Changing systems

Submissions

Older submissions

Review of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 (Qld)

Advocating for the right for all people with disability to live a life free from violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation and discrimination is core to QAI’s work. QAI welcomed the opportunity to provide a submission to the Queensland Human Rights Commission (QHRC) as...

QAI and ATSILS call for inquiry into school disciplinary absences

Queensland Advocacy Incorporated (QAI) and The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service (Qld) Limited (ATSILS) are publicly calling upon the Queensland Human Rights Commissioner to conduct an inquiry into the use of school disciplinary absences in...

Queensland’s restrictive practices laws

QAI considers the use of restrictive practices to infringe the fundamental human rights of people with disability. Restrictive practices are used as a form of behaviour control, applied to individuals considered to be exhibiting ‘behaviours of concern’. There are...

Religious Discrimination Bill 2021

QAI made a submission on the proposed Religious Discrimination Bill 2021 to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights and the Senate Standing Committees on Legal and Constitutional Affairs. QAI is deeply concerned about the Religious Discrimination Bill 2021...

Institutional Economic Neglect

In July 2021, QAI provided a submission on the Purpose, Intent and Adequacy of the Disability Support Pension to the Senate Community Affairs Reference Committee inquiry. In December 2021, QAI provided this submission to the Disability Royal Commission as evidence of...

Public Trustee – Advisory and Monitoring Board

QAI made a submission to the Community Support and Services Committee regarding the Public Trustee (Advisory and Monitoring Board) Amendment Bill 2021. QAI supports the establishment of the Board and its intended functions to monitor and review the performance of the...

Inspector of Detention Services Bill 2021

QAI made a submission to the Legal Affairs and Safety Committee on the Inspector of Detention Services Bill 2021. People with disability are over-represented in all sites of detention and are at greater risk of experiencing torture and ill-treatment in these settings....

Criminal Justice System – DRC issues paper

QAI made a submission to the Disability Royal Commission in response to the 'Criminal Justice System' issues paper. QAI welcomes the Royal Commission's focus on the experiences of people with disability in the criminal justice system. Despite increasing commitment by...

NDIS legislative changes and the Participant Service Guarantee

QAI made a submission to the Department of Social Services regarding the proposed changes to the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 and the introduction of the Participant Service Guarantee. QAI supports the underlying intention behind many of the proposed...

Supporting you to make your own decisions

QAI and Leadership Plus have collaborated to provide a response to the NDIA's Support for Decision-Making policy. The increased focus on the decision-making rights of people with disability engaging with the NDIS is extremely welcome. However, whilst the proposed...

Public Trustee – Fees and Charges review

In August 2021, The Public Trustee of Queensland commenced a review of its Fees and Charges. QAI assists many people with disability whose financial affairs are managed by the Public Trustee. Whilst the Public Trustee states that its vision is to protect the dignity...

Vilification and people with disability

Some people with disability experience vilification and harassment on the basis of their disability. This includes physical and verbal abuse and can be perpetrated by strangers, groups or people known to them. Whilst disability is a leading cause of discrimination, it...

Coercive Control

QAI made a submission to the Women's Safety and Justice Taskforce regarding the proposals to legislate against coercive control and create a standalone domestic violence offence. QAI is deeply concerned about the disproportionate rates of violence and abuse affecting...

NDIS Amendment (Improving Supports for At Risk Participants) Bill 2021

QAI made a submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs regarding the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Improving Supports for At Risk Participants) Bill 2021. QAI has been concerned for some time about the ability of the NDIS Quality...

National Register of Enduring Powers of Attorney

QAI made a submission to the Attorney-General's Department regarding the proposed National Register of Enduring Powers of Attorney. QAI agrees that a National Register of Enduring Power of Attorneys ('EPOAs) would assist in reducing financial abuse, in particular, the...

Disability Support Pension

QAI made a submission to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee on their inquiry into the Disability Support Pension (DSP) and its purpose, intent and adequacy. QAI considers that the DSP in its current form has lost its purpose, is unreasonable in its...

Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2021

QAI is vigilant about the risks for people with disability inherent in schemes that legalise voluntary assisted dying. Voluntary assisted dying must never be a substitute for access to appropriate medical care, disability support services or palliative care, or indeed...

Promoting Inclusion

What does an inclusive society mean to you?  As an organisation dedicated to promoting the rights and interests of the most vulnerable Queenslanders with disability, QAI considers an inclusive society to be an essential prerequisite for people with disability to enjoy...

National Disability Employment Strategy

Further to our previous work on the new National Disability Strategy, QAI recently provided a submission to the Department of Social Services regarding the proposed National Disability Employment Strategy. With the underrepresentation of people with disability in...

Increasing Guardianship Applications in the NDIS

QAI is concerned by the increase in guardianship and administration applications that has correlated with the rollout of the NDIS in Queensland. These applications are often submitted by NDIS service providers in relation to the people they support. Applications are...

Independent Assessments

QAI is seriously concerned about the proposed introduction of mandatory Independent Assessments into the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Under proposed changes, people with disability will be forced to undergo a generic, one-off assessment with a...

NDIS Access and Planning Policies

QAI is seriously concerned about the proposed introduction of mandatory Independent Assessments into the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Under proposed changes, people with disability will be forced to undergo a generic, one-off assessment with a...

NDIS Market in Queensland – Draft Report

QAI participated in the Queensland Productivity Commission’s inquiry into the operation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in Queensland. QAI raised concern about the human rights implications of suggested reforms to the rules regulating Restrictive...

NDS and NDIS Outcomes Frameworks

QAI considers that if the new National Disability Strategy (NDS) and the NDIS are to genuinely improve the lives of people with disability, there must be tangible changes that facilitate the self-determination of people with disability, and which ensures the...

Restrictive Practices

QAI considers the use of Restrictive Practices as an infringement of the fundamental human rights of people with disability. Despite being cited as necessary to ensure safety, the use of Restrictive Practices often stems from prejudicial and discriminatory attitudes...

National Disability Strategy

QAI contributed towards the development of the new National Disability Strategy by providing a written submission in response to the Department of Social Service’s consultation paper. You can read the full submission at the links below: PDF version of submission Word...

Disability Standards for Education

QAI provided a submission to the Department of Education, Skills and Employment’s 2020 Review of the Disability Standards for Education. Drawing upon our extensive experience of working with families who have children with disability in the education setting, we...

Inquiry into the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission

QAI made a submission to the Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme’s inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme’s Quality and Safeguards Commission. You can read the full submission at the links below: PDF version of...

Support Coordination

QAI made a submission to the National Disability Insurance Agency in response to the discussion paper on Support Coordination. You can read the full submission at the links below: PDF version of submission Word version of submission