Disability Discrimination Commissioner Alastair McEwin released a report today, A Future Without Violence: Quality, safeguarding and oversight to prevent and address violence against people with disability in institutional settings.

Commissioner McEwin said that violence against people with disability in institutional settings is a significant social policy issue in Australia.

Victorian children with disability continue to experience discrimination, exclusion and disadvantage in mainstream government schools, according to a report by the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law at Monash University.

Sarah Joseph, Director of the Castan Centre, said that while the Victorian Government has taken positive steps in recent years to improve educational outcomes for students with disability, shortcomings persist, potentially breaching children’s rights under Victorian and Commonwealth human rights and anti-discrimination laws.

Dear Mr Buckley

Re: FOI 17/18-285

Thank you for your email.

I can confirm that the Agency has received your below Freedom of Information (FOI) request and please find attached correspondence in relation to that request.

I can also confirm that the Agency has received five other requests from you seeking information under FOI, dated between 22 May 2018 and today, and will be providing responses in due course.

Timeframe for acknowledging requests

Heidi Brandis

In response to Angela Shanahan’s misguided article in the Weekend Australian, I wrote this to the editor of the paper last night:

Dear Editor

Hoping you can assist - I’m in a quandary as to which of Angela Shanahan’s myriad misguided, incorrect, offensive and ignorant comments to address first? (“On spectrum of needs, NDIS should axe ASD”, 26 May).



Let’s address each one:

In the last paragraph of this letter (MS18-000877, 23/5/2018), the Minister appears to commit to "extensive consultation with stakeholders and the community" before making any changes to NDIS operational guidelines (that affect access and eligibility).