Systemic advocacy seeks to influence broader policies and service outcomes to improve the lives of people with disability, people experiencing mental ill-health, older persons, and carers. We advocate for equitable access to and quality of services, and for human rights to be respected.
We work in various ways to influence policies, including:
- making formal submissions to Government and Royal Commission enquiries
- conducting both formal and informal consultations
- directly working together with Federal or Territory ministers, government departments, statutory organisations, community organisations, and businesses to advocate for change.
We seek outcomes that respond to intersectional needs and amplify the voices of people with disability and mental–ill health of all ages, including those from priority populations such as Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, LGBTQIA+, and culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse communities.
ADACAS has been involved in systemic advocacy over many years and we prioritise our systemic advocacy efforts to focus on topics with the greatest impacts for our clients.
ADACAS’ current systemic advocacy priorities are:
Emergency Responses and Planning
ADACAS has been advocating for the human rights of our clients in emergency responses. People with disability, people experiencing mental ill-health, older persons, and carers all have the right to be included and supported in appropriate ways in planning for crises and in emergency responses to crises such as bushfires, the Canberra hailstorm in January 2020 and the COVID 19 pandemic.
Abuse, Violence, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability, People with Mental Ill Health, Older People and Carers
ADACAS has made submissions to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, and is making submissions to the Royal Commission into the Abuse, Violence, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability.
ADACAS is also working together with other ACT stakeholders to advocate for improved prevention practices, supports and responses for people with disability, people with mental ill-health, older people and carers experiencing violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation.
Child Protection
ADACAS is continuing to advocate for the need to transform child protection systems, and to improve supports for parents with disabilities and mental ill-health when child protection processes are occurring. Together with other stakeholders, ADACAS is also advocating for improved appeals processes and better external regulation of child protection.
Health Advocacy
ADACAS continues to advocate for improved health outcomes for people with disability, people with mental ill-health and older people. We are focussing our advocacy on ensuring equitable access to healthcare, improving healthcare quality, and expanding access to health advocacy arrangements.
Mental health supports
ADACAS continues to advocate for improved access to and quality of services and supports for people experiencing mental ill-health. We are also advocating for people with mental ill-health having their rights under the Mental Health Act upheld.
Housing and Homelessness
Alongside many partner organisations, we continue to advocate for increases in social and community housing, and to end homelessness. ADACAS also advocates improved experiences of people with disability, mental ill-health and older people in contact with housing and homelessness support services.
Disability Justice
ADACAS is participating actively in ACT Government Disability Justice Campaign initiatives for better support for people with disability and older people interacting with justice systems.
Guardianship, Enduring Power of Attorney and Supported Decision Making
ADACAS is advocating for Guardianship and Enduring Power of Attorney processes to be improved to prevent potential abuse through misuse of decision-making arrangements.
National Disability Insurance Scheme
ADACAS is focussed on issues related to NDIS legislative reform, advocating for the rights of people with disability to be upheld, and implementation of genuine co-design with people with disability, their families and carers, and disability advocacy and representative organisations.
Centrelink and Income support
ADACAS is advocating under the umbrella of the Raise the Rate campaign. We are seeking an increase in Centrelink’s Job Seeker benefits to avoid people being trapped in poverty.
Advocacy for NSW residents with a disability who are not NDIS eligible
ADACAS is working with other advocacy agencies to campaign for more support to be available for people with a disability living in NSW, who are not NDIS eligible.
Improve your community by telling us your story
We welcome your input to our systemic advocacy process. Help us make a difference in the community by sharing your experiences of any of our priority issues, or alert us to other issues.
Get in touch with us by filling in the form below, or you can call, or email us and let us know that you would like to help with our systemic advocacy by sharing your story.