WIMMERA Uniting Care and Member for Lowan Emma Kealy have called on the state government to implement every recommendation from a disability services abuse inquiry.
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The Family and Community Development Committee ran the inquiry, and tabled 49 recommendations in parliament last week.
The recommendations aim to strengthen the disability services system to prevent, report and act on abuse.
They include introducing a zero-tolerance framework for abuse in the disability sector; a mandatory reporting scheme; a Working with Vulnerable People Check for all disability sector employees; and greater powers for the state’s Disability Services Commissioner.
Wimmera Uniting Care chief executive Wendy Sturgess said the recommendations were particularly timely given the National Disability Insurance Scheme rollout was due to start in July.
“It’s important we’re very vigilant around giving a voice to people with disabilities,” she said.
“As the scheme rolls out, there will be a lot more people working independently without the backing of a big organisation to provide governance, and there is fairly significant concern about how that will be managed.
“Historically, people with disabilities have been more at risk of facing abuse in a range of areas, simply because sometimes they don't have a voice. That could be both in a non-verbal way, and because they could be frail or vulnerable.”
Ms Sturgess said strengthening advocacy for people with disabilities was critical.
“That will be particularly important for us because we work in rural and remote settings, and it’s possible that some of these issues fall through the cracks because there is less visibility about what is happening with service provision in rural and remote communities,” she said.
Ms Kealy said the government needed to take immediate action to ensure people with disabilities were protected.
“The report demonstrates a compelling need for change and, with the implementation of the NDIS, there is no better time for Labor to fund these recommendations as part of this transition,” she said.
“I have heard first-hand harrowing reports from people who have witnessed or been a victim of abuse in disability services.
“We must do better to protect people with disability from abuse.
“Full implementation and funding for all recommendations will ensure a safer and better support system for people with disability.”