Issues PaperThe experience of First Nations People with Disability in AustraliaEasy Read version 9 June 2020

How to use this issues paperFirst Nations people are also known as Aboriginal and Torres Strait

Islander people.

The Disability Royal Commission (the Royal Commission) wrote this

issues paper.

When you see the word ‘we’, it means the Royal Commission.

We have written this issues paper in an easy to read way.

We have written some words in bold.

We explain what these words mean.

There is a list of these words on page 20.

This Easy Read issues paper is a summary of another issues paper.

You can find the other issues paper on our website.

You can ask for help to read this issues paper.

A friend, family member or support person may be able to help you.

Page 1

An issue is a subject or problem that people are thinking and

talking about.

We have written this issues paper to find out what you and the

community think about some issues.

There are some questions in this issues paper.

You don’t need to answer all our questions.

Our questions are just a guide.

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What’s in this issues paper?

What is the Royal Commission about? 4

What is this issues paper about? 5

First Nations people with disability in Australia 9

The rights of First Nations people with disability 11

What we want to know more about 14

Learning from the community 15

Other questions to think about 17

How to tell us your answers 18

How will we use your answers? 19

Word list 20

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Page 4

What is the Royal Commission about?This Royal Commission is called the Royal Commission into Violence,

Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability.

We call it the Royal Commission.

We need the Royal Commission because we know that people with

disability experience:

violence – if someone is hurting you physically

abuse – if someone is treating you badly

neglect – if someone is not helping you the way they are

supposed to help you

exploitation – if someone is taking advantage of you.

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What is this issues paper about?This issues paper is about the experiences of First Nations people

with disability.

People with disability can have different experiences if they are First

Nations people.

Some First Nations people with disability face more challenges than

other people.

These challenges include:

going to school, learning and getting a good education

finding and using healthcare they need

having enough money to be happy and healthy.

Discrimination is when you treat someone badly because of something

about them they can’t change.

First Nations people have known discrimination for a very long time.

First Nations people with disability can face discrimination based

on their:

race

disability.

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The child welfare systemIt can be hard for First Nations people with disability who are affected by

the child welfare system.

The child welfare system is run by the government.

The child welfare system steps in when:

someone decides children are not safe in their home

children can’t live with their family

a court has said children can’t live with their parents.

The child welfare system tries to make sure all children:

are happy, healthy and cared for

have safe homes to live in.

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The criminal justice systemIt can be hard for First Nations people with disability when they are

affected by the criminal justice system.

The criminal justice system deals with people who break the law.

The criminal justice system includes:

the police, including detectives

lawyers

Legal Aid services

courts, including judges

groups and services that support victims

detention settings

corrections officers.

Detention settings are places where people

who have broken the law:

are locked in

can’t leave.

They include:

youth justice centres

prisons.

Corrections officers are people who look after people who break the law.

Corrections officers might work in:

detention settings

the community.

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Questions to think about You might be a First Nations person with disability.

If so, what has your experience been like?

How does your experience affect:

you?

your family?

your community?

What experiences have First Nations people with disability had of:

violence?

abuse?

neglect?

exploitation?

Page 9

First Nations people with disability in AustraliaThe Terms of Reference is a list of the things a Royal Commission

must look at.

Our Terms of reference say we must find out more about the lives of

First Nations people with disability.

We already know First Nations people with disability are more at risk of:

being hurt

someone threatening to hurt them

poor health

having a hard time getting health care or medical treatment they

need

being taken away from their family

members of their family being taken away

very poor mental health.

Governments around Australia have their own:

plans

policies

ways of working.

Policies are government plans for how to

do things.

Governments mean:

the Australian Government

State and Territory governments

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local governments.

Different governments have different ways to protect First Nations

people with disability from:

violence

abuse

neglect

exploitation.

Many First Nations people with disability need government payments to

get by in their daily life.

Many First Nations people with disability are less likely to:

study, learn and get an education

find a job and work.

Questions to think about What needs to change so we can protect First Nations people with

disability?

What needs to change so we can find better ways to support First

Nations people with disability?

Have governments done anything to make the issue worse?

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The rights of First Nations people with disabilityThe United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

(UN Convention) is an international agreement.

It applies in many different countries around the world.

The UN Convention sets out the rights of people with disability.

It explains how people with disability should be treated fairly.

Rights are rules about how everybody should be treated fairly.

In Australia, we have agreed to follow what the UN Convention says.

We understand that many First Nations people with disability may face

problems in their everyday lives.

We want to understand what those problems are.

We want to find out what can be done about those problems.

In Australia, we have also agreed to follow what the United Nations

Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UN Declaration) says.

The UN Declaration sets out the rights of First Nations people.

The UN Declaration includes some important ideas about:

keeping First Nations people safe

letting First Nations people be in control of their own lives

respecting and protecting the culture of First Nations.

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There is a group of people who work on the UN Convention.

They are called the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons

with Disabilities (CRPD Committee).

The CRPD Committee said that, in Australia, First Nations people

with disability:

have a hard time getting the supports and services they need

through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

need to be included when the Australian Government makes a

plan for First Nations people with disability.

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What affects the experience of First Nations people with disability?First Nations people with disability can have different experiences based

on their:

race

age

sex – whether their body is male or female

gender identity sexual orientation.

Your gender identity is what you feel and understand about who you are

as a person.

It isn’t about whether your body is male or female.

Your sexual orientation is who you:

love

are attracted to.

We often say LGBTIQ when we talk about people with different:

gender identities

sexual orientations.

The letters stand for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer

and questioning.

Questions to think about Can a First Nation’s person with disability’s experience be affected by

their:

age?

gender identity?

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who they love or are attracted to?

How do these things affect their experiences of violence, abuse, neglect

or exploitation?

What we want to know more aboutThe experiences of First Nations people with disability are an important

part of our work.

We want to learn from:

First Nations people with disability

their families

First Nations communities

First Nations community organisations.

We want to learn about:

what is already being done well

what more could be done

good ways to keep First Nations people with disability safe.

We want to hear what experiences First Nations people with disability

have had when they:

need health care or medical treatment

took part in the criminal justice system

went to schools or other places people go to learn.

We want to hear about different times in the lives of First Nations people

with disability, such as:

when they were a child

while they were growing up

when they became an adult.

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We want to hear about times when the lives of First Nations people with

disability changed in a big way.

For example, when they left school and started looking for a job.

Learning from the communityIt’s important to give First Nations people a say about things that affect

them and their community.

We must:

give First Nations people a chance to have their say

listen to what they tell us.

First Nations people:

know and understand what their community needs

get better results when they work with their own community.

Questions to think about What are First Nations communities already doing to protect the rights of

First Nations people with disability?

What are First Nations communities already doing to protect First

Nations people with disability from violence, abuse, neglect and

exploitation?

How can we support what First Nations communities are doing?

How can we take good ideas and things that work well into other First

Nations communities?

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A disability sector for First Nations people with disabilityThe disability sector includes:

people with disability

service providers

support workers

disability organisations

advocacy organisations.

Advocacy organisations are groups that speak up for people with

disability. They can:

help you have your say

give you information and advice.

There is an organisation called the First Peoples Disability Network

of Australia.

This organisation says we need a disability sector just for First Nations

people with disability.

We want to understand how a disability sector just for First Nations

people with disability would work.

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Questions to think about What are First Nations communities already doing to:

support First Nations people with disability?

protect First Nations people with disability?

What good ways to do things can we learn from First Nation

communities?

What makes it hard to set up and run programs for First Nations people

with disability?

Do you know any organisations just for First Nations people with

disability?

Do you get any supports or services from an organisation for First

Nations people with disability?

What are their supports and services like?

Would you work with an organisation for First Nations people with

disability if there was one near where you live?

What works well for First Nations people with disability in regional and remote areas?

Regional and remote areas are places far away from any cities or towns.

Other questions to think about What else would you like to tell us?

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How to tell us your answersYou can send us your answers to our questions:

by email

DRCEnquiries@royalcommission.gov.au

in the mail

GPO Box 1422

Brisbane

QLD 4001.

Or you can speak to us on the phone:

1800 517 199

(07) 3734 1900

We are available to talk from Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm.

We can make a time with you to take your response over the phone.

You can tell us:

in writing

in a video

as an audio recording.

You can use:

English

another language you speak

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages

Auslan.

We would like to have everyone’s answers by 11 September 2020.

But we will still accept answers after this date if you need more time.

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How will we use your answers?All the answers people give us will help the Royal Commission with our

work.

We might share your answers:

on our website

in reports we write.

If you let us share your answers, you can askus not to include:

your name

any information about you.

You must tell us if you don’t want us to share your answers.

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Word listAdvocacy organisations

Advocacy organisations are groups that speak up for people with

disability. They can:

help you have your say

give you information and advice.

Child welfare system

The child welfare system steps in when:

someone decides children are not safe in their home

children can’t live with their family

a court has said children can’t live with their parents.

Corrections officers

Corrections officers are people who look after people who break the law.

Corrections officers might work in:

detention settings

the community.

Criminal justice system

The criminal justice system includes:

the police

courts

detention settings.

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Detention settings

Detention settings are places where people who have broken the law:

are locked in

can’t leave.

They include:

youth justice centres

prisons.

Disability sector

The disability sector includes:

people with disability

service providers

support workers

disability organisations

advocacy organisations.

Discrimination

Discrimination is when you treat someone badly because of something

about them they can’t change.

Gender identity

Your gender identity is what you feel and understand about who you are

as a person.

It isn’t about whether your body is male or female.

Issue

An issue is a subject or problem that people are thinking and

talking about.

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Policies

Policies are government plans for how to do things.

Regional and remote areas

Regional and remote areas are places far away from any cities or towns.

Rights

Rights are rules about how everybody should be treated fairly.

Terms of Reference

The Terms of Reference is a list of the things a Royal Commission must

look at.

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