Event summary: State Election Disability Forum

Do you commit to making (or advocating for) a State Government investment in independent individual, systemic, and representative disability advocacy in South Australia with priority given to rolling out independent individual advocacy services immediately?

Minister for Human Services Nat Cook, on behalf of the Labor Party: Minister Cook said the Labor Party supported the “notion” of State Government investment in advocacy services. She pointed to Uniting Communities Law Centre’s advocacy service for NDIS participants, as well as State Government agencies and programs, including the Equal Opportunity Commissioner, Adult Safeguarding Unit, and Community Visitors Scheme, as providing advocacy supports.

Shadow Minister for Human Services Michelle Lensink, on behalf of the Liberal Party: Ms Lensink highlighted the former Marshall Government initiated funding to Uniting Communities Law Centre for the advocacy service after the death of Ann Marie Smith in 2020. However, she stated the Party held concerns about there being too many “scattered programs” and questioned the level of experience and oversight of other “micro organisations” that could receive funding to provide services. Ms Lensink said her stance has been misinterpreted as being opposed to state advocacy funding, but she has only called for a “proper review” and whole of system design alongside the Federal Government.

Rob Simms MLC, on behalf of the SA Greens: Mr Simms said he supports State Government funding for independent advocacy services and that the Greens will “push the next government to make that a priority” especially given the relatively small additional investment needed. Mr Simms also expressed concern about the defunding of Shelter SA during the “worst housing crisis we have seen in decades.” He said the Greens endorsed “nothing about us without us.”

Connie Bonaros MLC, on behalf of SA-Best: Ms Bonaros said she supported State Government investment in independent advocacy services but called for more transparency regarding the next steps for all Disability Royal Commission recommendations. Ms Bonaros said royal commissions happen for a reason and “we can’t afford to just then be left in the dark about what the plan is to roll that out.”

JFA Purple Orange reflections: The positive sentiments toward State Government investment in independent disability advocacy services are welcome. However, the initial funding to Uniting Communities Law Centre was just $400,000 per annum for three years and there has been no public transparency as to funding arrangements since then (aside from Minister Cook’s statement that this funding continues). Additionally, this funding level is inadequate to meet need. The service is specific to NDIS participants or prospective participants, has no presence outside Adelaide, and does not assist people regarding South Australian Government services, such as housing, health, and education. Critically, neither this nor the government agencies and programs Minister Cook also cited, are independent, resulting in real or perceived conflicts of interest when people seek support for issues with this provider or government services.

Do you commit to implementing the National Construction Code 2022 Liveable Housing Design Standard in full, ending all unnecessary blanket exemptions in April 2026, and implementing an Accessible Housing Overlay alongside the Affordable Housing Overlay? 

Minister for Human Services Nat Cook, on behalf of the Labor Party: Minister Cook explained the State Government’s blanket exemptions to the Standard stating they are needed to balance competing needs and not “scare the market.” Minister Cook highlighted sloping blocks in the Adelaide Hills as an example for blanket exemptions. Broadly, Minister Cook said Labor believes the Standard itself “makes sense” and will help support future housing needs, including the desire of many to age in place.

Shadow Minister for Human Services Michelle Lensink, on behalf of the Liberal Party: Ms Lensink said the amount of accessible housing will increase with the level of new builds and expressed pride in the former Marshall Government’s creation of the Affordable Housing Overlay. She questioned the NCC process and whether one national Code is fit-for-purpose in a “nation as broad and diverse as Australia.” She noted builders consider the NCC 2022 too complex and costly.

Rob Simms MLC, on behalf of the SA Greens: Mr Simms supported ending the blanket exemptions and implementing the Standard in full. He said the Standard is not too much to ask of the construction industry. More broadly, Mr Simms is concerned about the tendency to go through the Code process and reach a conclusion but then carve out exemptions and allow the construction industry to “drag their heels.”

Connie Bonaros MLC, on behalf of SA-Best: Ms Bonaros said there needed to be a “balancing act” especially given the housing affordability crisis. She said the 18-month review should be independent of government and guide next steps because “lots of things might feature in that review that none of us anticipated.”

JFA Purple Orange reflections: The NCC 2022 includes sensible specific exemptions where it is not reasonable to apply the Standard, for example requiring a step free entry on a steep block. We fully support this approach. The South Australian concessions are additional to this and can be applied as an unnecessary blanket exemption, except for reinforcing the bathroom walls. This means if one element cannot be achieved, the build is also exempted from other requirements that could easily be adhered to. This reduces a resident or visitor’s independence and, therefore, increases their reliance on formal and informal supports. For example, just because a step free entrance cannot be achieved, this should not mean a person cannot use the bathroom independently. Further, the Livable Housing Design Standard elements of the Code are basic and achievable at very low cost. This should not be confused with other more complex and expensive requirements, such as those for energy efficiency. While we understand the general sentiment not to pre-empt the outcomes of a review, JFA Purple Orange argues the additional South Australian blanket concessions were never justified or needed in the first place and, therefore, should cease at the earliest opportunity – which is the 18-month review due in April 2026.

Do you commit to inclusive education in South Australia, including through co-designing an Inclusive Education Strategy; investing in inclusive education initiatives in schools; upskilling principals, educators, and support staff with specific training and capacity building programs; and not establishing any new “special” schools or units? 

Minister for Human Services Nat Cook, on behalf of the Labor Party: Minister Cook shared a personal anecdote of observing a child within her extended family network thrive within a “special” education unit. Minister Cook supports “well-structured, different-needs education” and believes in some cases these may be better resourced and skilled to tailor learning opportunities to meet the needs of some children with disability. She paid tribute to workers in the “special” education sector and the love and care they show to children. Minister Cook highlighted that there needs to be good governance and accountability in “special” education and children should be connected to other mainstream things in their lives.

Shadow Minister for Human Services Michelle Lensink, on behalf of the Liberal Party: Ms Lensink expressed concerns about the workload for teachers and the need for training so that educators have the skills required to meet diverse needs, noting school staff currently have varying levels of existing expertise. Broadly though, Ms Lensink said she supported the vision and general principle of inclusive education and every child having the best possible educational experience to support them as they move into adulthood.

Rob Simms MLC, on behalf of the SA Greens: Mr Simms said the Greens philosophically opposed the idea of separate schools for students with disability and supported every child having a fair go at school and the opportunity to reach their full potential in life. Mr Simms welcomed some recent additional transparency measures regarding private school complaints and misconduct.

Connie Bonaros MLC, on behalf of SA-Best: Ms Bonaros acknowledged recent legislative changes regarding inclusive education that passed Parliament last year but said there was more work to be done, including to address a significant loophole in that Bill. She reflected that last year’s Bill was the “easy part” and the work still to be done to progress inclusive education would be “more complicated” and “contentious”.

JFA Purple Orange reflections: We fully understand there is a lot of work to be done to make mainstream schools fully inclusive of all children and recognise that “special” schools and units cannot close overnight. However, there is an urgent need to invigorate the transition to fully inclusive education in South Australia whereby all children can attend their local school and receive a high-quality inclusive education alongside their peers. Research and evidence demonstrate this is the best approach to education for all children with and without disability. It is also not a genuine “choice” for children to attend “special” schools and units when there is no alternative option where a child will be properly supported and safe from bullying, exclusionary discipline, gatekeeping, and similar practices. We recognise the valuable work and care of all educators and staff across the early childhood and school sectors in South Australia and fully endorse ongoing investments in their skills and capacity to deliver inclusive education.

Do you commit to delivering a co-designed, funded, and timebound State Implementation Action Plan for the Disability Royal Commission’s recommendations with clear designated responsibilities as a high priority action within the first year of the next term of parliament?

Minister for Human Services Nat Cook, on behalf of the Labor Party: Minister Cook said across commissions and inquiries, it was reasonable for governments to be conservative or cautious in their responses to recommendations such as indicating “support in principle” or for “further consideration”. She stated these responses are generally an indication of agencies and government’s agreeing or supporting the intent or policy direction of the recommendation. Minister Cook indicated almost half the recommendations relevant to the State Government are either completed or in progress and, although there are moving pieces, “it all comes together and you end up with a finished result.” She indicated the process for putting together the national Progress Report with other governments had not been straightforward and said she would take on board the need to be more transparent in providing clear information at a state level.

Shadow Minister for Human Services Michelle Lensink, on behalf of the Liberal Party: Shadow Minister Lensink expressed surprise that there is no Action Plan in South Australia but noted the breadth of recommendations in the Final Report and the challenges in allocating responsibilities across government, following up, and reporting progress. Nevertheless, Ms Lensink stated there should be progress reports to provide a level of accountability.

Rob Simms MLC, on behalf of the SA Greens: Mr Simms strongly endorsed the need for an Implementation Action Plan with clear timeframes and argued one role of the crossbench is to keep asking questions of government to make sure recommendations are delivered.

Connie Bonaros MLC, on behalf of SA-Best: Ms Bonaros expressed frustration that so much time and effort are put into royal commissions, yet the outcomes are often not taken forward. Ms Bonaros questioned the point of having royal commissions “if we are not committed to doing something about it” and called on the State Government to involve the community, stakeholders, and other contributors in the process to implement recommendations.

JFA Purple Orange reflections: We welcome the general positive sentiments toward implementing the recommendations of the Disability Royal Commission. Yet, given it is now almost two and a half years since the release of the Final Report, we emphasise that the disability community is keen to understand progress and next steps on each specific recommendation. We appreciate Minister Cook’s commitment to step up reporting within South Australia. However, we believe this is best done through a co-designed State Implementation Action Plan with funded timebound actions and clear lines of responsibility and accountability.

Do you commit to delivering a co-designed, funded, and timebound Implementation Plan for all recommendations of the Royal Commission into Domestic, Family, and Sexual Violence and an Associated Action Plan to target the higher prevalence of incidents and the deficits in appropriate services and supports for South Australians with disability as a top priority?

Minister for Human Services Nat Cook, on behalf of the Labor Party: Minister Cook highlighted the announcements already made regarding investing in actions arising from the recommendations. She shared there have been 230 expressions of interest for the Lived Experience Advisory Network that will have input into next steps and said this, and other advisory groups already in place, would ensure that lived experience expertise is brought to the table.

Shadow Minister for Human Services Michelle Lensink, on behalf of the Liberal Party: Ms Lensink acknowledged the genuine commitment across the Parliament to action in response to the Royal Commission and stated that intersectional needs are recognised and will be addressed. She emphasised that much more still needs to be done and paid tribute to the remarkable people working in the sector who have been running services “on the smell of an oily rag.”

Rob Simms MLC, on behalf of the SA Greens: Mr Simms acknowledged the short period of time since the Royal Commission reported and indicated support for implementing the recommendations and working with the disability community on specific actions. He argued some actions can be implemented quickly and these should be taken up as soon as Parliament returns in May. He recognised the work of Commissioner Natasha Stott Despoja, describing it as “impressive.”

Connie Bonaros MLC, on behalf of SA-Best: Ms Bonaros supported the implementation of all the recommendations and emphasised the disproportionate impact of domestic, family, and sexual violence on women with disability, young girls with disability, and First Nations women with disability. She also paid tribute to the work of Commissioner Natasha Stott Despoja in formulating the recommendations.

JFA Purple Orange reflections: Again, the positive response to the need for investment and action to address domestic, family, and sexual violence is very welcome, but we believe an Implementation Plan for all recommendations, as well as an associated Action Plan to target the higher prevalence of incidents and the deficits in appropriate services and supports for South Australians with disability, will benefit the response through providing a clear transparent roadmap and structure to support delivery and accountability.

What will you do to create greater regional equity across South Australia?

Minister for Human Services Nat Cook, on behalf of the Labor Party: Minister Cook suggested councils with a low rates base seek assistance from the Department of Human Services to develop their Disability Access and Inclusion Plans (DAIPs) and acknowledged problems with transport and communications. Minister Cook highlighted Labor’s election commitment to make some changes to eligibility for the Patient Assistance Transport Scheme (PATS) that would make it easier to access medical appointments for those in regional areas.

Shadow Minister for Human Services Michelle Lensink, on behalf of the Liberal Party: Ms Lensink said the Liberal Party has lots of regional and rural members and is aware of the tyranny of distance and the “two-tiered system depending on postcode and what services are available.” Ms Lensink suggested councils should highlight gaps through their DAIPs and other advocacy to the State Government about what is needed.

Rob Simms MLC, on behalf of the SA Greens: Mr Simms highlighted that the Greens and other upper house members were successful in tying the increased rate of the point-to-point levy for taxi and Uber users to investment in public and active transport and accessibility within the legislation. Mr Simms also noted that South Australia is the only state without regional rail services and the Greens will continue to advocate for this.

Connie Bonaros MLC, on behalf of SA-Best: Ms Bonaros expressed cynicism about the link between who holds a seat in Parliament and what services their electorates receive, stating “we do have issues with postcodes around the way we do politics.” She called for more attention on the regions and argued a bus service on Kangaroo Island is “not a big ask.”

We have some legislative requirements for accessibility of public spaces, premises, and transport that are supposed to protect accessways, circulation spaces, and the like. What can you do to better monitor compliance and improve accessibility in the community and to government offices, businesses, venues, and other facilities?

Minister for Human Services Nat Cook, on behalf of the Labor Party: Minister Cook endorsed the need for disability community voices to be brought into decisions and suggested council DAIPs “are supposed to be a forum for that to happen”. She cited the cost of retrofitting a lift at Oaklands Train Station due to the steep slope on the access ramp as an example of how good initial design would save money. She also spoke about issues with workplaces and employment, mentioning the State Government’s involvement in resolving problems at Bedford last year and noting an employment roundtable series would start two days after the forum.

Shadow Minister for Human Services Michelle Lensink, on behalf of the Liberal Party: Ms Lensink said DAIPs where key to the way forward and called for Universal Design principles to be embedded everywhere. She highlighted the Pavely app that allows users to rate their experiences to inform others, noting often a business will claim to be accessible when it is not.

Rob Simms MLC, on behalf of the SA Greens: Mr Simms shared that the Parliamentary Inquiry into Public and Active Transport found significant gaps in transport accessibility and this extended to infrastructure including entry and exit points, and bus and tram stops. He said there are some good examples, such as a major upgrade of a tram stop in the south-west corner of Adelaide, but that standards need to be implemented across the whole state. Mr Simms also said he is concerned that so few businesses are accessible and basics like footpaths are in such a terrible state, suggesting a State Government fund be established to support this work.

Connie Bonaros MLC, on behalf of SA-Best: Ms Bonaros emphasised the need to bring lived experience voices into decisions about accessibility because “relying on us to go and design something for you in the absences of that knowledge” results in needs being overlooked and waste occurring. Ms Bonaros also said she has advocated for live captions to be available in Parliament.

JFA Purple Orange reflections on audience questions: We have strong connections to disability communities across regional South Australia and recognise the clear disparity in infrastructure and services. Much of what is available falls short of ensuring access and inclusion for people with disability. We welcome the general acknowledgement of the need to take steps to address this. It is critically important that genuine co-design approaches are implemented to design all policies, services, infrastructure, programs, and similar to ensure they meet the needs of end users. We fully support the DAIP process, however there will need to be much greater leadership and investment in this approach if this is to achieve its potential and deliver better outcomes.

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Event summary: State Election Disability Forum

Event summary: Responses, reflections, and audience questions

More on the 2026 South Australian State Election:

Parties pitch their policies and respond to asks at State Election Disability Forum

2026 South Australian State Election

Our new look is here

Event summary: State Election Disability Forum

Event summary: Responses, reflections, and audience questions

Critical need to invest in independent disability advocacy services

Accessible housing is needed to support ending the housing crisis

Every child will thrive in an inclusive education system

Urgent action is needed to implement the Disability Royal Commission recommendations

Co-design a Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Action Plan with disability community

Audience questions

More on the 2026 South Australian State Election:

Parties pitch their policies and respond to asks at State Election Disability Forum

2026 South Australian State Election