Why we need a Disability Access and Inclusion Plan

Our City should be a place where everyone feels at home. But for the thousands of people living with disability, along with their families and carers, daily life can still present challenges.

Over the past five years, our Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2021 - 2025 (DAIP) has helped guide improvements to buildings, public spaces, programs, and understanding of disability and inclusion among our own staff. But we can always do better. With an updated statewide Inclusion Plan being implemented this year, we have now created a brand new draft DAIP for our city.

Have your say on our new draft Plan

Back in July and August 2025, we asked for your help to create our new draft Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP). We refer to this as Stage One of our community and stakeholder engagement process.

We have now prepared our draft DAIP and we're checking back in with you to see if we got it right. This forms Stage Two of our community and stakeholder engagement process.

In our Draft Plan you will find:

• 7 Commitments
• 57 Actions - actions are grouped under the themes in our Community Vision.

Read our new Draft Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2026 - 2030, Fact Sheet, and Easy Read Booklet.

Have your say by Friday 23 January 2026.

• Take our Quick Poll if you only have 1 minute.
• Complete our online survey if you have 5-10 minutes.
• Complete our hardcopy survey (available in the Document Library on this page, and at our Libraries).
• Prepare your own written submission.

Many people experience multiple types of disability concurrently.

There are several ways that society has responded to disability over the years. Our approach is underpinned by the Social and Human Rights Models of disability, which recognise that disability is not caused by an individual’s impairment, but by the physical, attitudinal, and systemic barriers created by society.

Exact statistics surrounding disability can be difficult to ascertain, but the most recent Census data (2021, https://www.abs.gov.au/census) and results of the National Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (2022, https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/disabilit...) tells us disability affects many people, their families, and their caregivers.

The barriers to full social participation that people with disability face are also reflected in the experiences of many older people.

Furthermore, mental health conditions affect 45% of Australians over their lifetimes. These can constitute disability when they substantially impact major life activities.