Draft Review of the Disability Discrimination Act

In this submission, QAMH welcomes the review of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 as an important step toward modernising Australia’s anti-discrimination framework and aligning it with contemporary human rights principles. QAMH stresses that reform of the Act must align with the recommendations of the NDIS Review and the design of future Foundational Supports, ensuring protections extend to all people with psychosocial disability, including those outside the NDIS. This alignment would create a coherent national framework linking rights with the supports people need to fully participate in community life. We also highlight the essential role of community-managed mental health organisations in breaking down these barriers and promoting inclusion and recovery.

To ensure this happens, QAMH is calling for:

• Modern, recovery-focused definitions of disability that reflect psychosocial disability and use rights-based, inclusive language.
• An enforceable positive duty to eliminate disability discrimination, supported by stronger Australian Human Rights Commission powers to monitor, enforce and guide compliance.
• Sustained investment in community-managed mental health organisations that already model inclusive, recovery-oriented practice.
• A tailored implementation support framework providing model tools, training and compliance resources for non-profit, regional and lived experience–led organisations.

Read Our Submission Here >