Confidentiality Concerns Impeding Disability Royal Commission
Disability advocates are calling out for action to protect the confidentiality of witnesses giving evidence in the Disability Royal Commission. On Monday the Senate discussed a bill put forward by Greens senator Jordon Steele-John which aims to amend this concern.
The Royal Commission’s second progress report outlined that “Except for information given at, or for the purposes of, a private session, under existing legislation the Royal Commission cannot guarantee that information will remain confidential after we present our final report” they then further explained how this is causing a reluctance for people to come forward and creating an impediment for the government to fully engage with the disability community. So, in February 2020 the Chair of the Royal Commission wrote to the Prime Minister requesting an amendment to ensure confidentiality beyond the Royal Commission. Now, one year later the amendment is still being debated.
Rosemary Kayess an academic at the University of New South Wales,human rights lawyer and disability rights activist joined The Daily.
