#EndSegregation Joint Media Release

42 disability rights and advocacy organisations are calling for an end to segregation of people with disability in Australian education, housing and workplaces.

With the release of a new paper, 42 disability rights and advocacy organisation are calling upon the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability to fully investigate the negative impacts of segregation on disabled people.

“What we have now is a system where children and young people with disability are not always welcome at their local school with their non-disabled peers, and are unable to access the supports and adjustments for an equitable education” says Mary Sayers, CEO, Children and Young People Australia (CYDA).

“Not only are we putting children and young people with disability at a disadvantage by failing to support them to reach their full potential, for many it’s the start of a pipeline to other segregated environments later in life, including workplaces where employers can legally hire people with disability to do real work, like packaging or gardening, for a fraction of the minimum wage.”

Despite Australia’s move away from institutionalisation over the last few decades, many people with disability remain in congregated living situations like group homes or hostels, where housing and support services are managed by the same organisation.

“Imagine your landlord also employs the person who helps you shower, and decides where you go for recreation and what you eat for lunch,” says Romola Hollywood, Director of Policy and Advocacy at People with Disability Australia (PWDA).

“This can lead to very dangerous situations if someone is experiencing violence, abuse or neglect in their home. It can make it very difficult for a person with disability to complain or change providers without putting their housing at risk. People with disability are still dramatically over-represented in homeless populations.”

Rights and advocacy organisations are urging the Disability Royal Commission to recognise that segregation of people with disabilities is discrimination and a breach of human rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (which Australia has signed).

“The Disability Royal Commission is tasked with making recommendations to prevent the violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of disabled people,” says Carolyn Frohmader, CEO, Women with Disabilities Australia (WWDA).  “They have committed to doing this within a rights-based framework, but we have yet to see any real indication that they consider the segregation of disabled people to be a breach of our rights.

“Segregated systems are often justified by low expectations of people with disability and ableist ideas about what is ‘in our best interests’, but it’s important to remember that there are well-established funding arrangements and vested interests in disability, education, mental health, aged care and other services. We need to be having a serious conversation about whose needs are really being met by the perpetuation of these systems.

“People with disability fought long and hard for a Disability Royal Commission. Now we need them to push for real change.”

Would you like to endorse the position paper?

If you would like to help us end the segregation of people with disability in Australia, you can view the full position paper and make a public endorsement by visiting the DPOA website and filling in the form at the bottom of the page. 

For further comment:

Rights and advocacy organisations currently supporting the position paper:

• Children and Young People with Disability Australia,
• Women with Disabilities Australia,
• National Ethnic Disability Alliance,
• First Peoples Disability Network Australia,
• Inclusion Australia,
• Australian Federation of Disability Organisations,
• Disability Advocacy Network Australia,
• People with Disability Australia,
• Self Advocacy Sydney Inc.,
• Gippsland Disability Advocacy,
• Villamanta Disability Rights Legal Service Inc.,
• Down Syndrome Australia,
• Disability Discrimination Legal Service Inc.,
• Speaking Up For You,
• The Advocacy and Support Centre,
• All Means All,
• Disability Advocacy Service Inc.,
• Independent Advocacy South Australia,
• Spinal Cord Injuries Australia,
• Speak Out Advocacy,
• Regional Disability Advocacy Service,
• Queensland Advocacy Incorporated,
• Imagine More,
• South Australian Council of Social Services,
• Rights Information and Advocacy Centre,
• Physical Disability Council of NSW,
• Rights In Action,
• Disability Advocacy and Complaints Service of South Australia,
• Advocacy Law Alliance,
• Leadership Plus,
• Mackay Advocacy Inc.,
• Disability Justice Australia,
• Australian Coalition for Inclusive Education,
• People with Disabilities WA,
• Family Advocacy,
• Disability Advocacy Victoria Inc.,
• Australian Centre for Disability Law,
• Belonging Matters Inc.,
• ACT Council of Social Services,
• Queensland Collective for Inclusive Education,
• Developmental Disability WA,
• Melbourne East Disability Advocacy