Australia’s Disability Strategy – Queensland Forum

The first state and territory-based Australia’s Disability Strategy (ADS) Forum was held in Queensland on 19 June 2023.

The Department of Child Safety, Seniors and Disability Services worked in collaboration with the Department of Social Services and Queensland’s Executive Disability Peak Body, Queenslanders with Disability Network (QDN), to host the forum entitled ‘Together making an inclusive Queensland’.

The forum provided a unique opportunity to bring together people with disability, families/carers, advocacy organisations, disability and community service organisations, industry, business, Local, State and Commonwealth Governments to discuss how we can work together to achieve an inclusive Queensland.

The event was designed to promote a better understanding of the Strategy and Queensland’s Disability Plan: Together a Better Queensland 2022-27.

The forum was themed to focus on the Australia’s Disability Strategy Targeted Action Plans for employment, community attitudes and emergency management, and the seven Outcome Areas of the Strategy.

A report summarising the outcomes of the Forum is available.

View the Queensland ADS Forum Report

Event overview

The full-day event, held face-to-face and online, included a number of speakers, panels and group discussions facilitated by QDN Peer Leaders and QDN staff.

Speakers included:

• Minister for Child Safety and Minister for Seniors and Disability Services, the Hon Craig Crawford MP
• Minister for Social Services, the Hon Amanda Rishworth MP
• Professor Bruce Bonyhady AM
• Dr Sharon Boyce, Chair, Queensland Disability Advisory Council

Three panel sessions were held focussing on:

• Employment
• Inclusion in Action
• Everyone has a role to play