Disability Reform Ministerial Council

Purpose and role 

Commonwealth and state and territory ministers with responsibility for disability policy meet regularly through the Disability Reform Ministerial Council (DRMC). The DRMC reports to National Cabinet, signifying the importance government places on matters affecting people with disability. 

The DRMC discusses ways to improve and implement policy through: 

• Australia’s Disability Strategy (ADS) 
• the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). 

The DRMC is the Ministerial Council for the purposes of the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (Cth)(Opens in a new tab/window). 

Membership 

These are the current DRMC members. You can find out more about their jurisdiction, portfolio and contact details. 

The Hon Bill Shorten MP(Opens in a new tab/window) (Commonwealth) 

The Hon Amanda Rishworth MP(Opens in a new tab/window) (Commonwealth) 

The Hon Kate Washington MP(Opens in a new tab/window) (NSW) 

The Hon Lizzie Blandthorn MP(Opens in a new tab/window) (VIC) 

The Hon Amanda Camm MP(Opens in a new tab/window) (QLD) 

The Hon Don Punch MLA(Opens in a new tab/window) (WA) 

The Hon Nat Cook MP(Opens in a new tab/window) (SA) 

The Hon Joanne Palmer MLC(Opens in a new tab/window) (TAS) 

Suzanne Orr MLA(Opens in a new tab/window) (ACT) 

The Hon Jinson Charls(Opens in a new tab/window) (NT) 

Communiques 

DRMC meetings 2024

• Communique 6 December 2024
• Communique 1 November 2024
• Communique 30 August 2024
• Communique 28 June 2024 
• Communique 9 February 2024 

DRMC meetings 2023

• Communique 3 November 2023 
• Communique 23 June 2023 
• Communique 21 April 2023 
• Communique 10 February 2023 

DMRC meetings 2022

• Communique 13 December 2022 
• Communique 21 October 2022 
• Communique 9 September 2022 
• Communique 29 July 2022 
• Communique 17 June 2022 
• Communique 18 March 2022 

DRMC meetings 2021

• Communique 10 December 2021 
• Communique 3 December 2021 
• Communique 15 October 2021 
• Communique 13 August 2021
• Communique 9 July 2021 
• Communique 15 April 2021

DRMC meetings 2020 

• Communique 4 December 2020

Disability ministers meetings 

• Statement 24 July 2020 – disability ministers meeting 
• Communique 11 May 2020 – disability ministers meeting 

Previous Disability Reform Council meetings 

Visit the National Library’s Australian Government Web Archive for Disability Reform Council communiques(Opens in a new tab/window) from 18 December 2013 to 9 April 2020. 

Related reports and publications 

Read about:

• disability policy reforms, including the Disability Reform Roadmap (with an Easy Read version)
• NDIS review and reforms(Opens in a new tab/window), including:
  • the report of the NDIS review(Opens in a new tab/window) on the NDIS Review website
  • NDIS Market Roles and Responsibilities(Opens in a new tab/window)
  • the Applied Principles and Tables of Support to Determine the Responsibilities of the NDIS and other Service Systems(Opens in a new tab/window)
• the Review of NDIA actuarial forecast model and drivers of Scheme costs(Opens in a new tab/window) (with an Easy Read version)
• Specialist Disability Accommodation reforms, including:
  • Disability Reform Council response to Recommendations
  • Specialist Disability Accommodation Pricing and Payments Framework Review: Final Report
  • Specialist Disability Accommodation Pricing and Payments Framework.