SUFY

05/06/2026

This week, we’re unpacking 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗲 𝟰 and what stalled reform means for Queenslanders with disability.

The DRC called for stronger disability rights, including a new Federal Disability Rights Act and reform of the Disability Discrimination Act.

When we look at progress so far, 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱.
Governments said they were committed. Some consultations started. But then progress stopped.

What QIDAN found in Volume 4:
65% of recommendations have no updates
35% of recommendations are beginning to be implemented.

People with disability are still waiting to see meaningful legal protections of their rights and safety.

Over time, we’ll be tracking whether governments are really committed to legal reform.

What would stronger disability rights change for you?

To see what we found, read our blog on Volume 4, and join our campaign - https://linktr.ee/TheDRCstillMatters

We are trying to 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲 $𝟮𝟬𝗸 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 so we can build the DRC Tracker. We invite you to make a 𝟭𝟬𝟬% 𝘁𝗮𝘅-𝗱𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 donation by EOFY to make this goal a reality!
𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 - https://givenow.com.au/thedrcstillmatters

🎨 Huge thanks to artist Felix Fischmann for this week's featured artwork on what Disability Rights means to him.

04/06/2026

Yesterday, the Queensland Government publicly released the final report from the Commission of Inquiry into Child Safety.

Following the announcement of the Inquiry, SUFY recognised the importance of ensuring that people with disability were heard. As an independent disability advocacy organisation, SUFY is committed to ensuring that lived experience remains central to systemic reform discussions affecting children, young people, and families.

SUFY supported people to navigate the Inquiry process and understand their options to safely share their experiences.

SUFY acknowledges and sincerely thanks the individuals who contributed to this submission. We recognise the strength, vulnerability and courage required to speak about these experiences, particularly given the significant and often traumatic impacts of Child Safety systems on people with disability. These contributions are critical to informing meaningful reform across Queensland.

We encourage the Government to listen to and work alongside the disability sector. Improving outcomes for families, children and young people with disability requires a stronger commitment to rights, accountability, inclusion and disability-informed practice at every level of the child protection system.

You can find a summary of SUFY’s submission here:
�https://sufy.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2026-Summary-SUFY-Submission-Commission-of-Inquiry-Child-Safety-System.pdf

You can also read the final report here:
📘https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Work-of-the-Assembly/Tabled-Papers/docs/5826T0845/5826t845.pdf

27/05/2026

Recently, SUFY staff and our Management Committee had the opportunity to attend Supported Decision-Making training with Dr Michelle Browning from Decision Agency (https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-browning-0a836098/).

Michelle shared her knowledge and experience in a way that highlights the importance of people with disability leading decisions that affect their lives. It was an excellent and insightful session, reinforcing why supported decision making is so important to the advocacy work we do at SUFY. It also highlighted how critical it is that the systems around people with disability not only understand these principles, but actively put them into practice in meaningful ways.

We were also incredibly lucky to hear from Tee and Ky Lovell (Ky Lovell Music), who generously shared their lived experience and perspectives, adding real depth and meaning to the day.

Thank you to everyone involved for such an engaging and valuable session!

25/05/2026

24/05/2026

𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗻 - 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗥𝗖 𝗦𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀, an initiative of the Queensland Independent Disability Advocacy Network (QIDAN).

The DRC made 222 recommendations aimed at making a safer, fairer, and more inclusive Australia for everyone.

But more than two years later, progress on implementation remains slow and inconsistent.

That’s why QIDAN has independently examined what governments have, and haven’t, done to progress the DRC.

What we found has been troubling: 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝟯% 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱.

We also found:
🟠 Queensland Government is investing in segregated education
🟠 Safeguards for people with disability are not improving
🟠 Governments are not committing to disability governance and leadership
🟠 𝟱𝟯% 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹

Last week, the Federal Budget allocated just $4.2 million over two years toward disability reform – an investment into consultation. But consultations have happened. The DRC consulted for years and gave their Final Report in 2023.

Now is the time for action.

The DRC Still Matters Campaign brings together what governments say they’ve done, and what we are actually seeing.

That’s why we want to build a public, accessible DRC Tracker - so this information is visible and as a community, we can collectively hold our governments to account.

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻.

𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗱:
Donate. Share. Speak. Support. Follow.

Accountability doesn’t happen on its own.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗥𝗖 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀.

Visit our campaign webpage here to learn more and donate -
https://qidan.org.au/thedrcstillmatters/

Read our report on government implementation of the DRC here -
https://qidan.org.au/drc-report-analysis/

Media Release here - https://qai.org.au/the-drc-still-matters/

19/05/2026

Recently, Senior Advocate Natasha Whitaker was a panellist at the Health Consumers Queensland Annual Forum for 2026 at Southport Sharks in the Gold Coast. The panel included CRU - Community Resource Unit Ltd., Queenslanders with Disability Network, SUFY, and Nina Carr the Lead facilitator and creator of the panel. The panel was called the “Inspired Action Panel: Supporting consumers to move from voice to influence”.

SUFY spoke about Individual Advocacy, CRU discussed family advocacy and QDN discussed systemic and peer advocacy. It was great to talk in front of Queensland Health to discuss how important it is to have a voice, as some individuals we advocate for come to us with no voice at all. This was a very important discussion for SUFY to be a part of.

13/04/2026

This year, SUFY was consulted by independent MP, Kate Chaney’s office regarding the lack of protections for those impacted by and the lack of transparency requirements for government when using automated decision-making. The connection occurred because of SUFY’s submission on 15 January 2025 to the Attorney-General’s Department consultation on the government’s use of automated decision-making. Kate Chaney MP has just published a well-researched and practical policy proposal for a new framework for automated decision-making by government. It can be accessed here: https://assets.nationbuilder.com/katechaney/pages/6176/attachments/original/1774847457/KCMP156_-_ADM_Policy_Paper_V7.pdf?1774847457

We encourage you to read it and to share it.

This framework is welcomed, given that past and present government automated decision-making has shown that tighter controls, transparency and oversight are crucial and should already be in place. We have seen the results of automated decision-making from Robodebt, its impacts in NDIS plans based on typical support packages, Independent Assessment Tool outcomes for home support for our elderly where human override has been removed and we have been hearing that a similar process will occur with the imminent NDIS new framework planning process.

04/04/2026

Today marks the anniversary of the Bringing Them Home Report, a landmark inquiry that documents the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who were forcibly removed from their families and communities.

The report, released in 1997, illustrates the profound and ongoing impacts these forced removals have had on individuals, families and communities. It also made important recommendations aimed at truth-telling, healing, justice, and accountability.

Today, we take time to reflect on the truth of this history, acknowledge the resilience of Stolen Generations survivors and their families, and recognise the ongoing work led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and organisations toward justice and healing.

Read more about the inquiry and report here - https://humanrights.gov.au/bringing-them-home/index.html

If this has impacted you or someone in your circle, find support by reaching out to these places:
☎ 13YARN (13 92 76): A 24/7 national crisis support line providing confidential, culturally safe, one-on-one yarning opportunities with trained Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander supporters.
💻 The Healing Foundation: Provides extensive resources, healing programs, and support to individuals and communities impacted by intergenerational trauma.
☎ Knowmore (1800 566 966): Offers free, private legal advice to survivors applying for the Territories Stolen Generations Redress Scheme.
☎ Link-Up (Qld) (1800 200 855): Helps Stolen Generations survivors and descendants reunite with family, country and culture.

Many of the stories and images on this website may cause sadness or distress for visitors.  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander visitors are advised that this website may contain images, videos and voices of people who have passed away.  The story of the Stolen Generations cannot be told without...

29/03/2026

Our office will be closed on:
- Friday 3rd April
- Monday 6th April.

Our office will re-open on Tuesday, 7th April from 9:00am.

SUFY wishes you a safe and happy Easter!

[Image Description: white tag that says 'Easter Office Closure' in green, purple and orange alternating letters. Blue, pink, yellow, orange, green and white easter eggs in the background]

25/03/2026

SUFY recently provided a submission to the Commonwealth Government outlining our concerns with the NDIS New Framework Planning Rules and NDIS Supports.

From July this year the NDIA will implement a new way of developing NDIS plans. Our main concerns include the lack of detailed information provided on all aspects of the process, the lack of co-design with the disability community and reduced internal and external review rights.

You can access our submission here - https://sufy.org.au/systemic-advocacy/

[Image Description: white background with cyan blue and light blue waves. blue and orange text at the top that says 'OUR VOICE ON THE NDIS'. in the middle of the image there is blue text that says 'SUFY's Submission on the NDIS New Framework Planning'. SUFY's logo underneath. Three boxes at the bottom that says 'Lack of Co-Design' (in a blue box), 'Lack of Information' (in a purple box) and 'Reduced Review Rights' (in an orange box). In the bottom left hand side of the picture there is a image of papers and a pen and on the papers it says 'NDIS Submission]