The disability service system has fundamentally changed over the past few years 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 addition, there is a Royal Commission exploring the violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation perpetrated against people with disability. In due course, the Royal Commission will make recommendations regarding policy, legislative, administrative and structural reforms that are required to uphold the rights of people with disability to live and participate in safe environments, 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 that result from reviews and inquiries address the key challenges and concerns of people with disability and introduce appropriate safeguards and systems of accountability that will uphold their human rights and promote an inclusive community.