14 April 2009
Build for Life housing initiative welcomed
Australian Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Graeme Innes, today congratulated the Victorian Government on its announcement of the Build for Life awareness campaign, which will include consideration of mandating greater accessibility in new housing developments.
The announcement by Planning Minister, Justin Madden, and Minister for Community Services and Senior Victorians, Lisa Neville, commits the Government to assessing the impact of requiring a number of low-cost, or no-cost, design features. These include step-free entry, wider doorways and hallways and a bathroom on the ground floor which could be fitted out with access features in the future.
“With this initiative, the Victorian Government is taking action to face a reality which most of us try to avoid - we're getting older,” Commissioner Innes said.
By 2050 more than 26 percent of the population will be over 65, and almost eight percent will be over 85. As people live longer, they are living a greater part of their life with a disability - on average for almost 20 years.
One of the consequences of aging is that the need for more accessibility in our housing increases and, as a result, either costly modifications need to be undertaken, or people have to move to find housing that meets their needs. This involves even greater economic and social cost.
“Designing houses and apartment blocks to include these features will mean that more and more people will be able to stay in their homes as their needs change,” Commissioner Innes said. “It will also mean that people with a disability will have more options to meet their housing needs and find it easier to visit family and friends.
“To put it simply, in the context of our changing demography, housing that does not meet our needs as our needs change is just not sustainable,” said Mr Innes.
Commissioner Innes said he would like to see this initiative taken up by all governments throughout Australia.
“Victorians are not the only ones who are getting more and more candles on that cake each year,” he said.
For further information on the Australian Human Rights Commission’s call for a national housing strategy to improve accessibility see www.humanrights.gov.au/disability_rights/speeches/2006/housing.htm
Media contact: Brinsley Marlay 02 9284 9656 or 0430 366 529
