Attitudes Matter: Findings from a national survey of community attitudes towards disability in Australia

Our new report summarises the findings from the national survey Attitudes Matter – Community Attitudes toward People with Disability in Australia.

Attitudes are a major concern for Australians with disability. They are related to disability-based discrimination and social exclusion, which in turn impact the health and wellbeing of people with disability, our new study shows.

Disability advocates in Australia have pushed for action to improve community attitudes for years, with the aim of achieving a more equitable and inclusive society for people with disability.

Our report Attitudes Matter provides a comprehensive view of individual beliefs and community perceptions that influence how people behave towards people with disability.

Over 2000 Australians participated in the survey, the first national survey of its kind, about what they think about disability in the workplace, at school and in public.

The results are thematically structured around common beliefs, attitudes about personal lives and choices, behaviours towards people with disability and inclusion of people with disability.

To find out more about the study, visit the website

Both reports can be downloaded below and Easy read versions are also available

National Survey Victorian Survey


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Dr Georgina Sutherland

georgina.sutherland@unimelb.edu.au