Request for input for DDA tenth anniversary publication
I am writing to invite your input for a publication which I propose to issue for the tenth anniversary of Australia's federal Disability Discrimination Act entering into force in March 1993.
This publication is intended to recognise areas of achievement, as well as areas where more remains to be done towards achieving equality of access and opportunity for members of the Australian community who have a disability.
I would very much appreciate any information you are able to contribute for the purpose of this publication on achievements towards equality for people with disabilities over the last 10 years in which your organisation has been involved.
The proposed publication will of course include information on those outcomes where HREOC has been directly involved, both through the conciliation process and through other avenues provided by the legislation (including negotiations connected with standards development, exemption processes and public inquiries).
I am also conscious, however, that there have been many other achievements in moving towards equal access and opportunity for people with disabilities in Australia over the last decade, where HREOC does not have as much detailed information.
In particular (and without of course seeking to appropriate to HREOC credit rightly due to others) I would like a ten year stocktake publication to include information on
- achievements through use of State and Territory legislation
- achievements by voluntary action by employers and service providers, not all of which has been through lodging a formal action plan with HREOC and reporting on progress in implementing such a plan
- achievements across Australia at the local level.
It could also be useful to include reflections on areas where more work
is needed for the future, and I would welcome contributions in this respect.
I look forward to any information you are able to contribute towards this project. If you wish to discuss it further please contact Mr David Mason, Director of disability rights policy for HREOC, by email at disabdis@humanrights.gov.au .
Yours sincerely
Dr Sev Ozdowski OAM
Acting Disability Discrimination Commissioner
23 October 2002
