Shaping a Fairer Future: Australians Invited to Help Reform Disability Discrimination Act
The Australian Government is calling on people with disabilities, advocates, families, and the wider public to help reshape the country’s approach to disability rights.
In a landmark move, Federal Health and Aged Care Minister Mark Butler has launched a national consultation to reform the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 — a crucial piece of legislation that has protected the rights of people with disabilities for over three decades.
This public consultation invites voices from all walks of life to reflect on how the law can better reflect today’s values of equality, dignity, and inclusion. The goal is clear: modernise the Act to more effectively eliminate discrimination and ensure all Australians with disabilities can live with full participation and independence.
Minister Butler emphasised that real change depends on listening to lived experiences. “This is an opportunity to bring the law in line with the Australia we want to be — one that is inclusive, accessible, and just,” he said.
Submissions are open until December 2025, and Australians are encouraged to share their views, whether through written responses, community forums, or accessible formats.
This reform effort marks a critical step in moving from legal protection to meaningful, lived equality — where rights are not only written, but realised.
