The disability service system has fundamentally changed with the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). While the NDIS has led to life-transforming change for some Queenslanders with disability, there are still many systemic issues that need to be addressed.
In April 2019, a Royal Commission was established to enquire into all forms of violence against, and abuse, neglect, and exploitation of, people with disability in all settings and contexts. In its final report, released on 29 September 2023, the Commission made 222 recommendations on how to improve laws, policies, structures and practices to ensure a more inclusive and just society that supports the independence of people with disability and their right to live free from violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation.
With these and other processes happening at the same time, we can expect that change will be a continuing feature of the disability services system in the immediate future. It will be important to ensure that the changes implemented on the basis of reviews and inquiries address the key challenges and concerns of people with disability and introduce appropriate safeguards and systems of accountability that will uphold human rights and promote an inclusive community.