Aged Care 

Provider Governance Obligations Updated   

The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission has updated its provider governance obligations following changes in legislation. The latest changes are focused on consumer advisory bodies and highlight the following requirements:  

• include people who are receiving care and their supporters 
• represent the different backgrounds of older people receiving care   
• support people who might find it hard to participate – this could mean providing translators and interpreters, and supporting people who are hearing and vision impaired 
• have opportunities to give feedback to the governing body on the quality of aged care provided 
• have representatives from the different services and types of care you offer. 

If you would like to find out more about these changes, please follow the link: https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/providers/provider-governance/provider-governance-obligations#consumer-advisory-bodies   

Disability Royal Commission 

Disability Royal Commission 2025 Progress Report Released  

The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has released the 2025 progress report on recommendations from the Disability Royal Commission. The report breaks down the progress of the recommendations and the split between recommendations that require federal government attention, and recommendations that require attention from state and territory governments.  

For access to the report please follow the link: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/disability-royal-commission-progress-report-2025-0  

Digital Access 

Down Syndrome Australia – Digital Champions Launched  

Down Syndrome Australia has announced its first group of 10 digital champions of people with intellectual disability. The digital champions aim to provide organisations and workers with the tools to support people with intellectual disability to be confident and safe online.  

Applications to be a digital champion are still open and if you would like to find out more, please follow the link: https://www.downsyndrome.org.au/national/about-us/our-work/digital-champions/  

Employment  

Advanced Personnel Management and Inclusive Futures Workplace Partnership  

Inclusive Futures and Advanced Personnel Management have announced a partnership agreement to research neurodivergence in the workplace. The research project will explore how organisational culture, systems and interpersonal dynamics shape decisions to disclose neurodivergence at work and the impact of the decision to do so across a person’s time at that work.  

For more information on the new project and who will be involved in the project please follow the link: https://inclusivefutures.griffith.edu.au/news/news_feed/apm-and-griffith-university-announce-new-research-partnership-on-neurodiversity-in-the-workplace 

NDIS 

Federal Government Introduces New Tougher Penalties for Bad Actors  

The Federal Government has introduced a Bill into parliament that will have tougher penalties on NDIS providers who fail to provide quality of care and safety for people who receive support.  

The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission Amendment (Integrity and Safeguarding) Bill 2025 will give the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission more powers to uphold the scheme. The Bill will also: 

• Introduce tougher penalties for misconduct and unsafe practices, including tough new penalties for serious misconduct 
• Strengthen the monitoring, compliance and enforcement powers of the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. 
• Broaden banning order powers to include auditors and consultants. 
• Introduce anti-promotion orders to restrict unscrupulous providers from promoting products or services that undermine the integrity of the NDIS. 
• Introduce a 90-day cooling off period for participants who want to leave the Scheme and make it easier to notify the NDIA. 

For more information please follow the link: https://www.ndis.gov.au/news/11013-tougher-penalties-bad-actors-under-new-ndis-bill  

Transport 

Inclusive Futures Launches Transport Equity for All Project  

Inclusive Futures has launched a new four-year project focused on transport. Transport Equity for All seeks to understand how transport equity is understood and applied in transport planning in Australia.  
The focus of the research will be on public and active transport.  

• Public Transport is bus, train, tram, light rail, ferry 
• Active Transport is walking, wheeling, rolling, cycling, riding to move around 

Inclusive Futures is looking for involvement from people 12 years and older. If you are interested in becoming involved, please follow this link: https://inclusivefutures.griffith.edu.au/hub-page/transport-equity-for-all  

Wheelchair accessible taxi travel – Christmas day incentive payment 

The Queensland Government has announced they will be providing an incentive for taxi drivers to prioritise wheelchair accessible travel on Christmas day.  
The payment for taxi drivers completing eligible Wheelchair Accessible Taxi services will be doubled from $25 to $50 per trip. 
Taxi Subsidy Scheme members that require wheelchair accessible transport on Christmas day will automatically receive this incentive. There will be no additional costs for eligible TSS members.