The University of Technology Sydney Institute for Public Policy and Governance (UTS:IPPG) has released a resource for local government to improve the social and economic inclusion of people with disability.
More than four million, or almost one in five, Australians are living with disability across every one of the 537 local government areas in Australia.
This resource (‘How local governments can increase the social and economic participation of people with disability: A place-based framework for success’) is based on extensive engagement with more than 200 councils across Australia.
It provides a national picture of the ways local governments currently support people with disability and has been designed for use by all local governments across Australia.
This includes small rural and large metropolitan local governments, those in growth areas and those with ageing populations.
It can be used to guide thinking and decision making about how to deliver, enable or advocate for services to increase the participation of people with disability in their communities.
Director of the Institute for Public Policy and Governance and the Centre for Local Government Professor Roberta Ryan said of the research: “Throughout the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) trial period, people with disability identified community participation as one of their top three support needs, and a significant proportion of NDIS expenditure is being spent on services which enable and enhance this outcome.
“With the continued roll-out of the NDIS, the local government sector has an important role to support people with disability achieve greater social and economic participation in their community.
“This also presents an opportunity for local governments, as greater participation will lead to increased community expenditure and potentially generate local employment opportunities.”
The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) grant funded the research, reflecting the important role local governments will play in supporting the social and economic participation of people with disability into the future, as NDIS reforms roll out.
