The federal government last week released the report of the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability, which painted a confronting picture and recorded the calls of disabled people “for a more inclusive Australia”.

The commission made more than 220 recommendations, and was conducted at a cost to the taxpayer of $600 million. But commissioners split on the key issues of special schools and group housing for people with disabilities, causing immediate controversy.

In this podcast, the Greens spokesman on disability, Jordon Steele-John, who campaigned for the royal commission, joins The Conversation to discuss the report, and also to canvass the NDIS, which is under review in another inquiry.

Mentioned in this episode:

The Making of an Autocrat

Search: "The Conversation Weekly" for our new series. Is America watching its democracy unravel in real time? In The Making of an Autocrat from The Conversation, six of the world’s pre-eminant scholars reveal the recipe for authoritarian rule. From capturing a party, to controlling the military, Donald Trump is borrowing from the playbook of strongmen thoughout history. This is the story of how democracies falter — and what might happen next.

Your support matters

Support non-profit journalism you can trust.

Donations 2025

No Spin News - TPM Edition - January 30, 2026

Bill O’Reilly’s No Spin News and Analysis

Audience Types and Media Critique

The AI-powered Podcast Player