Disability

GWA DISABILITY

Disabled people have the right to live in a healthy environment free from neglect, abuse, violence, intimidation and exploitation. They should have equitable access to opportunities available to other members of society, without discrimination, with access to co-designed services that will support their choices, assist them to be as independent as possible, and enable them to participate meaningfully in all aspects of life.

AIMS

The Greens (WA) want:

  • improved wellbeing and quality of life for disabled people, through protection from deprivation, and the provision of accessible healthcare, housing, community assistance and independent living
  • an increase in the social, civic and economic participation of disabled people by removing barriers to education, employment, leadership and community life
  • promotion and protection of the rights of disabled people through timely, independent advocacy and systemic reform
  • collaboratively co-designed disability-inclusion strategies, strengthening disability leadership, supported decision-making and self-advocacy
  • all disability services made accessible, inclusive and responsive to the needs of disabled people
  • creation of universally accessible physical, digital and community environments that enable disabled people to participate fully in everyday life
  • a strong community sector with secure, sustainable funding, workforce capability and collaboration between not-for-profit organisations
  • better regulation of disability services, with an emphasis on safeguarding and good governance including quality improvement and continuous monitoring

MEASURES

The Greens (WA) will initiate and support legislation and actions that:

Quality of Life

  • provide a broader understanding and acceptance that people may experience fluctuating levels of disability throughout their lives
  • provide programs and services that are flexible and responsive to people’s individual needs
  • improve coordination, with client consent, between disability, health and community services
  • improve emergency preparedness and resilience for disabled people
  • support independent living and individual choice and control
  • provide improved flexible accommodation options for disabled people, including accommodation that is age-appropriate
  • ensure that disabled people, their carers and families are not disadvantaged by non-optional disability-related costs, including equipment, transport and personal assistance costs
  • address the over representation of people with intellectual or cognitive disability in the criminal justice system and improve the provision of legal services and support to disabled people

Participation and Inclusion

  • implement an inclusive education framework in WA schools, including training in inclusive education and universal design for learning for teachers, minimising suspensions and expulsions through reasonable adjustments, and eliminating restrictive practices in schools
  • ensure that disabled school leavers are supported to transition from school into meaningful employment, further education, vocational training or community-based activities
  • increase public sector employment of disabled people
  • promote inclusive recruitment and retention practices
  • encourage participation in government consultation and decision-making
  • ensure democratic accessibility for disabled people through Easy Read information, Auslan access and voting accessibility

Rights

  • ensure respect for difference and acceptance of persons with disability as part of human diversity and humanity
  • foster attitudes and practices at all community levels that are supportive of disabled people and not discriminatory
  • provide targeted measures and appropriate services for First Nations People, women, and culturally, linguistically, and gender diverse disabled people
  • ensure that disabled people are not discriminated against when applying for positions in the workplace, nor exploited by employment agencies
  • provide accessible means for disabled people and their carers and families to bring complaints, including complaints of discrimination and exploitation, and ensure appropriate advocacy support is available for those that require it
  • ensure that disabled people have independent advocacy and access to free legal advice where disability limits their capacity to forward their case
  • expanded funding for independent advocacy services, reducing waiting lists, improving regional advocacy coverage and increasing culturally appropriate advocacy

Partnership and Co-Design

  • ensure that disability advocacy, service provision and community groups are resourced to improve the inclusiveness of governance structures and service delivery
  • move from consultation to shared decision-making by involving disabled people from the outset of policy development, supporting peer-led organisations, and embedding co-design requirements in government policy
  • build disability leadership capability
  • increase lived experience representation on boards and advisory groups, remunerating lived-experience participants
  • ensure that co-designed disability action plans are promoted across all levels of government, community organisations and the private sector

Services

  • deliver culturally responsive and inclusive services
  • recognise, respect and support the important role of carers and families in the lives of many disabled people
  • stronger whole-of-government coordination, with integrated planning across health, housing, education, transport and justice, shared accountability between agencies, and coordinated case management for people with complex needs
  • provide equitable support and services for people experiencing psycho-social conditions and mental health difficulties
  • improve access to assistive technology and communication supports
  • support workforce development and improved conditions for disability support workers through training, development and fair working conditions

Accessibility

  • ensure adequate physical access throughout the community, including to cultural, sporting and recreational activities
  • require universal design standards to be incorporated into planning, procurement and infrastructure policy rather than relying on voluntary adoption
  • require all new government programs, facilities, digital services and communications to be accessible from inception

Community Sector

  • move from annual or short-term funding cycles to multi-year investment strategies that enable organisational stability and workforce planning
  • recognise independent advocacy as an essential part of the disability system and provide dedicated, ongoing funding for both individual and systemic advocacy
  • shift from measuring outputs such as number of clients served to measuring outcomes such as improved participation, wellbeing, rights protection and inclusion
  • design funding programs in partnership with the disability sector and promote collaboration rather than competition where appropriate
  • ensure government funding reflects the actual cost of delivering quality services, including supervision, governance, training, travel, technology and quality assurance
  • invest in organisational development, leadership, governance, digital transformation, evaluation and innovation as core functions rather than optional activities
  • develop funding models that recognise the higher costs and workforce challenges of delivering services in regional, rural and remote Western Australia

Regulation

  • ensure that disability service providers are accountable to service users, their families, advocates, workers and government
  • develop stronger regulations to address corruption and misuse of funds within charitable and not for profit organisations that operate in the disability industry and ensure that whistle-blower complaints are fully investigated
  • ensure that directors and committee members of organisations in the disability sector are fully aware of legal responsibilities and compliance requirements
  • advocate stronger regulatory oversight and effective implementation of national safeguarding frameworks
  • regulate quality assurance across disability services
  • strengthen complaints management and independent review mechanisms
  • improve transparency and accountability of service providers

Footnote

1. Disabled people - The Greens (WA) support the use of identity-first language instead of person-first language, i.e. ‘disabled people’ instead of ‘people with disability '. While either may be preferred by different stakeholders, identity-first language is strongly linked to disability pride and reclamation of the word 'disabled'.

                                  The Greens (WA) spokesperson for Disability is Tim Clifford MLC