2018-09-18
Tuesday, 18 September
Australian Greens Disability Rights spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John has called on the disability community, and its peak representative bodies, to lobby Prime Minister Morrison and the government to broaden the proposed Royal Commission to investigate violence, abuse and neglect of disabled people and older people in institutional and residential settings, including their own homes.
Senator Jordon Steele-John said people had been waiting decades for action, and this was an opportunity not to be missed for a comprehensive Royal Commission into the maltreatment of disabled people and older people, in institutional and residential settings.
“The disability community have been pushing for action on this issue for years, as have the aged care sector and other care industries. We have a real opportunity here to investigate all of these concerns in one go,” Steele-John said today.
“I don’t want to see this government cave in and just tack a reference to the disability community, my community, onto the side of a Royal Commission into the aged care sector and similarly I don’t want to see the investigation of the aged care sector diminished.
“What the Australian Greens are calling for in this instance is a comprehensive Royal Commission into the violence, abuse and neglect of all Australians in their homes, at work and in the places they receive services and care. There must be no stone left unturned.
“What we saw last night on Four Corners was disgraceful and the aged care sector must be investigated and made to clean up its act. What we also know, through previous investigations and a Senate inquiry in 2015, is that disabled Australians are facing the same horrors every single day.
“Prime Minister Morrison was Social Services Minister in 2015 and was responsible for this inquiry. For him to brush aside my community this morning by ruling out the possibility of broadening this Royal Commission is utterly shameful.
“The time for justice is now and we won’t wait any longer. There must be a Royal Commission into the violence, abuse and neglect of disabled people and older people in institutional and residential settings, including their own homes, immediately.”
Media contact:
Tim Oliver (Senator Steele-John) – 0448 316 387