The Victorian Disability Advisory Council (VDAC) priorities and action areas for 2024 are:
- Informing people with disability, their families and advocates about the role, purpose and priorities of the council
- Giving advice to the Minister for Disability to increase the inclusion and participation of people with disability in the Victorian community
- Providing government departments and agencies with a clear understanding of the council’s role, purpose and priorities
- Working with government departments and agencies to improve disability inclusion, particularly through the development, implementation and monitoring of Inclusive Victoria: state disability plan 2022-2026
- Connecting and building relationships with other key stakeholders.
Priorities for 2024
State disability plan
A key role of the council is to support the implementation and monitoring of Inclusive Victoria: state disability plan 2022 - 2026.
Advice on reports and recommendations
The council will also give the government advice about two major reports:
- Final report of the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability
- NDIS review.
Systemic reforms
The council will help to implement the reforms in Inclusive Victoria: state disability plan 2022–26 by:
- Building understanding of co-design, including developing advice and resources about co-design
- Working with leaders in Aboriginal-self-determination to advocate for better outcomes for Aboriginal people with disability
- Promoting and championing intersectional approaches that address overlapping forms of discrimination. This includes considerations of women with disabilities and LGBTIQA+ disability inclusion.
- Providing advice on accessible communications and universal design
- Building a shared understanding of disability-confident and inclusive workforces
- Advocating for effective data and outcomes reporting to inform evidence-based policy and programs.
Specific action areas
Accessible transport
The council will work with the Accessible Transport Advisory Council. This will help to improve transport for people with disability.
Health, housing and wellbeing
The council will provide input to the Disability Liaison Officers in Health Services program to improve access to quality health care.
The council will also work with the Mental Health Promotion Office Expert Advisory Committee to improve mental health services for people with disability. The council participates in the Specialist Disability Accommodation policy and delivery working group to improve access to suitable housing for people with disability.
Fairness, safety and inclusion
The council will uphold and protect the rights of people with disability.
The council will work with the Emergency Management Commissioner. It will make sure emergency management planning involves people with disability.
The council will participate on the NDIS Victorian Community Advisory Committee.
The council will provide feedback on the Victorian Disability Advocacy Program outcomes framework.
Opportunity and pride
The council will support the Victorian Government’s inclusive education reforms.
It will participate on the Department of Education’s Disability Inclusion Advisory Group. This group helps schools meet the learning needs of students with disability.
The council will also provide advice to government about promoting disability pride, including:
- the language used to describe disability
- inclusive awards and recognition activities.
Key performance indicators for 2024
We will know we are succeeding when:
- our members attend 75% of meetings
- we provide an annual report to the Minister for Disability on our achievements
- Victorian Government departments have greater access to co-design guidance and advice
- the Inclusive Victoria midway review in 2024 reflects our advice on key priorities
- more people apply to the Office for Disability to be members of VDAC in 2025.
Meetings for 2024
The council’s meeting schedule includes:
- ordinary and optional meetings of council
- meetings between the chair and deputy chair and the Office for Disability
- participating in advisory committees and working groups
- working with other disability advisory groups
- receiving updates from VDAC members on advisory committees and working groups.
2023 focus areas
- Specialist Disability Accommodation
- The Victorian Autism Plan refresh
- Emergency management and people with disability
- The Disability Worker Regulation Scheme
- 2023-2024 State Disability Plan budget outcomes
- Accessible Transport Advisory Committee engagement
- Co-design with people with disability
- Accessible communications for people with disability
- National Disability Insurance Scheme Independent Review (NDIS)
- Independent Advisory Council to the NDIS
- Review of the Victorian Disability Awards
- The Disability Worker Commission
- The Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability
- Engagement with Victoria Police on the Victoria Police Accessibility Action Plan 2024-2026.
2024 focus areas
- Responding to the Disability Royal Commission
- Responding to the NDIS Independent Review
- The State Disability Plan midway review, outcomes framework update, and 2024-2025 budget outcomes
- The Victorian Disability Advocacy Program outcomes framework
- State Disability Plan Systemic reforms:
- Co-design
- Aboriginal Self-determination
- Intersectional approaches - gender and intersectionality
- State Disability Plan action areas:
- Disability Liaison Officers in health services
- Engagement with education groups on inclusive education, disability inclusion and autism education
- Family violence prevention and response
- Mental health
- Housing and homelessness
- Participation in cultural activities and civil society events
- Disability pride
- Carers
- Sport and tourism
- Sexual and reproductive health
- Employment and economic participation of people with disability
- Leadership and boards representation of people with disability
- Anti-vilification reforms
- Engagement with local government
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