3 December 1999
Room for improvement - report card on public sector websites
Many public sector web sites are difficult to access for people with disabilities or without high-end computers, according to a new study by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.
As part of an inquiry requested by the Federal Attorney-General into the difficulties faced by older Australians and people with a disability in accessing new information and service technologies, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission has conducted preliminary tests on Commonwealth Government web sites.
"The Prime Minister pledged back in 1997 that all government services would be online by 2001. As this new study shows, online does not yet mean 'within reach'," says the Attorney-General.
"On this, the International Day of People with Disabilities, it is appropriate that government bodies nationally recommit themselves to making the benefits of the information age available to all Australians."
The study finds that:
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many Commonwealth sites present significant barriers to disabled users and those without access to high-speed connections and up-to-date computers.
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most sites fail to cater for people who are blind or suffer vision impairment. Many sites also take too long to download on a standard computer system, which seriously disadvantages anyone who cannot afford the latest high-speed equipment.
The good news is that most access barriers are relatively easy to fix. Sites that offer text-only alternatives, for instance, are faster to download and can be translated into voice access for people with vision impairment.
The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission has acknowledged that its own website did not pass all the tests for accessibility. The Commission is bringing its site in line with the standards developed in its own study, and encourages other government departments to follow suit.
"I am confident that the findings and recommendations of the Commission's study will only serve to encourage government departments to remedy any shortcomings in their internet services and make them accessible to all existing and prospective users," said the Attorney-General.
In the near future, websites that remain inaccessible to technologically-disadvantaged groups are likely to become the target of formal anti-discrimination complaint procedures.
The next stage of the Commission's web accessibility study will be to examine web sites in the private sector.
For information please call Margie Cook on (02) 9284 9677 or 0418 637 230.
Last updated 2 December 2001.
