Victoria Police seeks contributions for their accessibility plan
4/12/2023
To better support people with disability, Victoria Police are developing their Accessibility Action Plan 2024–26. The new edition of their plan will take in the Disability Royal Commission’s recommendations, handed down in September, which highlighted how the justice system creates barriers that effect people with disability and lead to their discrimination and harm.
NDS encourages our Victorian members to respond to the plan by Monday 18 December deadline.
In its report, the DRC found that:
- People with disability, particularly those with cognitive disabilities, are significantly over-represented at all stages of the criminal justice system.
- Placing children with disability in detention, especially children with cognitive disability, increases the chances they will become enmeshed in the criminal justice system.
- Staff and officials should receive ongoing disability awareness training and support to identify disability.
The current Access and Inclusion Plan follows the Disability Act 2006. It addresses four outcomes: reducing barriers to people with a disability in getting goods, services and facilities; getting and keeping employment; promoting community inclusion and participation; and reducing discriminatory attitudes and practices.
Victoria Police see the new plan as a chance to build on this progress, noting that there is more work to do. By informing the priorities of Victoria Police’s next Accessibility Action Plan, the consultation will help Victoria Police guide how they work with the disability community.
NDS encourages Victorian members to complete the Victoria Police survey on the Engage Victoria website. We will also be making a submission and are seeking your experiences of people with disability dealing with Victoria’s justice system. Please email Paul Bourke at NDS in Victoria by Monday 11 December: submit enquiry/feedback
A consultation summary will be posted on the Engage Victoria website after it ends on Monday 18 December.