Topic: News

UN Special Rapporteur: Self-determination is key to addressing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander disadvantage

The UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Ms. Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, has released her report on the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia, based on her visit earlier this year. In her report, Ms Tauli-Corpuz noted that current Government policies and priorities ‘do not duly respect the rights to self-determination and…

NDIS In Crisis, Say Disability Groups As Complaints Soar

Complaints with National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) planning processes have soared by 700 percent in the last year, according to the Commonwealth Ombudsman. Many of the complaints related to the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) conducting planning meetings by phone – a practice which has now changed. The NDIA have made a statement that they…

United Nations headquarters building in New York USA with the Flags of Nations in front.

DPO Australia Briefs CRPD Committee on Australia’s Progress Toward Implementing the CRPD

On Wednesday 30 August, DPO Australia met briefly meet with the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities via videoconference. We highlighted the key issues identified in our recent List of Issues submission to the Committee, which will assist with informing the review of Australia’s implementation of the CRPD in mid 2018. Download…

Submission: List of Issues to be Adopted During the 18th Session of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Women with Disabilities Australia (WWDA) has prepared a submission for and on behalf of Disabled People’s Organisations Australia (DPO Australia) to the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The submission is a proposed List of Issues to be adopted at the Committee’s 18th session (14th August to 1st September 2018), in respect to Australia’s compliance…

Joint NGO Media Release: Australia’s Human Rights Record Criticised by UN Expert Committee

Australia has been criticised by an expert United Nations Committee following its appearance before the UN Committee for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights last month. Last night the UN Committee released its Concluding Observations, a statement outlining its assessment of Australia’s performance under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). The statement…

Media Release: We Call on this Parliament to Deliver Secure, Sustainable and Sufficient Funding for the National Disability Insurance Scheme

To cement the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) as a universal system for all Australians, sufficient and sustainable funding must be secured now, while there is strong bipartisan commitment. The NDIS must not become a ‘political football’. The NDIS is a long over-due system for providing individualised funding for support services for people with disability…