What is the Disability Royal Commission? Easy English guide

Your Story Disability Legal Support wrote this guide. When you see the word ‘we’, it means Your Story Disability Legal Support.

We wrote this fact sheet in an easy to read way. We use pictures to explain some ideas.

We have written some words in bold. This means the letters are thicker and darker.

We explain what these words mean. There is a list of these words on page 13.

This Easy Read fact sheet is a summary of another fact sheet. This means it only includes the most important ideas.

You can find the other guide on our website at www.yourstorydisabilitylegal.org.au

You can ask for help to read this guide. A friend, family member or support person may be able to help you.

A royal commission is how the government looks into a big problem.

It can help us find out what:

• went wrong

• can be fixed.

The Disability Royal Commission is about how people with disability experience:

• violence — when someone treats you badly

• abuse — when someone hurts or threatens you

• neglect— when someone is not helping you the way they are supposed to help you

• exploitation — when someone takes advantage of you.

The Disability Royal Commission wants to find out:

• what has happened to people with disability

• how to keep people with disability safe

• how to make things better for people with disability.

The Disability Royal Commission needs information from people with disability.

When you give information to the Disability Royal Commission, you can share:

• your story
• ideas about how things should change.

We can support you to share your story with the Disability Royal Commission.

We can support you to work out what you want to say.

We can support you to stay safe when you tell your story.

We can connect you with other supports.

If we support you to share your story, you don’t have to pay for our services.

It’s a good idea to get legal advice before you share.

We can give you free legal advice if you need it.

We can connect you with:

• disability advocates

• counselling support.

Advocates are people who help you:

• understand your rights
• make decisions
• have your say

Rights are rules about how everyone should be treated fairly.

Counselling support is when you:

• talk to someone about how you think and feel
• talk about ways to help you feel better.

If you’re an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person, we can support you to share your story.

You can contact us:

• by phone 1800 77 1800

• on our website.
www.yourstorydisabilitylegal.org.au

We can organise an interpreter for you if you need one.

An interpreter is someone who:

• speaks the language you speak
• can help you understand what someone is saying.

You can use the National Relay Service if you:

• are Deaf or hard of hearing

You can use the National Relay Service if you:

• need support to talk.

You can contact the National Relay Service by phone. 133 677

Abuse

Abuse is when someone treats you badly.

Advocate

Advocates are people who help you:

have your say

give you information and advice.

Counselling support

Counselling support is when you:

talk to someone about how you think and feel

talk about ways to help you feel better.

Exploitation

Exploitation is when someone takes advantage of you.

Interpreter

An interpreter is someone who:

speaks the language you speak

can help you understand what someone is saying.

Neglect

Neglect is when someone is not helping you the way they are supposed to help you.

Rights

Rights are rules about how everyone should be treated fairly.

Royal commission

A royal commission is how the government looks into a big problem.

Violence

Violence is when someone hurts or threatens you.

1800 77 1800

yourstorydisability@legalaid.qld.gov.au

Your Story Disability Legal Support
PO Box K847
Haymarket
NSW 1238

www.yourstorydisabilitylegal.org.au

The Information Access Group created this Easy Read document using stock photography and custom images. The images may not be reused without permission. For any enquiries about the images, please visit www.informationaccessgroup.com. Quote job number 4135-B