Review of the Disability Inclusion Act 2018 (SA)

Have your say on the operation and effectiveness of the Disability Inclusion Act

What's being decided?

The Disability Inclusion Act 2018 (SA) (the Act) commenced operation on 1 July 2018 and is an important part of South Australia’s legislative scheme. It is designed to promote full inclusion within the South Australian community of people with disability, and to support and enhance the ability of people with disability to achieve their full potential as equal citizens, and more generally to promote the wellbeing of people with disability through social inclusion.

We are reviewing the operation of the Act and will be reporting on the review to be prepared and submitted before the fourth anniversary of the commencement of the Act.

Mr. Richard Dennis AM PSM has been appointed to conduct this independent review.

We are seeking your feedback on the operation and effectiveness of the Act as the framework for South Australia that highlights and promotes policies and initiatives designed to promote disability inclusion in society.

Background

The Act is intended to promote the recognition of essential human rights in South Australia in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and interacts with national strategies such as Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021 – 2031, state-wide initiatives including Inclusive SA, South Australia's first Disability Access and Inclusion Plan and other schemes such as the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

The Act is underpinned by a range of rights-based principles that reflect the tone of the UNCRPD and the predecessor document to Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021 – 2031 (the National Disability Strategy 2010 – 2020). These principles are based on a recognition that while people with disability have the same fundamental human rights as others, they often experience difficulty exercising their rights because of the inaccessibility of things such as the built environment, cultural approaches, community attitudes or a range of other limitations. Through these principles, the Act gives visibility to the issues faced by people with disability.

The Act is an important piece of legislation and so the important opportunities that the review presents should not be underestimated.

Get involved

Find out more by reading the Discussion Paper, the Consultation summary (Easy English) or by visiting our website.

Have your say by:

• taking our survey below
• sharing a comment on our guestbook
• register your interest to attend a forum by visiting our website registration page
• email a submission to DHSdisabilityinclusionact@sa.gov.au
• post your written submission to:
  Department of Human Services
  GPO Box 292
  Adelaide SA 5001.

Note: The Discussion Paper will be available in Easy Read shortly. You can register to receive a copy of the Easy Read version by emailing: DHSdisabilityinclusionact@sa.gov.au.

What are the next steps?

Your feedback will be considered prior to finalising the report on the review of the Disability Inclusion Act 2018 (SA). The final report will be released later this year and will be available on the Inclusive SA website (inclusive.sa.gov.au).