16 May 2023, 14:10
Victorian Legislative Council, Melbourne
David ETTERSHANK (Western Metropolitan):
I rise to speak to the Disability and Social Services Regulation Amendment Bill 2023. The Disability (National Disability Insurance Scheme Transition) Amendment Act 2019 followed the first stage of the review of the Disability Act 2006, enabling the transition of many Victorians with disability from state-based services to the NDIS. This current bill represents stage 2 of the review and addresses areas of concern flagged by the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability, as well as other disability advocacy bodies, around the rights of residents living in supported accommodation. The bill clarifies the reasonable expectations of residents living in a residential service and what they can expect of service providers delivering residential and treatment services. The bill also strengthens the community visitor program and, most importantly, clarifies existing offences relating to restraint and restrictive practices. As such, Legalise Cannabis Victoria welcomes and will be supporting the bill.
[ENDS]
