PRINCIPLES
1. All people have a right to independence, self-determination and choice in their lives. Disability policy and law is therefore a matter of human rights, as well as individual health and well-being.
2. People who experience physical, intellectual, cognitive and/or psychiatric disability, and their families and carers, have the right to actively participate in all levels of policy, service planning and delivery and evaluation, including their own.
3. The full contribution and insight of people with a disability benefits communities.
4. It is a responsibility of governments to ensure substantive equality and equal opportunity, to promote attitudinal change, and to provide funding to ensure this in all areas including education, health, housing, mobility, employment, transport and sport, cultural and social engagement.
5. Government must ensure that individuals are provided housing that is timely, appropriate to their needs and to their circumstance, and is accessible and secure.
6. There must be adequate, ongoing, fully indexed funding for high quality, lifetime care and support for people with a disability, which is sufficient to meet their needs, regardless of how or where the person acquired a disability or where they live.
7. Care and support for people with a disability should be accessible, self-directed and individually appropriate.
8. Disability support should be provided without prejudice towards how the disability is acquired in life
9. Society should be free of harassment, abuse, vilification, stigmatisation, discrimination, disadvantage or exploitation on the basis of disability.
10. Governments hold primary responsibility to display ongoing leadership in fulfilling the obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
AIMS
1. Full opportunity for people to participate in all aspects of life, including adequate funding and support for education, training, employment, welfare, health systems, public transport, utilities, housing services, technology and information in Victoria, regardless of ability, taking account of specific needs.
2. To ensure individuals, families and carers are not disadvantaged by non-optional disability-related costs, including equipment, transport and personal assistance.
3. Access for people to appropriate facilities and support in order to undertake their chosen community activities regardless of ability.
4. To resource disability advocacy, service provision and community groups to improve inclusiveness of their governance structures, service delivery, and pay and conditions for staff in recognition of their skills and professionalism.
5. Access to free legal advice and advocacy where disability limits the individual's capacity to put their case forward.
6. Community education programs to promote public awareness of human diversity and to prevent discrimination and abuse experienced by people with a disability.
7. A guaranteed and adequate income for people with a disability and their carers to cover living, medical, transport, equipment and accommodation costs and support services.
8. Sufficient funding for safe, high quality, appropriate care for people with very high or complex care needs, including First Nations people with disabilities.
9. Sufficient respite care services and facilities, in-home and emergency support, crisis accommodation and a range of accommodation options.
10. Pathways that support school leavers with a disability to make the transition from school into meaningful employment, educational and vocational programs or other community-based activities.
11. Improved pay, conditions, support and career structures for workers living with disabilities.
12. Workforce improvements driven through the provision of training, development and personal support for disability support workers.
13. Strengthen Victorian laws to prohibit discrimination or vilification on the basis of disability, especially in areas such as coverage and ‘reasonable adjustments’.
14. The Victorian government fully supporting inclusive and non-discriminatory standards, in line with the National Disability Standards and relevant national legislation, in building design, employment, education, access to premises, provision of information, accessible transport, personal support and methods of communication.
15. Promoting continued and improved commitment to Disability Action Plans within all levels of government, and supporting and encouraging the broader development of Disability Action Plans throughout the Victorian community and private sectors.
16. Ensuring disability service providers are accountable to service users, their families, advocates, their workers and the government.
17. Advocating for and providing a full range of evidence-based health services, and research into different areas of disability.
18. Resourcing support programs for parents with disabilities, and supporting genetic counselling and advocacy for parenting and reproductive rights of women with disabilities.
19. Advancing the rights of women with disabilities including through gender-responsive services, opportunities for leadership and empowerment, and improvement of safety outcomes.
20. Ensuring family violence sector standards, codes and guidelines contextualise the needs of people with disabilities.
21. Resourcing community care facilities and services, such as respite care, supported accommodation and community housing, to maximise the capacity of people with disability (or their carers) who require these services to live independently.
22. Ensuring the provision of cultural- and age-appropriate, as well as language-specific, services for Victorians from all backgrounds and, in particular, ensuring First Nations people with disability have access to services that meet their needs.
23. Addressing abuse, neglect and violence towards people with disability and appropriate complaints and redress processes.
Disability Policy as adopted by State Council on 19th March 2022.