Where disability discrimination is present but is not able to be the subject of a complaint and the discrimination has an impact on people with disabilities’ access to justice or their capacity to participate in community life, then the DDLS may work to change the laws or policies that cause the discrimination or mistreatment.
Examples of recent issues that the DDLS has some involvement in include:
- parents who have a disability and their experiences with child protection authorities
- people with disabilities’ experience within the criminal justice system
- social inclusion for people with disabilities
- reform of the Disability Standards for Education 2005
Law Reform and Policy Submissions
The DDLS works to change policies and laws that discriminate against people with disabilities. To that end, the DDLS runs projects and campaigns on specific disability discrimination issues and concerns. All documents below are in PDF format.
2019 & 2020 Submissions
Submission on the United Nations Periodic Review
Submission Participation of People with Disability In Jury Service
Support and Life Outcomes for Autistic People
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“…Our submission was that inadequacies within the prison system place prisoners with a disability at a higher risk of suffering serious or even fatal injury, which the Coroner should be more thoroughly investigating…” Also available in word document.
Victorian Charter of Human Rights
“…We prepared a submission … urging [the Committee] to draft a Charter that explicitly provides for the rights of persons with disability…” Also available in word document.
Addiction and the Disability Discrimination Act 1992
“…A Bill … to amend the DDA so that discrimination against people with a drug dependency would be lawful while they did not receive treatment for their addiction…”
Submission on the proposed Victim’s Charter
“…All victims of crime should be treated with courtesy, respect and dignity by all criminal justice and service and agencies…we strongly support the inclusion of ‘disability’ in the draft Charter…”
“The Disability Bill will protect the rights of PWD, ensure access to information, and outline the responsibilities of disability service providers…”
Inquiry into the prevalence of different types of speech, language and communication disorders and speech pathology services in Australia. Link here:
Supporting Vulnerable Witnesses in the giving of evidence
Review of Exceptions and Exemptions in the Equal Opportunity Act 1995 (Vic)
Disability Working Group of the Federation of Community Legal Centres
The DDLS is a member of the Disability Working Group of the Federation of Community Legal Centres. This group supports the Law Reform activities of its members to achieve systemic changes. For more information about our policy/law reform activities, contact the DDLS Manager.