- Disability stakeholder roundtable held in Brisbane
- Queenslanders with disability and other key stakeholders provided input and expertise
- Topics included Queensland's initial investment of $160 million through the 2024-25 State Budget
Queenslanders with disability and other key stakeholders have had their say on potential disability reforms at a roundtable held in Brisbane.
Participants included people with disability, peak bodies, organisations supporting people with disability, and advocacy groups.
The final reports from the Disability Royal Commission and NDIS Review recommended wide-ranging and large-scale changes to improve outcomes for Queenslanders with disability.
On the agenda was the Miles Labor Government's commitment of more than $160 million through its 2024-25 State Budget.
The investment is for a package of disability reforms as an initial response to recommendations from the Disability Royal Commission and NDIS Review.
Immediate investment has been made across a series of initiatives including:
- $5 million in 2024–25 to expand individual and systemic disability advocacy to uphold the rights and needs of people with disability in Queensland
- $10 million in 2024–25 for a temporary uplift to the Queensland Community Support Scheme, which helps Queenslanders not eligible for the NDIS to live independently (operated by the Department of Treaty, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Communities and the Arts)
- $6.5 million in 2024–25 for a pilot of a Hospital Assistive Technology Loan Pool and an expansion of supports provided under the Medical Aids Subsidy Scheme (provided by Queensland Health)
- $24.4 million over five years for a stakeholder engagement strategy led by the disability sector to support implementation of the Queensland Government's responses to the recommendations; to improve disability data and reporting; and strategic leadership, implementation and monitoring of disability reforms across the Queensland community.
A key focus of the roundtable was confirming the Government's commitment to working with people with disability, their families and supporters, and the disability sector.
Queensland is developing a Disability Stakeholder Engagement and Co-design Strategy.
The strategy will ensure that people with disability and sector stakeholders are engaged in the design, testing, transition and implementation of government initiatives and services, including disability reforms arising from implementation of recommendations from the Disability Royal Commission and NDIS Review reports.
As stated by Minister for Disability Services Charis Mullen:
"The recommendations of the Royal Commission and NDIS Review were significant and present an opportunity to consider how to improve outcomes for people with disability in Queensland.
"The voices of people with disability must be at the heart of this important process and we are committed to partnering with them to reform the system.
"This funding provides us with an opportunity to address priority issues for Queensland and improve outcomes for people with disability."
As stated by Queenslanders with Disability Network Chief Executive Officer Michelle Moss:
"Ensuring that people with disability have a strong voice and we are working in partnership is critical in delivering these transformational reforms.
"The DRC and NDIS Review are significant for the disability community to deliver real change and uphold the rights and needs of Queenslanders with disability.
"We welcome this announcement as a starting point in embarking on this important work."
