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Australia: Commission to host National Disability Forum

Graphic: Acting Disability Discrimination Commissioner Susan Ryan

The Australian Human Rights Commission will hold a National Disability Forum in September.


With the Age Discrimination Commissioner Susan Ryan adding disability discrimination to her portfolio, she has today announced plans to hold a National Disability Forum to identify how she can contribute to improvements in the lives of Australians with disabilities.

Commissioner Ryan has taken advice from the outgoing Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Graeme Innes, who earlier in July called for a jobs plan to engage people with disabilities in the workforce.

"I want to reinvigorate a national discussion and what better time to do this than now, as the Government considers significant changes to the welfare system, including the disability support pension," said Commissioner Ryan.

In preparing for the forum, the Australian Human Rights Commission will shortly release a survey asking people with disabilities to identify the key issues that they face, especially in relation to access to jobs.

This will be used to inform discussion at the National Disability Forum, to be held in September, and guide the development of the Commission's future work priorities in advancing the rights of people with disabilities.

"The barriers people with disability face, start from the moment a person leaves their house: is there reliable, accessible transport to get to work? It continues as they reach a workplace: Is the workplace design accessible? Are there flexible workplace practices that can accommodate people's distinct needs? And it continues on with prevailing attitudes and stereotypes about what people with disabilities are capable - or more commonly, deemed incapable - of achieving,' she said.

"We know that the cumulative effect of these barriers is that too many talented Australians are not in the workforce when they could be."

Commissioner Ryan is officially Acting Disability Discrimination Commissioner until a permanent appointment is made.

Date: 14 July 2014


Image credits

  1. Acting Disability Discrimination Commissioner Susan Ryan - Australian Human Rights Commission