People with a disability are represented on the Victorian Disability Advisory Council to inform policy for creating more inclusive communities.
The Disability Act 2006 has key areas that focus on the inclusion and participation of people with a disability in the community.
Victorian Disability Advisory Council
- The Act provides for the functions and membership of the Victorian Disability Advisory Council
- The council provides advice to the Minister for Community Services on issues that affect people with a disability across all government services
- The council is a way for people with a disability to have a say in decision making on whole-of-government policy issues
- Most council members must be people with a disability and they must come from a range of different backgrounds.
Victorian state disability plan
The Disability Act 2006 requires that the Minister for Community Services ensures a new state disability plan is developed every 4 years. The plan for 2013-2016 outlines a 4 year vision for Victoria to improve:
- Mainstream policies
- Programs
- Services
- Infrastructure and support reform of disability services.
Disability action plans
A disability action plan:
- Reduces barriers for people with a disability as community members
- Makes it easier for people with a disability to use services available to all Victorians.
The Act says all public services – government departments, statutory authorities and statutory corporations – must have a disability action plan. Statutory authorities and statutory corporations will be identified through regulations.
The Office for Disability is supporting the implementation of disability action plans.
Public services must report on their disability action plan every year, to make sure the plans are put into practice.