Disability Royal Commission

Back on track with public hearings

The Disability Royal Commission is holding a series of public hearings around the country to gather evidence about violence, neglect, abuse and exploitation of people with disability.

Just released is the schedule of hearings for the rest of 2020.

The next hearing, in Sydney starting Tuesday 18 August, will investigate the experiences of people with disability during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The hearing will look at government and non-government responses to the pandemic and the impact on people with disability.

The Disability Royal Commission expect to hear from a range of witnesses including:

• people with disability 
• advocates
• experts
• government representatives.

The Disability Royal Commission will hear about the particular experiences of First Nations people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and women with disability during the pandemic.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, it is anticipated that most witnesses will appear by video. A small number of witnesses may attend in person to give their evidence, subject to relevant government health advice.

The hearing will be livestreamed on the Royal Commission website. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the hearing room will not be open to the public.

Subject to any significant changes in circumstances, the Royal Commission will hold a number of other hearings before the end of the year:

• September, Sydney: Public hearing into the use of psychotropic medication
• October, Brisbane: Public hearing into the barriers experienced by students with disability in accessing and obtaining a safe, quality and inclusive school education and consequent life course impacts
• November, Brisbane: Public hearing into long term, including indefinite, detention and the experiences of people with disability in the criminal justice system
• November, Brisbane:  Public hearing into the experiences of First Nations people with disability and their families in contact with child protection systems.