Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031 Outcomes Framework: First annual report

Why is this outcome area important?

Positive community attitudes play a pivotal role in ensuring people with disability are included and supported to participate in all aspects of society. People with disability report the greatest barriers they face are stigma, unconscious bias and a lack of understanding of disability. Changing community attitudes, both social and professional, will provide more choice and independence, and lead to better support, improved treatment and more respect for people with disability (Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031).

What are the policy priorities?

1. Employer attitudes to employing people with disability: Employers value the contribution people with disability make to the workforce, and recognise the benefits of employing people with disability.
2. Key sector attitudes to people with disability: Key professional workforces are able to confidently and positively respond to people with disability.
3. People with disability in leadership roles: Increase representation of people with disability in leadership roles.
4. Value and respect for people with disability: Improving community attitudes to positively impact on policy priorities under the Strategy.

Launch measures

There were no appropriate data sources available at launch to support reporting of the 4 community attitude measures.

Future measures

Data for the community attitudes measures listed in Table 8.1 will come from the Strategy Survey. Data collection for the Strategy Survey began in September 2022 and will conclude in January 2023. Data compilation will occur at the start of 2023, followed by analysis from March to June 2023 and integration into the Outcomes Framework by September 2023.