Australian Human Rights Commission CRPD information concerning Australia – 11.03.13 1 Introduction 1. This submission is made by the Australian Human Rights Commission, Australia’s national human rights institution. It outlines a number of issues that the Commission suggests should be considered by the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as it develops a List of Issues Prior to Reporting ahead of the consideration of Australia’s initial report regarding the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Disability Convention). 2. In these comments, the Commission aims to provide the Committee with information on a number of key issues that the Commission believes may be relevant to the Committee in considering Australia’s implementation of the Disability Convention. This submission does not provide a complete assessment of Australia’s compliance with the Disability Convention, but rather draws on the relevant recent and current areas of Commission work. 3. The Commission notes the Civil Society Shadow Report to the Committee, and urges the Committee to give due consideration to the issues contained within the report in accordance with article 33 of the Disability Convention.1 4. The Commission thanks the Committee for inviting it to submit information pursuant to Rule 51 of the Rules of Procedure and looks forward to further engagement in the Committee’s review of Australia’s initial report. 2 Summary 5. The legal framework for the protection of human rights of people with disability in Australia is the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth), (Disability Discrimination Act) supplemented by State and Territory legislation and a combination of the National Human Rights Framework, the National Human Rights Action Plan, and the National Disability Strategy. The National Disability Insurance Scheme, when implemented, will also contribute to the protection of human rights. 6. March 1st 2013 marked the twentieth anniversary of the Disability Discrimination Act. The Commission acknowledged the occasion with the launch of Twenty Years: Twenty Stories by Governor-General, Ms Quentin Bryce AC CVO. 7. Through the Disability Discrimination Act definite areas of achievement include accessible public transport, access to premises, access to services and education. 8. The Commission notes however, that there is less evidence of progress in areas not addressed by the Disability Discrimination Act such as violence against people with disability in institutional settings, access to justice and involuntary and non-therapeutic sterilisation of people with disability and in the protected area of employment. 3