Equal access to rights protection and justice Drive the strengthening of rights and improved access to justice for people with disability State Government Agencies Communities, Disability Services; Child Protection; Justice; and WA Police Why Upholding and protecting the rights of people with disability is fundamental, including the right to live free from abuse, neglect and harm, to have fair and equal access to criminal justice processes and access to support in the instance where abuse, neglect or harm is experienced. People with disability do not always enjoy these rights because: People with disability experience higher rates of abuse and violence than people who do not have disability The true incidence of abuse is likely to be under-reported given the wide range of barriers to reporting Processes fail to adequately respond to individual reports, and as a result, opportunities to implement secondary protection measures to reduce future acts of violence, abuse or neglect are missed (The 2015 Senate Inquiry into violence, abuse and neglect against people with disability in institutional and residential settings reported this finding) Of lack of support to assist to communicate and participate in all stages of the criminal justice process. Complaints processes are often inaccessible and ineffective. Police, lawyers, judges and other staff do not always identify disability or respond in an appropriate way Quality and Safeguarding mechanisms for the NDIS only provide protection for NDIS participants – projected to be around 10% of the disability population In prison, people with disability do not have access to supports, adjustments and aids. Specialised, intensive, holistic services designed to address the over representation of people with disability in prison are at risk of being unfunded and discontinued under the NDIS Aboriginal people with disability have very high levels of unmet care needs in the justice system and can be trapped in a cycle of regular police contact and control instead of support
NDS WA 2017 State Committee The NDS WA State Committee represents WA members and is responsible for setting the strategic priorities of NDS WA. As a body with delegated responsibility, the State Committee channels information and advice to the National Board on state based issues through the State Manager and Chair. NDS WA has two representatives on the National Board. The current membership of the NDS WA State Committee is: Joan McKenna Kerr, Autism Association of WA, Chief Executive Officer & Chairperson, NDS National Board President Gordon Trewern, Nulsen Disability Services, Chief Executive Officer & Deputy Chairperson, NDS National Board Member Debbie Karasinski, Senses Australia, Chief Executive Officer (retired June 2017) Fiona Beermier, Intelife, Chief Executive Officer (resigned May 2017) Justine Colyer, Rise, Chief Executive Officer Marcus Stafford, MSWA, Chief Executive Officer Marina Re, IdentityWA, Chief Executive Officer Matt Burrows, Therapy Focus, Chief Executive Officer (retired June 2017) Michael Tait, Rocky Bay, Chief Executive Officer Robert Holmes, Enable WA, Chief Executive Officer Rosie Lawn, Avivo, Chief Executive Officer Darren Ginnelly, My Place, Managing Director (August 2017) Robert Hicks, Goldfields Individual and Family Support Association Inc, Chief Executive Officer (August 2017) Suzie Cowcher, Ability Centre, Chief Executive Officer (August 2017) Vik Jeyakumar, KIRA Inc, Chief Executive Officer (August 2017) Contact Julie Waylen, State Manager, WA Phone: 08 9208 9805