Australian Disability Strategy Review

DCA provided a submission to the review of Australia’s Disability Strategy (ADS) highlighting the importance of the workplace as a key site for inclusion. One of the key issues we identified was the importance of disability status data, collected respectfully from employees, which can be a very powerful inclusion tool for organisations to make evidence-based decisions relating to their policies and programs, and to monitor progress.

DCA strongly supported the priority of addressing employment barriers and related challenges faced by people with disability across Australia.

DCA's recommendations

DCA strongly supports the priority for the ADS in addressing the employment barriers and related challenges faced by people with disability across Australia.

Update

All governments have reaffirmed their commitment to building a more inclusive Australia, where all people with disability can participate on an equal basis, through the release of the updated Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-2031. DCA welcomes Australia’s renewed commitment to improving the lives of people with disability through better collaboration and coordination among state/territory and federal governments, more engagement with people with disability, and greater awareness of the Strategy. We strongly supported the priority of addressing employment barriers and related challenges faced by people with disability.

The Strategy’s Outcome Areas include Employment and Financial Security: “People with disability have economic security, enabling them to plan for the future and exercise choice and control over their lives” (Summary of Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-31). Increasing employment of people with disability is a key priority. DCA’s submission stressed the importance of access to accurate and meaningful disability status data, including intersectional data, to achieve this outcome in a meaningful way. We also welcomed the Strategy’s intent to listen to the voices of people with disability as the experts.

DCA is pleased to see a commitment to improving the Strategy’s data and reporting to facilitate greater accountability. We also commend the Strategy’s recognition of the importance of the intersectionality of people’s experiences when measuring the Strategy’s impact. Our research, particularly Disability Data at Work, found that disability data collection is not often prioritised by all employers and that many employees with disability feel unsafe sharing their status. DCA, in partnership with Australian Disability Network, produced research-based guidelines to help organisations create workplace environments where people with disability felt safe sharing their disability data.