2017-03-03
The Government has officially announced it will not hold a Royal Commission into abuse, violence and neglect of people with disability in institutional settings, despite it being recommended in a senate committee report tabled nearly a year and half ago.
“A range of recommendations compiled with extensive consultation to address systemic abuse, violence and neglect of people with disability across the country has been effectively dismissed by the Government, or as they like to put it, ‘noted’.
“This was outlined in an official response to the inquiry that has taken nearly a year and a half for the Government to write.
“There was overwhelming support for a royal commission and other recommendations so I know a lot of people are going to be very disappointed.
"Other recommendations including a national system for reporting, investigation and eliminating violence, a national disability worker registration process and a consistent approach on training were 'noted' with Government claiming the Quality and Safeguarding Framework will do the job - it won't".
“I welcome the Government agreeing to publish data relating to the National Disability Abuse Hotline on its website every six months, but frankly the Government is not going near enough.
“My thoughts are with the witnesses and families who were hoping for a better response from the Government”.