Accessible communities

The accessibility of the built environment, quality services and information is key to ensuring people living with disability are included and have the opportunity to equally participate in all aspects of community life. It is our aim to increase accessibility to public and community infrastructure, transport, services, information, sport and recreation and the greater community.

Key words

Built environment, Universal Design, health, wellness, access to services, transport, housing, belonging, community.

‘I’ statements

• I can live the life I want in my community
• I am included and can access everything I need
• I can access the information I need.

Priorities

Priority 7: Universal Design across South Australia

Priority 8: Accessible and available information

Priority 9: Access to services

Quotes from the consultation

Priority 7: Universal Design across South Australia

Actions

16. Elevate the design quality of South Australia’s built environment and public realms through promoting design quality policy and the principles of Universal Design.
17. Explore the feasibility of adopting Universal Design procedures across State Government (as currently used by the Department of the Premier and Cabinet) in the design, construction, maintenance and procurement of all workplace environments, customer environments, systems, intranets and websites, and programs and policies. This will include:
    • applying Universal Design principles to sport and recreation infrastructure projects to support family-friendly and accessible facilities
    • considering Universal Design principles in infrastructure works and maintenance across the Department for Environment and Water managed land, infrastructure and parks
    • adopting Liveable Housing Australia design guidelines for all new-build social housing stock
    • considering incorporating Universal Design principles in residential construction and maintenance specifications for SA Housing Authority houses
    • improving access for people living with disability in the redevelopment of the Sir Samuel Way and Supreme Court buildings.

18. Contribute to the national conversation on the possibility of introducing Silver or Gold-level Liveable Housing standards for all new housing to be applied through the National Construction Code from 2022.
19. 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
    • review of availability of accessible car parks.

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Priority 8: Accessible and available information

Actions

20. Create the Inclusive SA website (and consider other communication media) to provide key resources for people living with disability and the community to raise awareness about disability.
21. Develop a toolkit to support State authorities to ensure communication about their services is available in a range of accessible formats. These may include easy read, Auslan, pictorial forms, large font, audible options, Braille, closed captions and VoiceOver.
22. Improve online accessibility of State Government websites, including through implementation of the Online Accessibility Policy and related guidelines.

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Priority 9: Access to services

Actions

23. Continue to work collaboratively with the Commonwealth Government and the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) to develop strategies to support a diverse disability workforce, including within regional South Australia.
24. Further develop Auslan interpreter capacity (by drawing on people with lived experience).
25. Develop and promote a toolkit for signage, wayfinding and multimedia devices for State authorities to support deaf, hard of hearing, blind, vision-impaired or hearing-impaired persons.
26. State authorities to consider including in their infrastructure maintenance and upgrade schedules the installation of signs on the front of public buildings indicating disability access (where this has been assessed by an accredited access consultant) and installation of multimedia devices in queues at service outlets to include people who are deaf, hard of hearing, vision-impaired or blind.
27. Implement the Canine Court Companion pilot project to provide increased practical support and assistance to vulnerable victims and prosecution witnesses involved with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
28. Continue to work with the Commonwealth Government to reform the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002.
29. Ensure the state-owned bus fleet is accessible, including disability awareness training for frontline public transport staff and the consideration of voice systems in buses that notify people of the next stop.
30. Promote liaison and communication links between health services and disability support services, and improve the continuity of supports, including psychosocial supports, during hospitalisation.
31. Consider establishing minimum standards for priority parks and reserves (including coasts, heritage places and Crown land) that improve access and inclusion for people living with disability and implement a program of priority actions, including exemplar visitor experiences.

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Quotes from the consultation

• “Educate the community about ABILITY”
• “Everyone has different abilities. Make sure everyone has the opportunity to use their abilities”.

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