The University of Technology Sydney Institute for Public Policy and Governance has released a new resource for local government: How local governments can increase the social and economic participation of people with disability: A place-based framework for success.

More than four million, or almost one in five, Australians are living with disability across every one of the 537 LGA in Australia. This resource, based on extensive engagement with more than 200 councils across Australia, provides a national picture of the variety of ways local governments currently support people with disability where they live. The resource aims to share this knowledge and support local governments to:

• Engage people with disability about their needs.
• Plan, implement and measure outcomes.
• Build collaborative networks and partnerships.
• Advocate within and outside the sector.
• Boost local employment.

The resource has been designed for use by all local governments across Australia. This includes small rural and large metropolitan local governments, those in growth areas and those with ageing populations. It can be used to guide thinking and decision making about how to deliver, enable or advocate for services to increase the participation of people with disability in their communities.

Director of the Institute for Public Policy and Governance and the Centre for Local Government Professor Roberta Ryan said of the research: “Throughout the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) trial period, people with disability identified community participation as one of their top three support needs, and a significant proportion of NDIS expenditure is being spent on services which enable and enhance this outcome.

“With the continued roll-out of the NDIS, the local government sector has an important role to support people with disability achieve greater social and economic participation in their community. This also presents an opportunity for local governments, as greater participation will lead to increased community expenditure and potentially generate local employment opportunities.”

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) grant funded the research, reflecting the important role local governments will play in supporting the social and economic participation of people with disability into the future, as NDIS reforms roll out.

The resource and all related materials are available at ippg.org.au.