From the Minister for Human Services

It has been three years since the delivery of our State Disability Inclusion Plan – Inclusive SA, established as part of the Disability Inclusion Act 2018 (SA).

Inclusive SA is our path forward for a whole-of-government approach to access and inclusion and our State’s commitment to addressing the barriers faced by people living with disability and promoting positive action. I congratulate all involved for their ongoing commitment to this important priority.

We have had many achievements since the introduction of Inclusive SA, including:

• the inclusion of accessible amenities, lifts, ramps, spatial designs, wayfinding signage and hearing loops in the Supreme Court Complex (within the courtrooms), ensuring unimpeded access to justice for all court users as part of the Higher Courts Redevelopment project
• the launch of the Public Sector Disability Employment Strategy by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment
• the release of four accessible and inclusive toolkits, which provide practical support to help drive positive actions that deliver the economic and social benefits of a more inclusive state
• improvements to the visitor experiences at Department for Environment and Water locations, including Goondooloo Ridge water and picnic area, which provides an opportunity for people with disability to enjoy the Deep Creek Conservation Park and take in the amazing view of Kangaroo Island
• the opening of the Freemont Park all-abilities play space, which features the City of Playford’s first Changing Places public toilet and many inclusive design features
• the release of Pavely, a smartphone app that displays accessible and inclusive venues around South Australia to support people living with disability and lived experience plan visits to accessible venues that meets their needs

The COVID-19 pandemic has seen incomparable challenges for our community. How we adapt to and manage these challenges requires a collective effort if we are to continue our commitment to delivering economic and social benefits of a more inclusive state.

During the development of Inclusive SA, we acknowledged that it was to be a living document that would respond to shifting priorities and new information as governments across Australia worked together to design the new national disability strategy for 2020 and beyond.

With the launch of Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031 (ADS), we now have an opportunity to look ahead at what improvements Inclusive SA needs to better reflect the social, political and environmental changes in South Australia that affect South Australians living with disability.

This interim review of Inclusive SA sets the foundations for our State by:

• commencing the alignment to the new ADS
• responding to the health and wellbeing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic
• improving existing actions to better reflect community need.

Our commitment continues and I look forward to furthering our efforts in access and inclusion for all South Australians living with disability.

Hon Nat Cook MP
Minister for Human Services