Ms Jacqui Browne:

I thank Senator Flynn for her questions. The Senator was seeking clarification on the whole issue of the DPCN. We must remember, and it has been referenced a few times already this morning, that disabled people historically have been excluded. We were hardly spoken about never mind having a place at the table. However, because of, and thanks to, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, we now have a rightful place at this table and many other tables to participate and not just be heard or asked what we think.

The days are long gone when people would pat a disabled person on his or her head and ask someone else whether he or she took sugar in his or her tea. The problem is disabled people in this country still struggle with what I call disentangling historical attitudes where service providers for very large groups and organisations that provide services spoke on our behalf and represented what they believed were our needs to the Government, Departments, Ministers, politicians and, indeed, through their charity fundraising. Where service providers are associated with representing the voice of disabled people, that must stop. To be fair, some good service providers acknowledge that and are very supportive of DPOs. There are some people who really support DPOs and are very mindful to step back in order to let disabled people take their rightful place in society and talk about their own lived experiences. We referenced that in our submission last February and our opening statement today. It would be great if the committee could get their heads around that. I understand the Disability Participation and Consultation Network was invited to send representatives to attend today. The network declined because it decided that, as it was not a DPO, it was not its place to attend a meeting for DPOs. I wish to acknowledge their respectful decision.