The 2021 Census has been hailed as a giant leap for digital accessibility in Australia, following years of design work and testing by experts and advocates, who say the online form sets a new standard for government content and has improved data quality.
When Nathan Basha was born, his parents were given three options: to “institutionalise” him, adopt him out or take him home. The decision they made was life changing. “My parents made a pact to do everything they could do to make my life as ordinary as possible,” he said.
“I think it’s really important that we do show faces like mine on TV, that maybe have eyes that don’t look like other people’s eyes,” says Nas Campanella. “We live in a community that’s made up of so many different people and TV needs to reflect that. It’s about normalising it and reflecting the community we live in.“
Commuters who use wheelchairs are taking legal action against the Victorian government and Melbourne’s tram operator over their failure to keep pace with federal standards for accessible public transport.
Whether it’s true for us or not, we all know it’s true; some people are still afraid to interact with disabled people. And being more “aware” of disability and living and working with more disabled people doesn’t always mean being comfortable with disabled people. In fact, knowing more about disability discrimination and ableism can actually raise anxiety for some of us.
Australian Human Rights Commissioner has cautioned the use of artificial intelligence in government decision-making, asking it ensure the algorithm is fair, accurate, and accountable. Santow said if an algorithm was used to make those crucial decisions at the NDIS, then the government needed to be very confident in the quality of the information being fed into the system and make sure it would be accurate, contain no errors, and be bias-free.
While marketers and content creators routinely debate and swap advice on if, when and how to use these practices, a disabled person can’t choose if, when and how to be disabled. For them, digital accessibility is a full time, lived experience.
And while the positive impacts are widespread across specific patient groups, it has been particularly beneficial for vulnerable populations, such as those accessing the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
As live music returns in much of the country, advocates and artists with disability say the industry should learn some lessons from the pandemic and build back up in a more inclusive way.
From September 2022, new homes in Australia will include accessible design features, after a meeting on 30 April saw building ministers decide to include minimum accessibility standards in the National Construction Code (NCC). After years of advocacy from seniors, people with disabilities, and advocacy groups, this is a landmark decision that will improve housing accessibility in Australia for decades to come.
The Building Ministers agreed to mandate the Livable Housing Design Silver Level as a standard for all new housing in the National Construction Code. The Gold Standard will also be included in the NCC as a ‘technical referral’ meaning states and territories can decide to upgrade to Gold voluntarily. Whilst there is still work to do to secure a mandatory Gold Standard, this is a big win for people with disability, seniors and indeed all Australians.
Diversity policies, especially when it comes to disabled people, are often created and implemented by decision makers with very different life experiences to those who their policies affect most. We would never expect economic policy to be crafted without input from economists and bankers. We should demand the same for disability policies, if we want to create the change needed to produce inclusive societies.
In Australia, many employees are living with a disability as part of their daily life. By providing the right support, employers can instil inclusive workplace practices and enhance diversity.
During the pandemic, when the world shrank, many of us walked in the bush. For someone who can’t see, it isn’t necessarily something that I can do independently. But over the years, it is something that has become important to me.
Like many parents, Jonathan Wenig was concerned about his daughter’s career path after she left school last year. Tali, 20, who has autism, faced more than the usual challenges in finding a job that would suit her.