The Law Handbook 2024

Chapter 8.2: Disability: Asserting your rights 801 For more information about the NDIS Commission, visit www.ndiscommission.gov.au. For the NDIS Commission’s contact details, see ‘Contacts’ at the end of this chapter. Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission The Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission (MHWC) is an independent statutory entity established under the Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022 (Vic). It holds government to account for the performance, quality and safety of Victoria’s mental health and wellbeing system. The Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission: • supports people with lived experience to lead and partner in reform and play a key role in leading actions to reduce stigma related to mental health. • provides a system-monitoring and oversight role, handles complaints, conducts investigations, and promotes effective complaint handling by publicly funded Mental Health and Wellbeing Service Providers (Vic); • publishes reports on the performance, quality and safety of the mental health and wellbeing system and works to improve the mental health and wellbeing of Victorians. For more information about the MHWC visit mhwc.vic.gov.au. For the MHWC’s contact details, see ‘Contacts’ at the end of this chapter. Equal opportunity commissions It is unlawful to discriminate against any person who has, or has previously had, a disability in the area of: • employment (including matters concerning an application for employment, dismissal, terms and benefits of employment, training and promotion); • provision of goods and services (including banking, retailing, insurance and entertainment); • education; • clubs and community organisations (if receiving government assistance or on government land); • accommodation; • sport; • local government; • administration of Commonwealth laws and programs; and • disposal of land. There are exceptions to these. If you believe you have been discriminated against because of a disability, it is advisable to contact the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission or the Australian Human Rights Commission. (For further information, see Chapter 11.1: Discrimination and human rights.) Contacts AED Legal Centre Suite 1, Level 9, 45 William Street, Melbourne Vic 3000 Tel: 9639 4333 Email: aedlegal@aed.org.au Web: www.aed.org.au Disability Advocacy Resource Unit (DARU) Level 8, 128 Exhibition Street, Melbourne Vic 3000 Tel: 9639 5807 Email: admin@daru.org.au Web: www.daru.org.au Disability Discrimination Legal Service (DDLS) Ross House, Second floor, 247 Flinders Lane, Melbourne Vic 3000 Tel: 9654 8644; 1300 882 872 (country callers) Email: info@ddls.org.au Web: www.ddls.org.au Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA) 570 Bourke Street, Melbourne Vic 3000 Tel (admin): 9093 3701 Tel (support line): 1300 947 820 Email: contact@imha.vic.gov.au Web: www.imha.vic.gov.au Mental Health Legal Centre Building 152, 147 Pelham Street, Carlton Vic 3053 Tel: 9629 4422; 1800 555 887 Web: https://mhlc.org.au NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission Tel: 1800 035 544 Web: www.ndiscommission.gov.au