Disability Human Rights in Australia

Interpreting and Implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Australia

Degree type

PhD

Closing date

27 March 2023

Campus

Hobart

Citizenship requirement

Domestic/International

About the research project

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (the CRPD) has been in force for almost 15 years and in that time has spurred major legal and policy reform in Australia and around the world. Serious human rights concerns persist for people with disability in many areas of life, however, and the implementation of the CRPD to address these concerns continues to be piecemeal. For instance:

  • access to support and care services through the NDIS is unavailable, inaccessible or inadequate for many people;
  • people with disability often have limited say in where and how they live, and many are subject to coercive and restrictive treatment in mental health and disability service settings; and
  • people with disability and their families experience higher rates of economic insecurity than others in the community due to both the inaccessibility of employment and the declining availability of income support.

This project would investigate the interpretation and implementation (through law, policy and practice) of the CRPD in Australia to address one or more outstanding disability human rights concerns. The project will be conducted in close collaboration with people with disability and their representative organisations, in keeping with article 4 of the CRPD and the global disability rights movement’s credo, ‘nothing about us without us’.

Primary Supervisor

Meet Prof Tim McCormack

Funding

Applicants will be considered for a Research Training Program (RTP) scholarship or Tasmania Graduate Research Scholarship (TGRS) which, if successful, provides:

  • a living allowance stipend of $31,500 per annum (2023 rate, indexed annually) for 3.5 years
  • a relocation allowance of up to $2,000
  • a tuition fees offset covering the cost of tuition fees for up to four years (domestic applicants only)

If successful, international applicants will receive a University of Tasmania Fees Offset for up to four years.

As part of the application process you may indicate if you do not wish to be considered for scholarship funding.

Eligibility

Applicants should review the Higher Degree by Research minimum entry requirements.

Additional eligibility criteria specific to this project/scholarship:

  • Applicants must be able to undertake the project on-campus

Selection Criteria

The project is competitively assessed and awarded.  Selection is based on academic merit and suitability to the project as determined by the College.

Application process

There is a three-step application process:

  1. Select your project, and check you meet the eligibility and selection criteria;
  2. Contact the Primary Supervisor, Prof Tim McCormack, to discuss your suitability and the project's requirements; and
  3. Submit an application by the closing date listed above.
    • Copy and paste the title of the project from this advertisement into your application. If you don’t correctly do this your application may be rejected.
    • As part of your application, you will be required to submit a covering letter, a CV including 2 x referees and your project research proposal.

Following the application closing date applications will be assessed within the College. Applicants should expect to receive notification of the outcome by email by the advertised outcome date.

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