Public hearings were held in Sydney from Tuesday 18 to Friday 21 August 2020. The hearing was closed to the public, but was live streamed on the Royal Commission website.
Noting the Royal Commission’s Statement of Concern released on 26 March 2020 about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people with disability, and Issues Paper on Emergency Planning, the hearing highlighted the experiences of people with disability during the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic.
The virtual hearing heard from 36 witnesses, including 12 people with disability. Advocates, disability representative organisations, academics, experts, service providers and Commonwealth representatives gave evidence.