If you haven't already, read what the proposed principles are here: NDRP principles. Below is a summary of what we heard when consulting about the principles. The working party has taken this all into consideration and will release revised principles for feedback soon.

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Independence

• Independence from government is key. This could be successfully managed with the right governance arrangements.

• It would be helpful to clarify what is meant by the critical success factor ‘independent of government,’ given that the proposed model includes core funding by government.

• The independence of the NDRP from government needs to be unpacked. The NDRP will provide a critical resource to inform future policy work of government and its relationship to government and its policy priorities needs careful consideration.
   

Human rights

• Focus of research should be human rights based. The NDRP needs to frame its work in the context of the international human rights treaties to which Australia is a party, not just the UNCRPD.
   

Principle 1: Deliver high quality, collaborative research

• It is important to be explicit that a critical outcome of the NDRP is not to undertake the research itself but to produce a national infrastructure to invest in research/researchers to ensure a transparent and equitable approach to the distribution of funds. To enable this, principles such as ‘standards to inform the access of funds’ ‘research integrity’ and ‘equity’ are recommended.

• “world leading” is perhaps less important than having real, measurable impact. 
   

Principle 2: Recognise the knowledge of people with disability in research

• To strengthen the centrality of people with disability to the NDRP this principle could be listed as the first principle rather than the second. 

• A reference to the power and value of engaging user led group such as self advocacy groups and peak organisations led by people with disability in the research process may also be beneficial.  

• Can we also include the word ‘friends’ as well as ‘family, caregivers and supporters’?

• There was some concern that the first point “research by and with people with disabilities” excludes people with cognitive impairments, and research about children.
   

Principle 3: Value all forms of knowledge 

• Theory of Knowledge is important in this context, some ‘ways of knowing’ may not yet be ‘evidence-based’ (in an academic context) but are so critically important. There needs to be more respect for ‘different ways of knowing’, it’s not just about academics or hierarchies of ‘knowledge production’. People who live in segregated settings are just as important in research and ‘knowledge production’ and they need to be respected.

• While we note the value of all forms of knowledge, the conduct of high-quality research should be encouraged and funded to allow the sector to used evidence with confidence.
   

Principle 4: Build research capacity

• Important to also build capacity for evaluation (as different from research)