StGiles and the Eskleigh Foundation welcome this week’s Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability public hearing to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on people with disability.

StGiles chief executive Andrew Billing said that “so far’’ the disability sector in Tasmania had been able to navigate its services within COVID-19.

“We remain interested in the effects on our mainland counterparts and eager to understand and learn from, the impacts for participants and providers interstate,” Mr Billing said.

Eskleigh’s Dan Lowe said he hoped the Commission’s COVID-19 hearing would lead towards improved safety and wellbeing for people with disability during these exceptional times.

The public hearing, which starts in Sydney today, will gather evidence from people with disability, peak advocacy groups, public health and disability experts as well as government representatives.

Commission Chair Ronald Sackville AO QC said: “We will examine whether, in preparing for and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments and other entities adequately considered measures to prevent violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of people with disability.’’

The public hearing will run from August 18-21 in Sydney.