New Disability Act 2006

On 1st July 2007 the new Disability Act 2006 was introduced providing people living with disabilities the legislative strength to be treated equally and fairly said Community Services Minister Mr Gavin Jennings.

The Disability Act has taken four years to complete and provides frame work to accommodate the individual support requirments needed to live in the community with maximum choices.

Mr Jennings says the Act recognises the important role that VDAC (Victorian Disability Advisory Council) which was established under the new Act, to provide advice to the Government on life issues that face people with disabilities, currently affecting 987,000 people in Victoria.

The new Act focusses on individuals, with special attention to their families, carers and support services. It recognises that people with disabilities have the right to enjoy the same civil, cultural, economic, political and social opportunities as everyone else has in our community.

The Act provides an independant system for handling complaints, enshrines greater rights and requires better accountability and transparency of service providers.

The Act reflects the goals of the Victorian State Disability Plan 2002 - 2012 by focussing on the whole community and the support of people with disabilities.