Australian Human Rights Commission Submission to the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – 25 July 2019 4.20 Adequate standard of living (CRPD art 28, LOI 31) 112. The Commission is concerned about the limited consideration of persons with disability in poverty and homelessness reduction strategies. The National Housing and Homelessness Agreement does not comprehensively include people with disability, including those with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities, as a national homelessness cohort with specific priority measures. 113. Australia currently lacks a national poverty reduction plan and has yet to agree to a consistent, national definition of ‘poverty’.111 The Commission also reiterates its concern about the lack of accessible housing in Australia (discussed in section 4.5) and notes that this is a contributing factor to homelessness for people with disability. Recommendation 60: The Australian Government work with State and Territory governments to ensure people with disability are included as a priority cohort in the implementation of the National Affordable Housing Agreement and the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness. Recommendation 61: The Australian Government develop a national poverty reduction plan that addresses disability as a cross-cutting issue. 4.21 Participation in political and public life (CRPD art 29, CO 51– 52, LOI 32) 114. The Commission commends the work of the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC), including through the Disability Advisory Committee, to promote greater accessibility, inclusion and participation in the electoral system. A trial of Accessible Voting Centres during the pre-poll period was conducted at the 2019 federal election.112 115. Australian electoral laws provide that persons of ‘unsound mind’ are not entitled to have their names on the electoral roll or to vote in elections and may be removed from the electoral roll following objection. 113 The ALRC has recommended the repeal of these provisions.114 116. Research funded by the AEC and State and Territory election commissions has demonstrated the need for greater support for people with intellectual disability to vote.115 The study recommended that electoral commissions: a. continue to develop and promote strategies to build the capacity of disability organisations and their staff to support people with intellectual disabilities to voting 34