Australia must discontinue segregation of people living with disability
As the curtain closes on the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability, we keenly await its final report with the expectation it strongly recommends that Australia actively discontinues segregated settings.
We know how problematic segregation is for advancing the life chances of people living with disability. When individuals are segregated from mainstream society, they face limited access to education, employment opportunities, social interactions, and community participation. This isolation hinders their opportunity to develop essential skills, build relationships, and contribute to society.
Authentic inclusive environments, on the other hand, recognise the gift of diversity, promote belonging, and support equal opportunities. Through the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and through its own national strategy, Australia has signalled its commitment to an inclusive society. This cannot happen if Australian jurisdictions continue to invest in segregated arrangements for people living with disability.
Similar to the statement released by People with Disability Australia (PWDA), we urge Australia to draw a line in the sand regarding segregated settings for people living with disability, so that there are no new entrants to these service models, be it in education, employment, housing, and so on. We recognise the importance of honouring the choice of people already in such services who wish to remain there. However, a definitive date must be set for discontinuing the further placement of people into these segregated services.
At the final ceremonial hearing today in Sydney, Commissioner Alistair McEwin spoke about his vision of Australia having a fully inclusive education system, calling for an end to dual education systems. Commissioner Barbara Bennett spoke about group homes and their failure to provide quality care stating that group homes “are in fact, still mini institutions, and they fail on many accounts to deliver the quality of life that was expected in these small group dwellings.” This is an issue on which JFA Purple Orange has long advocated. The final report from the Disability Royal Commission must be strong in its direction to government to draw that line in the sand.
“Any legitimising of segregation by the Disability Royal Commission would be a direct contravention of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), to which Australia is party. It is therefore imperative that segregation as a legal, policy and practice framework, is recognised as discrimination and in violation of the UNCRPD,” said Tricia Spargo, Chair, Julia Farr Association.
“There must be a greater investment in inclusive practices in mainstream services including employment, education, housing, healthcare, and community services. This obligation falls within the commitments made in state-based inclusion plans and the Australian Disability Strategy,” continued Ms Spargo.
We acknowledge the transition to a fully inclusive community will require progressive implementation, but we insist on this as the best path forward following the evidence presented over the duration of this Royal Commission. Genuine inclusion ensures that people living with disability have equal opportunities to fully participate in, and contribute to, their communities. This not only enhances quality of life but also taps into each person’s unique skills and perspectives, enriching Australia’s overall social fabric. Additionally, an inclusive society promotes empathy, understanding, and mutual compassion among all its members, leading to a more harmonious and resilient nation. Ultimately, investing in mainstream community life for people living with disability is an investment in a fairer and more vibrant Australia for everyone.
Inclusion, the breaking down of the institutional walls that divide, is incontestably better than segregation. In her closing remarks, Commissioner Rhonda Galbally stated that "attitudes change when people, with every kind and severity of disability, are visible, present and meaningfully participating with non-disabled children and adults on a day-to-day basis in every setting in the community, starting with the earliest years." We as a country may not be doing inclusion very well right now – but it cannot improve for as long as we legitimise segregation.
Contact
Tracey Wallace, Strategy Leader, JFA Purple Orange
Phone: (08) 8373 3833
Email: traceyw@purpleorange.org.au