Disability Rights update: August 2009

Other recent editions: April 2009 | February 2009 | December 2008 | October 2008 | August 2008 . Material from older editions is incorporated in the Commission's annual reports available online.

About this update

This Update from Disability Discrimination Commissioner Graeme Innes is a slightly edited version of his regular disability rights project report for meetings of the Australian Human Rights Commission. It is published as close as possible to Commission meetings, which are generally held 6 to 8 weeks apart. Events are notified first in the What´s New section of the Disability Rights home page, so check there if you want to keep fully up to date.

You can subscribe to our email list to be notified when new editions of this update are issued and when other major developments occur, by sending a blank message to join-drupdate@list.humanrights.gov.au

Your comments on any project or issue are welcome, preferably sent by e-mail. Contact us at: disabdis@humanrights.gov.au , or by mail to Disability Rights Unit, Australian Human Rights Commission, GPO Box 5218, Sydney NSW 1042.

Convention on Human Rights and Disability

For more in this area see our Convention page.

We have been discussing with government and community experts possibilities arising from the declaration of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as a relevant international instrument under the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act and have welcomed the announcement of acceptance by Australia of an additional layer of accountability for implementation of the Convention through becoming a party to the Optional Protocol to this Convention.

Commissioner Innes participated in the launch of the National Disability and Carer Council report “Shut Out” based on consultations towards a National Disability Strategy, and emphasised the need as confirmed in this report for a national strategy for implementation of the Disability Convention to cover all areas and levels of government.

Commissioner Innes has been discussing with government possibilities for participation in the forthcoming second Conference of States Parties to the Disability Convention and associated events.

Access to Premises

For more in this area see our access to premises page .

Premises Standards : Following the release of the Parliamentary report on the draft Premises Standards the Commission arranged a Roundtable involving representatives from major disability and ageing advocacy organisation and Government advisory bodies.

This Roundtable was arranged to provide representatives with an opportunity to discuss the recommendations of the committee and clarify issues relating to the process for finalising the Premises Standards.

Following the Roundtable the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations issued a statement endorsed by participants expressing support for the key recommendations of the committee and urging Government to proceed as quickly as possible to complete the Premises Standards. http://www.afdo.org.au/node/300

One of the important tasks to be completed before the Premises Standards can be tabled in Parliament is the revision of referenced technical standards located in a series of separate Australian Standards. After some delay I am pleased to report that the technical committees have now been convened and we expect them to finish their work by early November.

It was encouraging to hear the Attorney General refer to the committees report recently and say:

“The Committee also made some other important recommendations which the Government is now considering with a view to tabling the finalised standards in Parliament as soon as possible”.

Partnership with Councils : Arrangements for a partnership between the Commission and Marrickville Council in NSW has been finalised. The partnership involves the provision of a free copy of the Commission's CD The good, the bad and the ugly , to every person who makes an application to Marrickville Council for an approval to construct or renovate a commercial building.

The Commission is encouraging other Councils around Australia to follow this example and already more than a dozen Councils have agreed to participate. More details of the partnership can be found at http://humanrights.gov.au/disability_rights/buildings/good.htm

International co-operation

Australian Human Rights Commission and Pacific Disability Forum joint project Building capacity and knowledge of DPO's and government representatives in the Pacific to progress disability issues: In the lead up to the delivery of the first training session in Vanuatu in September, disability rights policy staff have been working intensively with members of the Pacific Disability Forum and other partners in the region towards the development of the training program. Importantly, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat has agreed to support this project and government representatives participating in the training program. A 3-day the training will focus on: the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; policy development; successful approaches to advocacy; and improving governance of each DPO. An audit has been conducted with all nine Disabled People's Organisations (DPO's) so that the training can be tailored to meet the needs of each DPO and country profile. The data collected is also being analysed to produce a regional snapshot .

National Inquiry into Employment and Disability

Resource for employers : A guide for employers which provides practical guidance on a range of workplace adjustments and accommodations for workers with mental illness is still in the final stages of preparation. This resource is being prepared jointly with Safe Work Australia.

National Mental and Disability Employment Strategy : Since the release in December 2008 of the Government's short paper National Mental Health and Disability Employment Strategy Update: Setting the Direction there have been a number of positive developments in specific areas addressing barriers to employment for people with disability and the review of disability employment services is still underway. No announcement however has yet been made as to when the national strategy might be released. I have written to the new Minister for Employment Participation, the Hon Mark Arbib, requesting a meeting to discuss employment of people with disability generally and the development of the National Mental Health and Disability Employment Strategy in particular.

Audio description, captioning and media access

For more in this area see our captioning and media access page.

Departmental investigation into media access: We are still awaiting the release of the Department of Broadband, Communication and the Digital Economy draft report on media access and I have written to the Minister seeking an opportunity to meet to discuss progress.

Television captioning : A recommendation will be submitted shortly for further action on the Australian Subscription Television and Radio Association application for temporary exemption and proposal for further increases in captioning levels.

Accessible public transport

Five year review of standards : The release of the report of the initial five year review of the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport continues to remain pending.

Aviation issues: Industry and community members of the Aviation Access Working Group established by the Government have responded positively to an initial framework proposed by the Commission and now being developed in detail by the Department for Infrastructure for a co-regulatory approach involving development of access compliance plans.

Bus stops: The consultation draft of our guidelines on accessible bus stops has this month been released for public comment.

Electoral access

We participated in an Australian Electoral Commission workshop earlier this month seeking means for implementation of the right to an independent and secret ballot for people with disability in the context of the disappointing response of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters to these issues.

Web accessibility

Discussions are continuing with the Australian Government Information Management Office on strategies for more effective promotion of accessible information provision by Commonwealth organisations.

Exemptions

For more in this area see our exemptions page.

Indigenous people with disability

The Aboriginal Disability Network recently held its inaugural National Leadership Workshop for Indigenous people with disability. We attended particular sessions of this important workshop and gave a presentation on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Recent meetings / speeches / media

As at 14 August 2009

Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Graeme Innes

Date	Event
20 July	Premises Standards round table, Sydney
27 July	Blind Citizens Australia re social security reform, Sydney
27 July	AusAID re inclusive development, Sydney
30 July	Aviation Access Working Group, Canberra
31 July	Disability and Age Law Reform Conference, Sydney
5 Aug	Launch Shut Out report, Melbourne
6 Aug	Alice Springs disability forums
11 Aug	AEC workshop on electoral access, Sydney
12 Aug	Council on the Ageing seminar "A Society for All Ages, Are we There Yet”: Sydney
14 Aug	Meeting China Disabled Persons Federation, Sydney

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