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Disability Rights4 March 2025Media Release
Commissioners slam NSW and WA govts over ‘shameful’ inaction on accessible homes
Australia’s Disability and Age Discrimination Commissioners have called out the governments of NSW and Western Australia for failing older people and people with disability by not requiring new homes in their jurisdictions to meet the minimum national accessibility standards in the National Construction Code (NCC). -
Disability Rights14 March 2014Opinion piece
Send Rosie Anne home
For most of us gaol is a theoretical concept. It's somewhere you go if you commit a serious crime. And that's fair enough. Neither of us have committed a crime, but in various roles during our lives we have visited places of detention. But for short times, and knowing we can always walk out. They are places where fear, despair and anger- a pretty potent cocktail as most prison staff would… -
Disability Rights30 April 2024Webpage
‘Meet the Experts’ Video Campaign
Watch these videos exploring and celebrating the skills, knowledge and experience Australians with disability bring to their workplaces. -
Disability Rights28 April 2021Publication
Adaptable housing for people with disability in Australia
There are 4.4 million people with disability in Australia, yet the availability of appropriate accessible housing remains a challenge for many Australians with disability. -
Disability Rights29 September 2023Media Release
Commission welcomes ‘historic and transformative’ Disability Royal Commission report
Read our media release welcoming the release of the final report from the Disability Royal Commission, noting the huge significance the report’s contents will have for people with disability and their loved ones for decades to come. -
Disability Rights3 May 2022Publication
RetroFit Kit exhibition (2022)
The RetroFit Kit exhibition demonstrates how common Australian housing types could be systemically modified to achieve seamless and dignified home environments for people with disability, their families, carers and future occupants. -
Disability Rights22 November 2019Speech
Speech to National Labor Disability Summit
Dr Ben Gauntlett National Labor Disability Summit Melbourne November 1, 2019 Good disability policy benefits all Australians. When we think of disability policy, it is not “us” and “them”, it is "we", we the people of Australia need good disability policy because it reflects our values of diversity and inclusion. It reflects our human rights obligations and there are critical economic… -
Disability Rights3 December 2020Opinion piece
Being acknowledged is the first step to being included
When I started my career as a young lawyer, I made a decision to tell people upfront that I used a wheelchair. On the occasions when I didn't, people often didn’t realise that I was the lawyer who they had spoken to on the phone. They would assume I was attending a meeting for work experience, or address their questions to my colleague instead of me. This continued even as my career… -
Disability Rights30 June 2021Project
Reform of the assistance animals provision of the Disability Discrimination Act (2003)
Reform of the assistance animals provision of the Disability Discrimination Act REPORT FOLLOWING CONSULTATIONS ON SECTION 9(1)(f) OF THE DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION ACT 1992 DEALING WITH ASSISTANCE ANIMALS OTHER THAN GUIDE DOGS AND HEARING DOGS. Dr Sev Ozdowski OAM Acting Disability Discrimination Commissioner 18 November 2003 Section 9 of the Disability Discrimination Act ("the DDA") defines … -
Disability Rights8 May 2020Speech
COVID-19: Advancing Rights and Justice During a Pandemic
Columbia Law School Human Rights Institute Virtual Event Series May 7, 2020 Ben Gauntlett, Disability Discrimination Commissioner Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, fellow speakers. Thank you to Professor Emens for that kind introduction. COVID-19 exacerbates disadvantage – but in doing so it highlights the importance of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities … -
Disability Rights20 September 2022Speech
Australia's Disability Strategy, Human Rights and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
The compartmentalisation of disability policy has meant people with disability, or their representatives, are often expected to have the information and evidence to justify policy change and even when they do make their case, they need multiple levels and areas of government to support them. -
Disability Rights29 October 2019Speech
Inclusive education: Why silence and inaction is not the answer
DR BEN GAUNTLETT DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION COMMISSIONER AUSTRALIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION QUEEN VICTORIA WOMEN'S CENTRE, MELBOURNE 28 OCTOBER 2019 Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, I acknowledge my deep respect to the traditional owners of the land on which the Queen Victoria’s Women Centre is situated, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation. I pay respect to their Elders past … -
Disability Rights7 June 2024Webpage
Bringing a disability lens to the COVID-19 health policy response
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Disability Rights5 April 2024Webpage
Simon Darcy
Meet IncludeAbility Ambassador Simon Darcy, a Professor of Management with a spinal cord injury, who uses a wheelchair and assistive technologies in his workplace -
Disability Rights5 December 2024Opinion piece
It’s time disability reform became an election commitment
In an opinion piece published in The Mandarin, Disability Discrimination Commissioner Rosemary Kayess urges political leaders to commit to disability reform ahead of the 2025 Federal election. -
Disability Rights9 December 2024Speech
Commissioner Rosemary Kayess is awarded honorary doctorate
Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Rosemary Kayess was awarded a Doctor of Laws honoris causa by the University of New South Wales (UNSW). The honorary degree was conferred in recognition of Commissioner Kayess’ immense and growing impact both internationally and in Australia. -
Disability Rights13 January 2016Opinion piece
Time to regulate housing accessibility
With the scale, complexity and massive costs of recent reforms in disability services and aged care, we need constant monitoring and patience as the changes are put into place. According to what I hear and see this is all happening pretty well, in general. There is however a big shortcoming, a gap that could undermine the potential success of both the NDIS and the Aged Care programs. Both of… -
Disability Rights29 June 2015Publication
Overlooked Consumers – Australians with Disabilities and Older People
Every day, one in five Australians experiences difficulties or frustrations in performing everyday tasks with everyday things, such as consumer electronics and appliances. As technology develops, an increasing proportion of products are inaccessible to people with a range of different disabilities. These one-in-five Australians are what the author terms the ‘overlooked consumers’. -
Disability Rights14 December 2012Project
The Overlooked Consumers
A Discussion Paper examining the Access, Challenges and Emerging Possibilities for Consumer Electronics and Home Appliances. -
Disability Rights6 May 2024Webpage
Self-employment for people with disability
Learn about the benefits and challenges as well as government programs and supports available to people with disability who are self-employed.