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Policy Areas

The work of the Disability Council of NSW is carried out within the following priority policy portfolios as they relate to people with disability in NSW. Linked to many of the headings below you will find recently produced documents or submissions (mostly written within the last two years). Other headings link you to a Secretariat portfolio holder only.

We have consciously chosen not to post all our submissions or documents from the past or in every area. This is usually the case where changed circumstances have moved beyond the key points in one of our documents. For example, our submission to the State Parliament’s Upper House Inquiry into Post School Options has been superseded by Government’s policy decisions and implementation work by DADHC, the relevant government department. The absence of a document does not mean our Council has no advice to offer to Government or is not working in an area cited. These are also not the only policy areas in which we will offer advice.

Accomodation Includes flexible and supported living options; community engagement and young people with disability in residential aged care services.		Ageing & Disability Focusing on the ways in which disability and ageing issues connect.		Arts and Culture Promoting participation in and engagement with arts, culture and entertainment sectors by people with disability.
Built Environment Considers the design, planning, construction and use of the built environment (including the DDA Disability Standards on Access To Premises).		Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Strategy Focusing on the equalisation of opportunity for people with disability from non-English-speaking backgrounds.		Children and young people with disability The impact of specialist and generic children's programs and related government policy on children and young people with disability.
Disability Advisory Councils' Network Building and sustaining an effective network of Councils across Australia.		Disability Services 10-year plan Covering issues related to “Stronger Together”, launched in June 2006.		Education, Training & Lifelong learning Including inclusive education, education and life-transitions and DDA Disability Standards on Education.
Employment and welfare rights Including welfare to work, Workchoices and action to promote greater participation in employment by people with disability.		Economic		Disability Discrimination Act & Standards
Families of people with disability Matters relating to families in which a member has disability.		Health Topics related to disability and health policies		Housing: non-design policy issues Includes tenure issues, homelessness, the NSW State Accord and affordable housing policies.
Housing: universal housing design Including planning, design and construction of housing for all: unlimited by design.		Human Rights and Disability Includes matters relating to the UN Convention, Australian and NSW laws, frameworks and policies concerned with the human rights of people with disability.		Indigenous people with disability Concerned with the interests of people with disability from Aboriginal and Torres Strait islands backgrounds.
Justice Systems Including criminal and juvenile justice, civil rights and legal matters.		Metropolitan Strategy Concerned with the development and implementation of the metropolitan strategy and similar State Government initiatives (e.g. Redfern / Waterloo strategy).		OH & S issues and implications Occupational Health and Safety (OH & S) issues and implications for service planning, funding and delivery.
PADP About the Programme of Appliances for Disabled People.		People with Brain Injury Concerned with issues of interest to and about people with brain injury and their families.		Psychiatric disability Service access and rights issues for people with disability arising as a consequence of mental illness.
Regional NSW and people with disability Focussing on the equalisation of opportunity for people with disability living in regional, rural and remote areas of NSW.		Sport, Recreation and Leisure Consideration of strategic, policy and programme issues in sports, recreation and leisure as they conect with people with disability.		Transport Including access to services, vehicle design, travel concessions, the Mobility Parking Scheme and the DDA Disability Standards on Accessible Transport.
UN International Day of People with disability Concerned with the annual, world wide celebration of the interests of people with disability, marked each 3rd December.		Whole of Government & Inter-government Including the NSW State plan, the Commonwealth, States and Territories Disability Agreement and related matters.		Women with disability Relating to the specific policy connections between women and disability in society.

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At all times, the Council’s advice must consider and incorporate the multi-dimensional components of any policy theme and its potential to affect:

• People with disability;
• Families and close associates of people with disability;
• Cultural and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities;
• Children and young people;
• Indigenous peoples and their communities;
• Rural and remote communities;
• Women.