A fair go? Measuring Australia’s progress in reducing disadvantage for people with disabilities (2001-2016).

The Australian government has made several commitments to reduce the extent of discrimination and disadvantage experienced by people with disabilities. In 1992 Australia enacted the Disability Discrimination Act; In 2008 Australia ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). In doing so, Australia entered in to an international obligation to progressively realise the rights of people with disabilities and eliminate disability discrimination in all areas of life; In 2011 Australia published its National Disability Strategy to achieve ‘an inclusive Australian society that enables people with disability to fulfil their potential as equal citizens In 2013 Australia launched its National Disability Insurance Scheme. There is, however, no formally agreed mechanism for monitoring the extent to which Australia is making progress in reducing the discrimination and disadvantage experienced by people with disabilities. Previous independent monitoring reports by the University of Sydney have documented that since 2001, little progress has been made in reducing the level of disadvantage experienced by people with disabilities. Indeed, in many areas of life the gap between people with and without disabilities has grown wider. The aim of this report is to build on this work by examining trends in the extent of disadvantage and inequality experienced by working age adults with disabilities in Australia between 2001 and 2016. We trust this report will help stimulate discussion on: Why such little progress has been made in the last decade and a half in reducing the inequalities between people with disabilities and their non-disabled peers? What needs to be done to reduce the gap between people with and without disabilities? How should Australia monitor its progress in reducing discrimination and disadvantage in the future?