Outcome Area 2 - Inclusive Homes and Communities
People with disability live in inclusive, accessible, and well-designed homes and communities.
Action 6
Explore opportunities to increase the involvement of children with disability in sports and cultural activities, including:
- expanding the Sports Voucher program
- providing extra support for children to participate in VACSWIM
- promoting the availability of arts programs.
The Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing and Department of the Premier and Cabinet lead this action.
This action is in progress.
Progress throughout 2023
The Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing issued 667 vouchers totalling $363,000 to children with disability as part of the Sports Voucher program and had 680 registrations from children with disability in the VACSWIM program across South Australia.
The Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA) delivers the Tarnanthi exhibition annually and features Aboriginal artists with disability. In October 2023, AGSA introduced a pilot program of quiet sessions throughout the exhibition to provide a low sensory experience option for people who identify as neurodivergent.
The South Australian Museum expanded its offering of accessible programs and initiatives by providing loan sensory packs at no cost for Autistic children and young people and developed a sensory-friendly stream within its quarterly school holiday program. In addition, Lego therapy sessions in collaboration with Believe and Achieve Psychology were offered.
The Department of the Premier and Cabinet provided a sensory space, staffed by the Office for Autism, for the Autistic and autism communities attending the 2023 Multicultural Festival.
Action 7
Commence an assessment into the establishment of minimum standards for priority parks and reserves that will improve access and inclusion for people with disability and consider the feasibility of implementing any recommendations.
The Department for Environment and Water leads this action.
This action is considered completed and ongoing.
Progress throughout 2023
In 2022, the Department for Environment and Water developed an Accessibility Guideline using a tiered system. As of 2023, this guideline now provides a set of minimum standards for all parks, including priority parks, to ensure improved access and inclusion for people with disability.
Action 8
Consider Universal Design principles across State Government residential and commercial infrastructure, including:
- sport and recreation infrastructure projects to support family-friendly and accessible features
- infrastructure upgrades and redevelopment of significant public access buildings
- infrastructure maintenance across Department for Environment and Water managed land and parks
- residential construction and maintenance specifications of South Australian Housing Authority houses (and adopting the Liveable Housing Australia design guideline for all new build social housing stock).
The Department for Infrastructure and Transport, Department for Environment and Water, South Australian Housing Authority and the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing lead this action.
This action is in progress.
Progress throughout 2023
The Department for Infrastructure and Transport ensures all new and upgraded stations, interchanges and car parks adopt Universal Design principles and comply with relevant Australian Standards.
Silver Level of the Livable Housing Australia Design Guidelines (design guidelines) are being used for the South Australian Housing Authority's new builds, including the 437 new builds to be delivered through the Public Housing Improvement Program.
In 2023, 57 homes were constructed to Silver Level standard and 11 homes to Gold Level standard of the design guidelines. Plans were assessed by certifiers and the Authority's Asset Design and Planning Group, with checklists introduced for architects.
Universal Design principles are considered in the program guidelines and assessment criteria for the Community Recreation and Sport Facilities Program. Universal Design was applied for construction work, including:
- The Australian Centre for Sports Aerodynamics, Mile End (scheduled to open in 2024)
- The SASI HQ, Mile End (scheduled to open in 2024)
- The new Adelaide Aquatic Centre, North Adelaide (due for completion in 2025), with principles being used in the relocation of current stakeholders, to maximise access to other facilities.
The Department for Environment and Water is developing a Universal Design policy to further ensure that Universal Design continues to be used in the design process for both new builds and maintenance of old infrastructure within parks. Universal Design has been included in a maintenance checklist as well as the forward planning for infrastructure and maintenance schedule.
Action 9
Local council access and inclusion planning to consider consultation outcomes including:
- Incorporating Universal Design principles in criteria for all new building and public projects and planning for programs, services and events
- Developing Universal Design training plans for staff and contractors
- Reviewing availability for accessible car parks in identified areas.
The local councils lead this action.
This action is in progress.
- 30% completed and ongoing
- 67% in progress
- 3% not yet started.
Progress throughout 2023
The Campbelltown City Council has developed Accessibility Guidelines and an Accessibility Checklist for Council Parks and Reserves to embed accessibility and Universal Design principles within Council. The Council uses the Inclusive SA Accessible Events Toolkit and Checklist and the JFA Purple Orange Accessible Events Checklist.
Universal Design training was provided to 40 employees at the City of Charles Sturt. This training included site visits of recently completed and proposed projects to review and apply learnings. New accessible parking spaces were installed at Henley Beach and West Lakes Shore.
City of Tea Tree Gully, Universal Design principles are incorporated for new builds, project planning and events, including the all-inclusive playground at Edinburgh Reserve.
Action 10
Consider the installation of multi-media devices and inclusive signage at service outlets and at the front of public buildings to accommodate people with disability.
All State Government agencies and local councils lead this action.
This action is in progress.
- 15% completed and ongoing
- 55% in progress
- 30% not yet started.
Progress throughout 2023
The Department for Infrastructure and Transport Customer Information Standards guide has been developed reflecting standardised signage in places across transport modes to promote consistency.
The Yorke Peninsula Council ensures that new tourism signage contains QR codes allowing people to bring up information on their personal devices and then use software to read/interpret the information.
Action 11
Contribute to the Australian Building Code Board’s Accessible Housing Project for potential minimum accessibility standards for housing.
The Department for Trade and Investment leads this action.
This action is in progress.
Progress throughout 2023
The National Construction Code came into effect nationally in May 2023 and included provisions requiring all new housing to comply with the Silver Level standard of the Livable Housing Australia Design Guidelines.
South Australia is adopting these provisions of the code on 1 October 2024, with exemptions offered in some circumstances to allow the building industry to transition to the new standard.
Action 12
Undertake a supported decision-making project to document the wishes of Office of the Public Advocate clients who have impaired decision-making capacity.
The Attorney-General’s Department leads this action.
This action is in progress.
Progress throughout 2023
Led by the Office of the Public Advocate (OPA), My Life My Wishes is a supported decision-making pilot project for people who have a guardian to help them write down their wishes and other decision-making needs, to be in charge of their own decision making as much as possible.
Since the launch of the project in 2022, 35 OPA staff have undertaken training in the use of the My Life My Wishes document, 350 Public Advocate clients have completed a My Life My Wishes document and five Supported Decision-Making video resources were launched on the OPA website. The videos have been viewed 930 times since their launch.
Action 13
Improve the accessibility of public transport services and infrastructure, including:
- passenger notifications and ‘next stop’ information for bus services
- provisioning of accessible parking spaces at public transport locations.
The Department for Infrastructure and Transport leads this action.
This action is considered completed and ongoing.
Progress throughout 2023
All new Adelaide Metro buses are built with accessible features, such as ‘next stop’ information systems, which notify people of the next stop to alight.
In addition, all new and significantly upgraded public transport premises meet or exceed accessible car parking requirements under the Premises Standards.
Action 14
Contribute to the National Accessible Transport Taskforce and Steering Committee to reform the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002.
The Department for Infrastructure and Transport leads this action.
This action is in progress.
Progress throughout 2023
The Department for Infrastructure and Transport (DIT) has continued its representation on the National Accessible Transport Taskforce Working Groups and Steering Committee.
DIT is working with the Taskforce to develop a prioritisation tool to address upgrades associated with achieving compliance with the modernised Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport.
Action 15
Safeguard the rights of people with disability through the provision of consistent, accurate and relevant information pertaining to the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through the Royal Commission Response Unit.
The Attorney-General’s Department leads this action.
This action is considered completed and ongoing.
Progress throughout 2023
The Royal Commission Response Unit (the Response Unit) was appointed within the Attorney-General’s Department (AGD) to provide quality and timely information to the Royal Commission, and to facilitate legal representation for State Government witnesses providing evidence.
Throughout the duration of the Royal Commission, the Response Unit worked with relevant State Government agencies to respond to a total of 22 Summonses to Provide, 12 Notices to Give Information, two Notices to Produce, 11 Summonses to Appear and five Issues Papers.
The Response Unit also assisted in responding to Counsel Assisting the Royal Commission’s submissions to Public Hearings 8, 14 and 21.
The AGD also established the South Australian Government Disability Royal Commission Working Group to ensure relevant agencies were informed of the Royal Commission’s work and provided accurate and timely responses to the Royal Commission.
When the Final Report of the Royal Commission was released in September 2023, the Royal Commission Response Unit within the Attorney-General’s Department was transferred to the Department of Human Services where a team has been established to lead the response. A formal response will be released mid-2024.