Robert Fitzgerald AM has been appointed NSW’s first Ageing and Disability Commissioner, tasked with protecting adults with disability and older people.
Fitzgerald served on the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse from 2013 to 2017 and has spent time as Productivity Commissioner and Community and Disability Services Commissioner.
The main role of the Commissioner will be to:
- investigate allegations of abuse, neglect and exploitation of adults with disability and older people in home and community settings
- provide support to vulnerable adults and their families or carers following an investigation
- report and make recommendations to government on systemic issues related to abuse, neglect and exploitation
- raise community awareness of abuse, neglect and exploitation, including how to prevent, identify and respond to matters
- administer the Official Community Visitors program, in relation to disability services and assisted boarding houses.
For more information, visit the https://www.facs.nsw.gov.au
