RIAC, which supports people with disability across Shepparton, Bendigo, Geelong and Mildura, has joined major disability advocacy organisations in calling for the government to revisit the legislation introduced last week.
The proposal would dissolve the Victorian Disability Worker Commission, the Disability Worker Registration Board and the Disability Services Commissioner, with their responsibilities absorbed into the SSR.
RIAC chief executive Sandy Ross said the move “strips away specialist regulators capable of dealing with unique risks faced by people with disability relying on support services”.
“These regulators exist because people with disability fought for them, and many inquiries, including the recent Disability Royal Commission, have demonstrated the need for them,” Dr Ross said.
“Replacing them with a generic model of social service regulation is a step backwards in ensuring people with disability can access safe and effective support services.”
Dr Ross said the government’s consultation with the disability community was not sufficient.
“There has been some limited communication but no meaningful consultation, and that was only after the government developed and announced the model as decided,” he said.
“People with disability through their representative organisations have been clear and consistent that they do not support the changes.
“What we’re seeing is not the product of consultation, but a predetermined outcome pushed through despite strong opposition.”
Recent findings from the Office of the Public Advocate, identifying thousands of cases of exploitation, coercion and fraud by disability services, reinforce the need for a strong, specialist disability regulator.
“People with disability need to trust that when they speak up about the way a service they rely on is treating them, they’re being heard by experts who understand disability and have the authority to act decisively to hold the service to account,” Dr Ross said.
RIAC has raised particular concerns about the impacts of these proposals on people in regional Victoria, where it says fewer service providers increases vulnerability for people with disability.
RIAC believes Victoria should move to having a single, specialist disability regulator rather than bury disability oversight within the SSR.
“We need a regulator designed with, not imposed on, the disability community,” Dr Ross said.
“Anything less weakens safeguards and erodes trust.”
