Priority groups

Certain groups have been identified within the Disability Inclusion Act 2018 (SA) as requiring additional acknowledgement and recognition. This is due to the overlapping disadvantage and vulnerability they can experience and the need to address such disadvantage and vulnerability through our State Plan and the Disability Action and Inclusion Plans (DAIPs).

Providing mainstream supports and services to people from priority groups can enhance their participation and contribution to social and economic life.

Aboriginal people with disability

The SA Housing Authority continues to work with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations in regional and remote locations to inform and deliver localised and customised service models and to co-design specialist support services and sector development activity; to support Aboriginal people’s rights and circumstances and enable them to remain in their community. All new builds in remote Aboriginal communities are access compliant.

Of all public housing allocations in the 2023 calendar year:

• 5.9% were Aboriginal head tenants who identified as living with disability
• 4.3% of all registrations for social housing were Aboriginal applicants who identified as living with disability
• 1.6% of all applicants assisted with private rental services were Aboriginal people who self-identified as living with disability.

Case study - First Nations artists with disability

Jackie, a Ngarrindjeri and Wirangu woman, has been a visual artist for almost two decades at Tutti Arts and was one of at least six First Nations artists with disability to have participated in the Art Gallery of South Australia’s Tarnanthi exhibition in 2023.

Jackie’s solo exhibition 'Land, Light and Water' was on display at the Royal Adelaide Hospital’s Community Gallery. Her work reflected her connections to both the human and natural world and drew on her strong sense of family and culture.

Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities with disability

The Department of Treasury and Finance collaborated with the Department of Human Services’ translation services to ensure that their communications were accessible to CALD communities. This service is pivotal in providing equal access to information and resources, allowing for broader community participation and support.

TAFE SA delivered career and job outcomes services for the CALD community with disability by partnering with community organisations including Supporting Survivors of Torture & Trauma and Australian Migrant Resource Centre.

Women with disability

The Housing Security for Older Women Taskforce, through the SA Housing Authority, convened lived experience workshops, as well as ensuring Lived Experience Advocates within its membership. The Taskforce has provided rich insights into the issues, barriers and challenges for women with disability in relation to housing security.

Of all public housing allocations in the 2023 calendar year:

• 17% were women head tenants who identified as living with disability
• 14.2% of all registrations for social housing were applicants who were women who identified as living with disability
• 7.3% of all applicants assisted with private rental services were women who identified as living with disability.

Children (and young people) with disability

A young vision-impaired resident proposed a community awareness program to the City of Salisbury about vision-impaired pedestrians. Council staff connected this resident with two others who are vision-impaired or blind and together they collaborated with the Council and See Differently (formerly Royal Society for the Blind) to create videos teaching sighted people how to be mindful around vision-impaired people. The Council’s media team funded and supported the video development.

The Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA) delivers the Neo Teen program where young people can be creative and offers a sensory-friendly space as part of its bi-monthly events, which attracts over 500 young people. AGSA offers a specialised Sensory Tour at the Art Gallery that incorporates sensory objects to support learning and sensory needs of young people with disability.

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