Part 1: Development of the Strategy

A broad range of stakeholders across the public and private sector and those with lived experience contributed to the development of the Strategy. Organisations and individuals were generous with their time, experience, insights and personal stories. Input came from a broad range of sources:

  • APS departments and agencies, and state and territory jurisdictions who provided insight into how employees with disability are supported in their respective agencies through networks, initiatives and avenues for feedback:
    • APS Disability Champions Network
    • Diversity and inclusion committees and working groups
    • APS Human Resource (HR) and Corporate areas
    • APS employee disability networks
  • Regular dialogue with Dr Ben Gauntlett, Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Australian Human Rights Commission.
  • Advocacy groups, peak bodies and other disability related organisations. These organisations provided key perspectives from people with disability in the broader Australian community, on current approaches, best practice, and preferred language with regard to disability employment matters.
  • Disability Employment Service providers for insight into the requirements of people with disability seeking employment.
  • Focus groups (in collaboration with Department of Veterans’ Affairs) for input from those with lived experience and those supervising people with disability within the APS:
    • APS managers and supervisors - 19 agencies represented
    • APS employees with disability - 29 agencies represented
  • Online survey of APS employees (in collaboration with Comcare) for input on best practice and challenges for people with disability in the APS.
  • Workshops with young people with disability (in collaboration with Australian Human Rights Commission) in Sydney and Melbourne. These focused on young people seeking employment and their perspectives of what they need and look for in an employer.
Graphic displaying broad range of stakeholders who contributed to the development of the Strategy. Over 2,000 APS employees surveyed and 29 advocate groups and peak bodies

‘The employment of people with disability throughout all levels of the APS should not be seen as exceptional – rather, it reflects the APS’ commitment to retaining talented people. Employing people with disability ensures the policies developed by public servants are informed by lived experience and are beneficial for all Australians.’- Dr Ben Gauntlett, Disability Discrimination Commissioner 

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