South Australian stories shine light on

South Australian stories shine light on disability issues

HIRAN LECAMWASAM, YOUR STORY DISABILITY LEGAL SUPPORT LAWYER, LEGAL SERVICES COMMISSION

Since April 2019, the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability, or as it is more commonly referred, the Disability Royal Commission, has been investigating how people with disability have been mistreated within our society and how the systemic frameworks currently in place have largely failed to support those people in times of need.

The Disability Royal Commission has been many years in the making and was established following widespread reports of the mistreatment of people with disability across many facets of our society. From historical instances of segregation and exclusion to more recent forms of discrimination and abuse, there can be no question that people with disability have been unfairly treated. Unfortunately, they continue to be the victims of neglectful, exploitative, and abusive acts.

To fully understand the extent and nature of the mistreatment, the Disability Royal Commission has sought to hear the experiences of people with disability and their supporters across all contexts and settings. Despite the interruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Disability Royal Commission has carried on with its inquiry and at the time of writing had conducted 28 public hearings and 1,411 private sessions, received 5,665 submissions, published 14 issues papers and held numerous round table discussions. The terms of reference which govern this inquiry have led to a broad scope of experiences being examined and has included looking into instances of mistreatment within the contexts of education, employment, family relationships, accommodation, healthcare, prisons and various other public and private settings.

For the past 18 months I have been employed as a Legal Officer for Your Story Disability Legal Support (Your Story), at the Legal Services Commission. Your Story is a joint initiative of National Legal Aid and National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services and is delivered locally in South Australia by the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement and the Legal Services Commission.

The Your Story service was established to provide free, independent legal advice and support to people with disability, their family members, friends, carers, advocates and supporters to safely share their experiences with the Disability Royal Commission. Whilst getting legal advice is not compulsory, many people have concerns about what they wish to share. The concerns vary in nature but have typically involved fears about safety, privacy or confidentiality, whether sharing their story would impact an individual’s access to services or employment, the implications of naming a person or an organisation responsible for mistreatment, their ability to participate having previously signed a non-disclosure agreement, or the impact sharing their experiences may have in any ongoing legal proceedings. Often clients feel reassured having these concerns addressed prior to sharing their story with the Disability Royal Commission and part of my role has been to provide them with a level of comfort and confidence going forward with the process.

In addition to advice about the Disability Royal Commission, Your Story lawyers also provide free general advice about a broad range of legal matters, which may be ancillary to someone’s engagement with the Disability Royal Commission. The legal services are delivered in a disability aware and trauma informed manner and we also often make referrals to other community supports, including free disability advocacy and counselling services when required. Since its inception in September 2019, Your Story has received 7,172 calls, provided 10,044 legal services, and delivered 801 legal education activities around Australia.

Your Story has been committed to providing face-to-face meeting opportunities across Australia. In South Australia our travels have seen us visit Whyalla, Port Augusta, Port Pirie, Ceduna, Koonibba, Yalata, Mount Gambier, Naracoorte, Coober Pedy and the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands. This local presence has provided those with important stories to tell the confidence to speak.

The struggles that people with disability living in rural and remote communities face have been well documented, however, having the opportunity to speak with local residents and hear firsthand the many challenges which these people have had to endure has provided me with a new and confronting perspective of the actual realities many people experience in these areas. From travelling long distances on less-than-ideal roads, to a scarcity of essential support services in rural communities, there can be no question that people living in regional and remote areas face additional barriers to accessing the required assistance.

Whilst many stories shared with the Disability Royal Commission reveal experiences of significant pain and trauma, what has truly amazed me is the steadfast

determination and courage of people to openly share what they have endured. For many, sharing their experiences is not about trying to achieve a personal outcome, but rather out of a sense of altruistic obligation to better inform the Disability Royal Commission as to what the systemic issues are in order to help and protect other people in the community from going through similar experiences in the future.

After more than three and half years, the Disability Royal Commission is now approaching the finish line with 31 December 2022 being the closing date set for people to share their experiences. The Royal Commission will then have the enormous task of putting together recommendations to the Australian Government on what must change to prevent and better protect people with disabilities from violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation, and promote a more inclusive society that supports people with disability to be independent and live free from all forms of mistreatment.

While it is impossible to fully predict what those recommendations will be or the extent to which they will be implemented when the final report is delivered in September 2023, what is clear is that more work needs to be done across the board. It is my hope that the voices of those who have shared their experiences will be heard and that the necessary changes will be made to create a safer and more inclusive society for everyone, based on those fundamental principles of equality and respect. *If you would like to refer a client for advice or get more information about Your Story Disability Legal Support, please contact 1800 77 1800 or visit www.yourstorydisabilitylegal.org.au. B

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