Minister's message

Inclusive SA continues to drive positive change in our community for people living with disability. I am incredibly proud of the efforts our State has made to date in disability access and inclusion as we work towards a South Australia based on fairness and respect.

This government recognises that an inclusive society enables full and authentic participation of people living with disability and will also have positive social and economic impacts for the State.

The Disability Inclusion Act 2018 (SA) (the Act), which provides the legislative basis for Inclusive SA, has recently been reviewed to ensure it adequately promotes the essential human rights of people living with disability in South Australia. In particular alignment with the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and with Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031 (ADS).

In this annual report, we provide an update on what state authorities have achieved over the 2021–22 financial year and our plans, goals and new initiatives for 2023. Some of these include:

• The Department of Human Services established a Disability Engagement Group made up of a diverse group of people with lived experience of disability, providing opportunities for them to be directly involved in influencing community attitudes and government practices.
• Wellbeing SA facilitated nine lived experience workshops throughout South Australia to explore solutions with the intellectual disability community to improve access to cancer screening.
• The Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment consulted with Disability Advocacy & Complaints Service of South Australia to review existing disability awareness training packages, highlighting the importance of acknowledging the compounding barriers faced by First Nations people living with disability.

We have had many achievements to date, but there is still more that can be done. Our commitment continues, and I look forward to achieving more outcomes that improve the lives of people living with disability and builds a more inclusive community for all South Australians in the years ahead.

Hon Nat Cook MP
Minister for Human Services