Guided by lived experience

The South Australian Government is committed to ensuring the voices of South Australians with lived experience are embedded in all aspects of policy design.

The voices of people with lived experience of disability have been central to the development of the State Plan and we thank all those who have engaged with this process to share their experiences, ideas and reflections.

During the first public round of consultation on the new State Plan in 2023, more than 500 people provided their insights and views. Feedback was received from people with disability, their friends, family, carers, advocates, peak disability bodies and non-government organisations (NGOs), including Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations. Engagement took place through YourSAy surveys, written submissions, a dedicated forum for NGOs, targeted focus groups and one-on-one interviews. This ensured a broad and inclusive process that engaged as many people as possible.

Feedback from the community played a key role in shaping the priorities of the new State Plan. It clearly articulated the areas requiring focused attention, including inclusive education, equitable access to employment, accessible and responsive healthcare, enhanced opportunities for community participation, and the imperative to recognise and address intersectionality within the disability community.

This consultation activity is captured in the State Disability Inclusion Plan Consultation Report 2024 and provided the framework on which the new State Plan was drafted.

In early 2025 the draft of the new State Plan was released for further public consultation.

In total, 94 contributions were received via the YourSAy platform, along with 50 written submissions from people with disability, families, carers, friends, advocates, people within the disability sector, non-government organisations and state authorities.

Further consultation occurred with lived experience groups including the South Australian Council on Intellectual Disability, Our Voice SA and Enabled Youth Disability Network (EYDN - previously known as Julia Farr Youth), to ensure that the specific needs and overlapping barriers experienced by priority groups identified in the Act are appropriately addressed in the State Plan.

Members of the Disability Minister’s Advisory Council (DMAC) were actively engaged in the review of community feedback and provided strategic advice to help refine the final State Plan.

The State Plan also reflects recommendations from the independent review of the Act conducted in 2022. Extensive consultation was undertaken during the review to inform the final report and its recommendations. These recommendations led to amendments to the Act that strengthen South Australia’s commitment to disability inclusion.

The amendments enhance the quality and scope of the State Plan by explicitly recognising that all people with disability—regardless of age—have the right to be safe and to feel safe. This includes access to appropriate safeguards, information, services and support. The amendments also define and describe barriers to inclusion and identify people with significant intellectual disability, or those who experience high levels of vulnerability due to disability, as a priority group.

The State Plan also captures new requirements under the Act relating to reporting and timeframes and as the priorities of people with disability shift, so too must our response. For this reason, we will continue to be led by, listen to, consult with and respond to the needs of people with disability through the implementation of our State Plan and each state authority’s DAIP.