Outcome area 2: Rights protection, justice and legislation

NDS policy outcome: People with disability have their rights promoted, upheld and protected.

This outcome includes statutory protections such as anti-discrimination measures, complaints mechanisms, advocacy, the electoral and justice systems. It is linked to improving recognition and response to people with disability across Tasmania’s justice system through the Disability Justice Plan for Tasmania 2017-2020.

Where we are:

We have already:

  • Developed training courses on disability awareness
  • Developed an Equity and Diversity Policy which includes an Introduction to the Anti-Discrimination Act 1998
  • Developed an online feedback mechanism for people with disability to provide comment and suggestions on barriers
  • Upgraded the SMS service used by people with disability to contact police

We will continue to:

  • Provide mandatory equity and diversity training to ensure front-line police officers understand and respect the rights of people with disability
  • Provide equity and diversity training to DPFEM State Service Employees
  • Provide investigator training which includes guidance on interviewing people with disability and mock vulnerable witness interviews
  • Support access/referral to Gateway Services for use by DPFEM employees and for emergency reference use within the call and dispatch area
  • Support the SMS assist service for people who may have communication difficulties to contact police through mobile SMS
  • Review and update the curriculum of the Police Recruit Course to include best practise training on interacting with those with disability
  • Engage with the Centre for Investigative Interviewing to ensure best practise interviewing techniques are adopted by Tasmania Police

Emerging issues:

  • Information sharing regarding the disability status of alleged offenders in the justice system has been highlighted as an action in the Disability Justice Plan for Tasmania 2017-2020. This will need to consider issues around privacy and disclosure.

Actions

Number: 2.1
Output/brief description: Review the Interacting with People with Disability Guideline which was developed in 2014. This guideline aims to assist Tasmania Police to deal with all persons in a professional, fair and equitable manner.
Outcome: Updated guideline.
Who (lead): Manager, Policy Development and Research Services.
Key dates/milestones: Updates completed by Dec 2019.
Comments: Action 16 – Disability Justice Plan.

Number: 2.2
Output/brief description: Support the implementation of the Diversity and Inclusion Policy and Framework and Workplace Adjustment Policy template through the
development/consolidation of agency policies/procedures.
Outcome: Updated and developed policies align with Diversity and Inclusion Policy.
Who (lead): Manager, Policy Development and Research Services.
Key dates/milestones: Policies updated and developed as required.
Comments: This is a whole of government initiative, developed by the Department of Premier and Cabinet.

Number: 2.3
Output/brief description: Consult with PDAC or relevant disability specialist in relation to policy changes impacting people with disability.
Outcome: Consultation on all relevant projects.
Who (lead): Commander, Strategy and Support.
Key dates/milestones: Policies updated and developed as required.
Comments:

Number: 2.4
Output/brief description: Provide equity and diversity training to all police recruits.
Outcome: 100% of police recruits complete equity and diversity training.
Who (lead): Course Directors.
Key dates/milestones: Completed by graduation of each police recruit course.
Comments: Action 17 – Disability Justice Plan Expected dates of police recruit courses  cannot be identified until the 2018-2021 courses have been mapped as per Government election commitments to increase police numbers.

Number: 2.5
Output/brief description: Provide interviewing vulnerable witnesses/suspects training to all police recruits.
Outcome: 100% of police recruits trained in how to appropriately support people with disability.
Who (lead): Course Directors.
Key dates/milestones: Training will be added to curriculum by December 2018.
Comments: Action 17 – Disability Justice Plan.

Number: 2.6
Output/brief description: Provide Regional Fire Investigators with access to Police investigator interviewing training.
Outcome: 100% of Regional Fire Investigators trained.
Who (lead): Tasmania Fire Service.
Key dates/milestones: August 2019
Comments: Contact/lead person to be agreed.

Number: 2.7
Output/brief description: Review and update the Equity and Diversity Policy, so that it applies to the whole Department (current policy is for police and emergency management only).
Outcome: Updated policy applicable for all of DPFEM.
Who (lead): Equity and Diversity Coordinator.
Key dates/milestones: Completed by December 2018.
Comments:

Number: 2.8
Output/brief description: Review the accessibility of information regarding family violence for people with a disability.
Outcome: Accessible information regarding family violence for those with disability.
Who (lead): Equity and Diversity Coordinator.
Key dates/milestones: Completed by June 2018.
Comments: Action 10 – Disability Justice Plan.

Number: 2.9
Output/brief description: Increase awareness of the operational requirement to advise prosecution of any known disability status of alleged offenders.
Outcome: Increased awareness of disability status.
Who (lead): Manager, Policy Development and Research Services.
Key dates/milestones: Completed by June 2019
Comments: Actions 2 and 18 – Disability Justice Plan