Want to learn more about the Disability Royal Commission and its recommendations?
Our FAQs explain what the DRC was, what it recommended, and why ongoing accountability still matters.
DRC Tracker
The DRC Tracker will be a public, online tool that shows what governments have done — and haven’t done — in response to each of the 222 Disability Royal Commission recommendations.
It brings together government commitments, public updates and independent analysis in one place, so communities can easily see where progress is happening and where it has stalled.
While governments are responsible for implementing the Disability Royal Commission recommendations, progress reporting has been slow, fragmented and inconsistent.
Independent, disability‑led tracking helps ensure:
- progress is visible and easy to understand
- commitments are scrutinised over time
- the intent of the Royal Commission is not lost
Without independent monitoring, there is a real risk that recommendations remain unimplemented or quietly deprioritised.
This work is disability‑led and independently funded. Donations support the project as a whole and do not give donors control over recommendations, analysis or findings.
No one owns or sponsors a recommendation or volume. Independence is essential to the credibility of public accountability work.
You can:
- follow updates from the DRC Tracker
- share information with your networks
- support independent accountability work
- contribute to advocacy and community conversations about implementation
Staying informed and engaged helps keep pressure on governments to deliver real change.
Donors support this work by helping make independent monitoring and public accountability possible.
All donations support the project as a whole. Donors do not direct the analysis, influence findings, or control which recommendations are prioritised. This ensures the work remains independent, disability‑led and credible.
Some supporters also choose to share why this work matters to them or what they are doing to support accountability, with consent, as part of broader community conversations.
Yes, every donation over $2 is tax deductible. Queensland Advocacy is a registered charity with Deductable Gift Recipient Status (DGR). Please note: The minimum donation amount of $5 is accepted through this platform. Find out more about our charity on the ACNC.
As soon as your donation is processed you will receive a PDF acknowledging your donation and valued contribution to this work.
Yes. Anyone who chooses to can receive updates as the DRC Tracker is developed and updated.
Updates focus on:
- progress (or lack of progress) on the 222 recommendations
- key findings from our independent analysis
- major updates or milestones related to the tracker
These updates are about transparency and accountability — not donor recognition.
No.
All 222 recommendations are tracked as part of this work. Donors do not choose, sponsor or “own” individual recommendations or volumes, and donations do not influence analysis, findings or reporting.
Independence is essential to the credibility of public accountability work.
This work is disability‑led and independently funded. Donations support the project as a whole and do not give donors control over recommendations, analysis or findings.
No one owns or sponsors a recommendation or volume. This approach ensures the tracker remains trusted, transparent and free from influence.
Yes. Some supporters choose to give regularly or at a deeper level to help carry the work forward and sustain the DRC Tracker over time.
Ongoing support helps ensure the tracker remains public, up to date and accessible — supporting long‑term monitoring and accountability while keeping the work independent.
You can:
- follow updates from the DRC Tracker
- share information with your networks
- support independent accountability work
- participate in advocacy and community conversations about implementation
Staying informed and engaged helps keep pressure on governments to deliver real change.
We respect your privacy and handle personal information in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
When you donate, we collect only the personal information needed to process your contribution, issue receipts, and communicate with you about your donation or updates you have chosen to receive.
Personal information is handled lawfully, fairly and transparently, and is not used for purposes unrelated to this work.
No — donations are not made public by default.
Your name or details will only be shared publicly if you have explicitly chosen to do so, for example by consenting to share why this work matters to you as part of broader community conversations.
You can also choose to donate anonymously.
Donor information is used only for purposes related to:
- processing donations
- issuing receipts
- sharing updates you have opted into
Donor information is not used to influence analysis, reporting, advocacy priorities or findings.
Donations support the project as a whole, but donor data is kept separate from the research, tracking and analysis work.
You will only receive communications that you have opted into.
If you choose to receive updates, communications will focus on:
- progress (or lack of progress) on the 222 recommendations
- key findings from independent analysis
- major updates or milestones related to the DRC Tracker
You can unsubscribe or change your preferences at any time.
No.
The DRC Tracker brings together publicly available information, government commitments and independent analysis. It does not collect personal information about individuals who view or use the tracker.
Any information published through the tracker relates to government actions and implementation status — not individual people.
You can find more detailed information about how personal information is collected, used, stored and protected in our Privacy Policy.
If you have questions or concerns about privacy or data use, you are welcome to contact us directly.
Disability Royal Commission
The Disability Royal Commission (DRC) was a national inquiry in Australia that investigated violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation experienced by people with disability. It gathered evidence from people with disability, families, carers and advocates, and made recommendations to improve safety, rights and inclusion.
The DRC was commissioned in April 2019 and its final report was released in September 2023.
The Disability Royal Commission made 222 recommendations aimed at improving laws, policies and systems to better protect and support people with disability.
The Commission found that:
- People with disability experience higher rates of violence, abuse and neglect
- Australia is not fully meeting its international human rights obligations
- Systems such as education, justice and services are not consistently inclusive or safe
The final report is divided into 12 volumes:
- Volumes 1–3: Background and context
- Volume 4: Human rights
- Volume 5: Governance and leadership
- Volume 6: Autonomy and access
- Volume 7: Education, employment and housing
- Volume 8: Criminal justice system
- Volume 9: First Nations people with disability
- Volume 10: Services and supports
- Volume 11: Oversight and complaints
- Volume 12: Implementation and monitoring
The Commission recommended changes across many areas, including:
- Stronger disability rights protections
- More inclusive education, employment and housing systems
- Better safeguards in services and supports
- Reforms to the justice system
- Improved accountability and independent oversight
Progress has been slow and inconsistent.
Very few recommendations have genuinely been implemented. Some recommendations are in early stages of being implemented, while many have no updates at all. Ongoing independent monitoring and advocacy are needed to ensure governments implement the recommendations in line with the intent of the DRC.
The Disability Royal Commission is important because it:
- Centres the lived experiences of people with disability
- Identifies systemic failures across multiple sectors
- Provides a clear roadmap for reform
- Highlights the need for accountability and long-term change
The commission matters because it created a clear roadmap for reform – and because people with disability deserve to see that roadmap acted on, not ignored.
One key recommendation is to establish a National Disability Commission to provide independent oversight, improve coordination, and ensure accountability across disability reforms.
Governments have not made any progress on establishing the National Disability Commission.
The Commission examined the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) as part of its review of services and supports.
It recommended stronger safeguards, better oversight, and improved quality of services within the NDIS.
The Commission recommended:
- Ending segregated education
- Increasing inclusion in mainstream schools
- Improving support, choice and control for students with disability.
Key recommendations include:
- Ending segregated employment
- Addressing subminimum wages
- Improving access to inclusive and fairly paid work
The Commission recommended:
- Increasing accessible and affordable housing
- Improving housing options for people with disability
- Supporting independent living and community inclusion
Governments are responsible for responding to and implementing the recommendations.
Ongoing work includes:
- Monitoring progress
- Advocating for implementation
- Holding governments accountable
You can support this work by:
- Staying informed and sharing information
- Advocating for change
- Supporting organisations that track progress and hold governments accountable
- Donating to campaigns that advance disability rights