The way forward

The Victorian Government believes that people with a disability should be able to live and participate in the life of the Victorian community, with the same rights, responsibilities and opportunities as all other citizens of Victoria.

This State Disability Plan has been developed in consultation with the Victorian community - including people with a disability, their parents, families and carers, service providers, community groups, local government, State and Commonwealth Government Departments, statutory authorities and other members of the broader community. Appendix One tells you more about these consultations.

The State Disability Plan has a ten-year outlook to 2012, and outlines the Government's vision for the future. The Plan links the issues that people have identified as being the most important to them to five priority strategies. The Government will put these priority strategies into place to enable people with a disability to participate more fully and equally in the life of the community.

A New Approach to Disability

People with a disability currently access a range of different supports and services to meet their needs; including accommodation, day programs, personal care, respite, aids and equipment, and many others. Appendix Two tells you more about these supports and services.

The Victorian Government is changing the way it approaches disability and the supports and services that people with a disability may need.

This State Disability Plan outlines a new approach to disability that is based on fundamental principles of human rights and social justice. The challenge for the Victorian Government, and the community as a whole, is to work towards making these principles a reality.

This is the first disability plan in the history of Victoria to take a whole-of-government and whole-of-community approach to disability. It is the first Plan that looks at all aspects of life for people with a disability -including disability supports, health and community services, recreation, education, employment, transport and housing.

This is also the first Plan to address the needs of people with a range of different types of disabilities; that is, people with intellectual, physical and sensory disabilities, acquired brain injury, and neurological impairments.

In doing so, this Plan offers potential benefits to all Victorians who have a disability, and to the Victorian community as a whole.

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