Submission to the Disability Inclusion Bill

Jesuit Social Services believes that every person living with disability in Victoria should have access to the opportunities in life that enable them to thrive and to live their life to its fullest potential. We shared this vision in our recent contribution to the Victorian Government’s consultation on the Disability Inclusion Bill.

In our submission, we welcomed the new legislative framework for whole-of government action and accountability for progressing disability inclusion in Victoria. We also provided feedback to strengthen the proposed Bill to ensure it meets the needs of people we work with.

We highlighted the importance of:

• A rights-based approach to disability legislation.
• Effective mechanisms that enable genuine engagement with people with disability and their carers/families.
• Ensuring the views and values of those with lived experience of disability at the forefront of driving disability inclusion reform.
• Considering accountability for the private and not for profit sectors.
• Improving the coordination between disability and other systems such as the NDIS, health, housing, education, family violence, justice and child protection.
• Promoting disability inclusion in education, training and employment settings.