Queensland disability council seats remain vacant almost one year on

A crucial advisory body for the Queensland government, the Queensland Disability Advisory Council (QDAC), has remained inactive for almost a year, leaving a gap in advice on disability-related matters. The council's term concluded last August, and the process for appointing new members is ongoing.

According to her disclosed diaries, the embattled Disability Minister Amanda Camm last convened with the group in June 2025. Established under the 2006 Disability Services Act, QDAC comprises 14 members with lived experience of disability and representatives from leading advocacy organizations. The disability minister holds the authority to appoint members and dissolve the committee at any time.

Jeramy Hope, chief executive of the Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) Alliance and a member of the New South Wales Disability Council, highlighted the essential function of advisory groups. "People with disability can be an afterthought," Hope stated, emphasizing that advisory committees provide a vital platform for the disability community to convey their perspectives, opinions, and knowledge to state governments.

“

People with disability can be an afterthought.

Minister Camm indicated in June that expressions of interest had been circulated to current Queensland council members, and potential new members had been identified. She confirmed that the screening process for these new appointees is currently underway. The ABC has learned that an announcement regarding a renewed council and its terms of reference is expected soon.

During the 2024-25 financial year, the disability council met four times, offering advice on issues including the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), the disability royal commission, and state-based agency service plans. The department's latest annual report states, "The department actively seeks the perspectives of people with disability through the Queensland Disability Advisory Council." This comes at a time when the federal government has announced significant NDIS reforms and Queensland is the only state not to have signed up for the "Thriving Kids" program, an alternative NDIS initiative for some children with autism.

“

The department actively seeks the perspectives of people with disability through the Queensland Disability Advisory Council.