Mr SUKKAR (Deakin) (15:46): I thank the minister for that ministerial statement. As was outlined in that statement, more than five years ago, on 4 April 2019, a monumental decision was made to finally take action in response to community concern about widespread reports of violence, neglect, abuse and exploitation of people with disabilities. The establishment of the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability, by the former coalition government, marked a significant milestone in addressing the longstanding issue of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. The commission began accepting public submissions shortly after that decision, in July 2019, and the former coalition government put in place extensive measures to support those affected. Recognising the complexity of the issues, the coalition also agreed at a later date to extend the commission's work by 17 months, until September 2023, and committed $527.9 million over five years for its operation. This funding also supported the provision of counselling and other services to those participating in the commission. The disability royal commission took a very deep dive into a range of crucial public policy areas. It looked into how we can prevent and better protect people with disabilities from facing—as the name of the royal commission suggests—violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation, and it represented a pivotal moment in this parliament and our nation's history, tackling the serious issues faced by individuals with disabilities in a really head-on fashion. The royal commission's work was thorough and far reaching, focusing on a broad spectrum of behaviours that impacted people with disabilities. These behaviours range from physical and sexual assault to the use of restraints, forced treatments, harassment, financial abuse and severe violations of privacy and dignity, all contributing to an overarching pattern of neglect, areas that no vulnerable person should ever have to battle. The commission worked tirelessly for several years, culminating in its final report on 29 September 2023. That report, as the minister outlined—and it's well known to members in this House—includes 222 recommendations aimed at improving laws, policies, structures and practices for people with disabilities. It aimed to achieve several goals, including preventing and better protecting people with disabilities from harm, improving the systems for reporting and investigating incidents, and fostering a more inclusive society where individuals with disabilities can live independently and free from violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. It focused on how we can improve the system, aiming for best practices across the sector and, importantly, it explored ways to build a more inclusive society, one where people with disabilities can live independently and free from harm. As an indication of the complexity of the recommendations, which the minister touched on in part in her statement, it came to light that even the commissioners could not agree on a number of the key recommendations. Of the 222 recommendations, 172 fell to the responsibility of the federal government, and many others fell to the states. We should note in a moment like this that disability advocates were disappointed to find out last week that only 13 recommendations were fully accepted, notwithstanding the fact that 117 were accepted in principle, 36 were set aside for further consideration and six were simply noted. The disappointment has been widespread. Some of the key recommendations, as I've outlined, focused on ending segregation, including phasing out group homes, segregated employment and segregated education, such as special schools. Some commissioners, and many in this House and many on our side of the chamber, had some differing views on these issues. Other important recommendations included introducing a disability rights act to incorporate international human rights into Australian law, creating a new complaints mechanism and establishing a federal government portfolio for disability with a dedicated minister. Along the way, leading up to the final report, the royal commission released a series of reports covering public hearings, research and policy themes. The interim report came out on 30 October 2020 and, throughout the commission's work, as the minister has touched, on seven progress reports were published roughly every six months to keep Australians updated on the important findings. To build its findings the commission used a wide range of methods. This included conducting research; holding public hearings; collecting personal testimonies—many of those quite harrowing; receiving submissions from stakeholder organisations; and organising private sessions to provide a safe space for survivors to share many of those difficult experiences. The commission's extensive efforts, which the large funding provided by the former coalition government enabled, resulted in the gathering of 7,944 submissions, nearly 18,000 phone inquiries, the publication of 14 issues papers and the holding of nearly 1,800 private sessions. This thorough process was, in our view, essential in shaping the commission's comprehensive assessment and resulting recommendations. Importantly, the commission did not confine its investigation into just specific settings; it sought to uncover and address these issues in all sorts of contexts, wherever they could have occurred and had historically occurred—schools, workplaces, jails, secure disability and mental health facilities, group homes, family homes, hospitals and, of course, day programs. This approach allowed the commission to gain a comprehensive understanding of the varied challenges faced by people with disability and identified the necessary solutions to ensure their future safety and wellbeing. The coalition will now closely consider the government's response to the royal commission's findings and recommendations. Ultimately, we remain focused on ensuring that the recommendations lead to real and lasting change for people with disabilities in Australia. It is crucial that the government responds to the 222 recommendations comprehensively and promptly to ensure that the progress made translates to real and meaningful change, improving support for health, housing, education, employment and legal systems for people with disabilities. We want to emphasise the importance of a timely and thorough response and, though it seems obvious—but it can be difficult—encourage the government to collaborate as closely as possible with states and territories to implement the necessary changes that will ultimately, I think, safeguard the most vulnerable members of our society. We all know that people with disability in Australia are one of the most vulnerable cohorts of Australians, and they are susceptible to greater risks of violence, catastrophic health expenses, workforce challenges and hardships that could go on and on. Addressing these obstacles is ultimately within our grasp, and we acknowledge the work of the royal commission. Most importantly, we know that tackling these barriers will unleash the potential of so many individuals with disability, and we simply can't afford to overlook the millions of Australians with disability who have been denied access to health care, rehabilitation, support, education, employment and equality, which has held them back from making the full contribution to this country which we know they can. The United Nations estimates that over a billion people globally live with some form of disability, and in Australia it is more than one in five of us. Most of us will at some point experience impairment or care for someone or know someone who does, so it's imperative that the recommendations of the royal commission are seriously and thoroughly considered by the government. We take the minister at her word and know that she will do what she can to deliver that. Finally, for all of the Australians who participated in the comprehensive royal commission and who have suffered injustices along the way and for the many that we have lost, our thoughts are with you and your families. Now is the time for us as Australians to make things right. As a nation we are committed to supporting all those who have been affected, and we continue to focus on protecting and prioritising your rights to be cared for, to be supported and to be loved.