the complaints process. We would also benefit from a more planned and cooperative approach between HREOC and the state and territory disability bodies.   O hl).5hl). Z{ " s * Z[deA & F h^ & F & F & F$a$O#S  P_gnwA & F & F & F  & F`AxhSO & F . 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